world religions and philosophy

Moksha – The ultimate goal in Hinduism, representing liberation from the cycle of rebirth and unity with the divine.

Karma – The belief that a person’s actions determine their future experiences, central to Hinduism and Buddhism.

Guru Nanak – The founder of Sikhism who taught the unity of God and the equality of all humans.

Laozi – Ancient Chinese philosopher credited with founding Daoism and emphasizing harmony with nature.

Matteo Ricci – A Jesuit missionary who introduced Christianity and European science to Ming China.

Theravada – A conservative branch of Buddhism focused on monastic life and individual enlightenment.

Analects – A collection of sayings and ideas attributed to Confucius, foundational to Confucianism.

Mahayana – A branch of Buddhism that emphasizes compassion and the potential for all beings to attain enlightenment.

Vladimir I – The prince of Kiev who converted to Orthodox Christianity and helped spread it in Russia.

Wahhabism – A strict, puritanical reform movement in Islam that seeks to return to early Islamic practices.

Bhagavad Gita – A sacred Hindu text in which Prince Arjuna receives spiritual guidance from Krishna.

Theodosius – Roman emperor who made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Martin Luther – A German monk who started the Protestant Reformation by criticizing Catholic Church practices.

Jihad – In Islam, this term refers to both the personal struggle for righteousness and the defense of the faith.

Sharia – Islamic law derived from the Quran and Hadith, governing both religious and daily life.

Filial piety – A Confucian virtue emphasizing respect and devotion to one’s parents and ancestors.

Abraham – The patriarch regarded as the founder of monotheism in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Five Pillars of Islam – The core practices required of Muslims, including prayer, charity, and pilgrimage.

Henry VII – The English king who broke with the Catholic Church and created the Church of England.

Iconoclasm – The rejection or destruction of religious images, often for religious or political reasons.

Urban II – The pope who initiated the First Crusade to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control.

Dhimmis

Non-Muslims living in Islamic states who were granted protection and religious freedom in exchange for a tax.

Animism – The belief that natural objects and phenomena have spirits, common in indigenous religions.

Muhammad – The founder of Islam who is considered the final prophet by Muslims.

Constantine – Roman emperor who legalized Christianity and moved the capital to Byzantium (Constantinople).

Scholasticism – A medieval European philosophy that sought to reconcile faith with reason using logical argument.

Geocentric – An ancient belief that Earth is the center of the universe.

Heliocentric – A scientific model proposing that the Sun, not Earth, is the center of the solar system.

Theocracy – A form of government in which religious leaders rule in the name of a deity.

Humanism – A Renaissance intellectual movement focused on human potential and achievements.

Ahura Mazda – The supreme god in Zoroastrianism, associated with truth and goodness.

Angra Mainyu – The evil spirit in Zoroastrianism who opposes Ahura Mazda and represents chaos.

Akbar – A Mughal emperor known for promoting religious tolerance and blending Islamic and Hindu traditions.

Social Darwinism

A 19th century ideology that applied the concept of “survival of the fittest” to human societies, often to justify imperialism and racism.