Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
acolyte acolyth | a faithful follower, esp. a religious one. |
acosmism | a doctrine denying the existence of a universe distinct from God. |
acosmist | one who denies the existence of a universe distinct from God. |
adharma | in Hinduism, unrighteousness (the opposite of DHARMA). |
agnostic | one who believes that existence of God cannot be known but does not deny the possibility that God exists. |
ahimsa | in Hinduism, the principle of noninjury to living beings. |
ajiva | in Hinduism, inanimate matter. |
anagoge anagogy | a spiritual, mystical, or allegorical interpretation of such works as the Bible. |
anastasis | in Byzantine art, the Harrowing of Hell; resurrection > ANASTASES. |
anata anatman | the belief that there is no such thing as a permanent self. |
anicca | in Hinduism, the belief that everything is impermanent and constantly changing. |
aniconism | the worship of an object symbolising but not representing a god. |
aniconist | one who practises ANICONISM. |
animatism | the primitive attribution of life to natural phenomena, but not (as in ANIMISM) belief in the spirits that reside in them. |
animatist | one who indulges in ANIMATISM. |
animism | the attribution of soul to plants, inanimate objects and natural phenomena. |
animist | one who indulges in ANIMISM. |
animistic | of or pertaining to ANIMISM, the attribution of soul to inanimate objects. |
anticult | opposed to cults. |
apostacy apostasy | abandonment of one's religious beliefs. |
apostate | a person committing APOSTASY. |
arkite | a believer in Noah's Ark. |
atheism | the belief that there is no God. |
atheist | one who indulges in ATHEISM. |
atheistic | like an ATHEIST > ATHEISTICALLY. |
atma atman | in Hindusim, the individual soul. |
autolatry | self-worship. |
avel ovel | a Jewish mourner esp during the first seven days after a death. |
azymite | a member of any church using unleavened bread in the Eucharist. |
ba | in ancient Egyptian religion, the soul > BAS. |
baalism | worship of Baal; idolatry. |
bardo | in Tibetan Buddhism, the intermediate stage between death and rebirth. |
bejesuit | to initiate into Jesuitism. |
cabala cabbala cabbalah kabala kabbala kabbalah qabala qabalah | a mystical tradition of Jewish rabbis. |
the secret science of the CABALA. | |
cacodoxy | incorrect doctrine, heresy, heterodoxy. |
chiliasm | the doctrine that Christ will return and reign for a thousand years. |
chiliast | one who believes in CHILIASM. |
churchism | devotion to church rules over religious precepts. |
converso | a mediaeval Spanish Jew converting to Catholicism > CONVERSOS. |
credal creedal | of or relating to a creed. |
credendum | a thing to be believed; an article of faith; -- distinguished from AGENDUM, a practical duty > CREDENDA. |
credo | a concise statement of doctrine; a section of Mass followed by offertory > CREDOS. |
creed | a statement of belief |
creedal | see CREDAL. |
cult | a system of religious belief. |
cultic | relating to a CULT. |
cultish | of or like a CULT > CULTISHLY. |
cultism | adherence to a CULT. |
cultist | one who adheres to a CULT. |
cultlike | resembling a CULT. |
dawah | the practice of educating non-believers about the practice of Islam. |
decretist | one who studies, or professes the knowledge of, the DECRETALS, papal decrees deciding a point of church law. |
deism | belief in God but rejection of religion. |
deist | an adherent of DEISM. |
deistic deistical | relating to DEISM > DEISTICALLY. |
demonism | belief in demons. |
demonist | a believer in, or worshipper of, demons. |
devilism | the state of the devil or of devils; doctrine of the devil or of devils. |
devotee | a person who is devoted, esp. to religion. |
dhamma dharma | custom or law regarded as duty; the basic principles of cosmic or individual existence. |
dharmic | of or like DHARMA. |
diabolism | devil-worship. |
diabolist | one who practises DIABOLISM. |
diabology | the study of devils. |
diaspora | the dispersion of the Jews after their Babylonian captivity. |
diphysite diophysite dyophysite | a believer in the existence of two natures in Christ, human and divine. |
dissenter | one who dissents esp. in religious matters. |
ditheism | belief in two equal gods, one good and one evil. |
