World Religions Final

Abraham

founder of judaism; patriarch in judaism, christianity, and islam

Ali

Muhammed’s cousin and son-in-law; first Shia Imam, fourth Sunni Caliph

Allah

The Arabic word for God, especially in Islam

Anatta

Buddhist doctrine of “no-self.”

Anicca

Buddhist concept of impermanence.

Bo Tree

Tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment

Bodhi

Buddhist term for enlightenment or awakening

Brahmin

Highest Hindu caste; priests and scholars

Brahman

Ultimate reality or world soul in Hinduism

Buddha

“Enlightened one”; title for Siddartha Gautama, founder of Buddhism

Calvin

John Calvin, Protestant Reformer who developed Calvinism.

Chandala

The lowest caste in India; untouchable.

Consubstantiation

Christian belief that bread and wine coexist with Christ’s body and blood in Communion.

Covenant

A sacred agreement or promise, especially between God and people.

Dalai Lama

Spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism

Dharma

Moral law, duty, or teachings in Hinduism and Buddhism

Diaspora

Dispersion of a group, especially Jews living outside Israel

Dravidians

Indigenous people of southern India

Dukkha

Suffering or dissatisfaction in Buddhism

Eightfold Path

Buddhist guide to end suffering and achieve enlightenment

Filioque

Latin for “and the Son”; a phrase in the Christian creed about the Holy Spirit’s origin

Five Pillars of Faith

The five basic acts of worship in Islam

Four Passing Sights

Four things that inspired Buddha to seek enlightenment: old age, sickness, death, and a holy man

Gandhi

Indian leader who promoted nonviolent resistance and helped free India from British rule

Ganges

Sacred river in India, important in Hinduism

Greek Orthodoxy

Branch of Eastern Orthodox Christianity centered in Greece

Hadith

Collection of sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad

Hajj

Pilgrimage to Mecca required of Muslims

Hasidim

Jewish mystical movement known for piety and joy

Hanukkah

Jewish festival celebrating the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem

Incarnation

God taking human form, especially in Jesus (Christianity)

Indo-Aryans

Ancient people who migrated to India and influenced its culture

Ka’aba

Sacred cube-shaped shrine in Mecca; Islam’s holiest site

Karuna

Compassion, especially in Buddhism

Kashrut

Jewish dietary laws (kosher rules).

Kharma (Karma)

The law of cause and effect; actions determine future fate

Kshatriya

Warrior and ruler caste in Hindu society

Logos

“Word” or divine reason; important in Christian theology

Lotus Flower Sutra

Influential Mahayana Buddhist scripture

Magga

The “path”; refers to the Eightfold path in Buddhism.

Mahayana

Major branch of Buddhism emphasizing compassion and universal salvation

Martin Luther

German monk who started the Protestant Reformation

Masada

Ancient Jewish fortress; site of a famous last stand against Rome

Maya

Illusion; the deceptive nature of the world in Hinduism and Buddhism

Mohammed (Muhammad)

Founder and prophet of Islam

Moksha

Liberation from the cycle of rebirth in Hinduism

Monotheism

Belief in one God

Moses

Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of Egypt and received the Ten Commandments

Nicene Creed

Statement of Christian faith established at the Council of Nicaea

Original Sin

Christian belief that all humans inherit sin from Adam and Eve

Passover

Jewish festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt

Paul

Early Christian missionary and writer of many New Testament letters

Petrine Theory

Belief that the Pope is the successor to Saint Peter

Predestination

Belief that God has already determined who will be saved

Protestantism

Branch of Christianity that broke away from the Catholic Church

“Q”

Hypothetical source of Jesus’ sayings used in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

Qu’ran

Holy book of Islam

Rasul

Arabic for “messenger”; a prophet in Islam

Rig Veda

Oldest sacred text of Hinduism

Sacraments

Sacred rituals in Christianity

Salat

The five daily prayers required in Islam

Samsara

Cycle of birth, death, and rebirth in Hinduism and Buddhism

Sanyassin

Hindu religious ascetic or renunciant

Shahadah

Islamic declaration of faith “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad and his prophet.”

Shiva

Major Hindu god known as the destroyer and transformer

Siddhartha Gautama

Founder of Buddhism, known as the Buddha

Sufi

Muslim mystic focused on spiritual closeness to God

Sunni

Largest branch of Islam, emphasizing community consensus

Sutra

Sacred scripture or teaching, especially in Buddhism and Hinduism

Talmud

Central text of Rabbinic Judaism; commentary on Jewish law

Tanha

Buddhist term for desire or craving, which leads to suffering

Theravada

Oldest branch of Buddhism, focusing on the earliest teachings

Torah

First five books of the Hebrew Bible; central to Judaism

Transubstantiation

Catholic belief that bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Christ during Communion

Trinity

Christian doctrine of one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Virgin Birth

Christian belief that Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit

Vishnu

Major Hindu god known as the preserver and protector

Western Wall

Sacred Jewish site in Jerusalem; remains of the ancient Temple

Yathrib (Medina)

City in Saudi Arabia where Muhammad established the first Muslim community