ditheist | one who holds the doctrine of ditheism; a dualist. |
a believer in DITHELISM. | |
dithelism diothelism dyothelism | the doctrine that Christ on earth had two wills, human and divine. |
docetic | pertaining to the heresy that Christ's body was insubstantial. |
dogmatics | the science which treats of Christian doctrinal theology. |
donatism | the tenets of the Donatists, a schismatic body of N. African Christians which originated when they declared invalid the consecration of Caecilian as Bishop of Carthage in 311. |
douleia dulia | in Roman Catholicism, the inferior veneration accorded to saints and angels. Cf. LATRIA. |
doxastic | relating to belief. |
druidism | the religious system of the druids. |
dualism | the doctrine of two distinct principles of good and evil, or of two divine beings of these characters. |
duhkha dukkha | suffering due to the desire for permanence. |
dulia | see DOULEIA. |
ebionise ebionize | to hold a doctrine denying the apostolate of Paul and the miraculous birth of Jesus. |
ebionism | holding the beliefs of an Ebionite, an early Christian who denied the apostolate of Paul and the miraculous birth of Jesus. |
ebionitic | relating to EBIONISM. |
ebionize | see EBIONISE. |
egotheism | identification of oneself with God. |
emanatist | one who believes in EMANATION, the universe considered as issuing from God. |
epopt | a person fully initiated into the Eleusinian mysteries. |
fetichism fetishism | devotion to or reverence for a fetish or fetishes. |
fetichist fetishist | one who worships a FETISH. |
fideism | the doctrine that knowledge depends on faith over reason. |
fideist | a believer in the doctrine of FIDEISM, the doctrine that knowledge depends on faith over reason. |
fideistic | relating to FIDEISM. |
formalism | the practice or the doctrine of strict adherence to, or dependence on, external forms, esp. in matters of religion. |
gematria | a cabbalistic method of interpreting the Hebrew scriptures by interchanging words > GEMATRIAS. [Aram. g'matreya f. Gk geometria, GEOMETRY]. |
gentilism | paganism; the quality of being a GENTILE. |
geolatry | earth-worship. |
giaour | a term used by Turks for an infidel, one not of their religion. |
gymnosoph gymnosophist | one of a sect of naked ascetics of ancient India. |
hadjee hadji haji hajji | a Muslim pilgrim to Mecca. |
hafiz | one who knows the Koran by heart > HAFIZES. |
hajjah | a Muslim woman who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca. |
heathen | an uncivilized person. |
heathenry | the state, quality, or character of the heathen. |
heresy | an unorthodox religious belief. |
hierology | the science of sacred matters. |
hierurgy | religious worship or work. |
idolater idolator | one who worships idols. |
idolatry | the worship of idols. |
idolism | worship of idols. |
idolist | one who worships idols. |
immolator | one who offers in sacrifice; specifically, one of a sect of Russian fanatics who practice self-mutilation and sacrifice. |
impanate | embodied in bread. |
irenics | irenical theology, concerned with promoting peace between churches. |
isagogics | that part of theological science directly preliminary to actual exegesis, or interpretation of the Scriptures. |
jehad jihad | in Islam, a holy war. |
jehadi jihadi | a person who takes part in a JEHAD, a holy war. |
jehadism jihadism | an Islamic fundamentalist movement that favours the pursuit of jihads in defence of the Islamic faith. |
jehadist jihadist | a believer in JEHADISM. |
jihad | see JEHAD. |
jihadi | see JEHADI. |
jihadism | see JIHADISM. |
jihadist | see JEHADIST. |
jujuism | belief in a JUJU. |
jujuist | one who believes in a JUJU. |
ka | in Egyptian belief, the spirit or soul of a dead person; (verb) to serve > KAS, KAING, KAED. |
kabala | see CABALA. |
kabalism | see CABALISM. |
kabalist | see CABALIST. |
kabbala | see CABALA. |
kabbalah | see CABALA. |
kabbalism | see CABALISM. |
kabbalist | see CABALIST. |
kalam | a type of Muslim theology. |
kama | in Hinduism, earthly desire. |
karaism | the doctrines of the Karaites, a strict sect of Jews. |
karma | the moral quality of actions regarded as determining the nature of a future existence. |
karmic | relating to KARMA, the moral quality of actions regarded as determining the nature of a future existence. |
kenosis | the relinquishment of the form of God by Jesus in becoming man > KENOSES or KENOSISES. [Gk. kenosis, emptying]. |
kenotic | relating to KENOSIS, the relinquishment of the form of God by Jesus in becoming man. |
kenotics | the study of the doctrine of KENOSIS. |
kerygma | the apostolic proclamation of salvation through Jesus Christ > KERYGMAS or KERYGMATA. [Gk. kerugma, f. kerussein, proclaim]. |
kismat kismet | fate, destiny. |
kismetic | relating to KISMET, fate, destiny. |
krypsis | the doctrine that Christ secretly exercised divine powers > KRYPSES. [Gk. krypsis, concealment]. |
laicism | the doctrine of opposition to clergy and priests. |
laity | lay people as distinct from the clergy and priests. |
lamaistic | of or pertaining to Lamaism. |
latria | in Roman Catholicism, the veneration accorded to God alone. Cf. DOULEIA. |
layman | a member of the laity. |
layperson | a member of the laity > LAYPERSONS, LAYPEOPLE. |
laywoman | a female member of the laity. |
logos | the divine rational principle > LOGOI. |
macumba | a Black religious cult practised in Brazil, characterized by sorcery, ritual dancing, and the use of fetishes. |
maenad menad | a woman participant in orgiastic Dionysian rites > MAENADS or MAENADES; MENADS. |
mammetry maumetry mawmetry | the religion of Mohammed; idolatry. |
maranatha | a member of a Christian sect. |
marrano | a Jew who has converted to Christianity to avoid persecution > MARRANOS. |
martyr | a person bearing witness to his or her religious beliefs by refusing to renounce them in death > MARTYRLY; (verb) to put to death for adhering to a belief. |
martyrdom | the state of being a MARTYR. |
maumetry | see MAMMETRY. |
mawmetry | see MAMMETRY. |
maya | in Buddhist philosophy, the power to produce illusions. |
mayan | relating to MAYA, in Buddhist philosophy, the power to produce illusions. |
menad | see MAENAD. |
methodist | a follower of Methodism. |
miscreed | a false creed. |
modalism | belief in the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. |
modalist | an adherent of MODALISM. |
moira | individual destiny, will of the gods, fate > MOIRAI. |
moksha | in Buddhism, freedom from the endless cycle of transmigration. |
monachism monasticism | the monastic system or mode of life. |
monergism | the theory that the Holy Spirit alone can act. |
monolater | one who worships one god only out of many believed to exist. |
monolatry | worship of one god without excluding belief in others. |
mystagog mystagogue mystagogus | one who teaches mystical doctrines or one who inititates others into religious cults. |
mystagogy | the doctrines, principles, or practice of a mystagogue; interpretation of mysteries. |
mysticism | the habit or tendency of religious thought and feeling of those who seek direct communion with God or the divine. |
neopagan | a modern believer in PAGANISM. |
nirvana | in Hindu and Buddhist religions, freedom from the endless cycle of birth and death and related suffering,. [Skr. nirvana, blowing out, extinguishing). |
nirvanic | of or like NIRVANA. |
nonbelief | absence of belief. |
nonpagan | (one who is) not a PAGAN. |
nontheism | not believing in a god or gods. |
nontheist | one who is not a THEIST. |
occultism | the study of the occult. |
occultist | one who studies the occult. |
ontologic ontological | related to ONTOLOGY > ONTOLOGICALLY. |
ontology | a branch of metaphysics concerned with the nature and relations of being. |
ovel | see AVEL. |
oversoul | the all-containing soul. |
pagan | an irreligious person. |
pagandom | the pagan lands; pagans, collectively; paganism. |
paganise paganize | to make pagan. |
paganiser paganizer | one who converts others to PAGANISM . |
paganish | of or pertaining to pagans; heathenish. |
paganism | an irreligious attitude. |
paganist | a student of pagans or paganism. |
paganize | see PAGANISE. |
paganizer | see PAGANISER(). |
painim panim paynim | a pagan. |
palmer | one who bears a palm-branch, in token of having made a pilgrimage to Palestine. |
panislam | the world of Islam. |
panim | see PAINIM. | pantheism | the belief that the universe is God; belief in many gods. |
pantheist | one who holds to PANTHEISM, the belief that the universe is God. |
parousia | a coming, especially the second coming of Christ. [Gk parousia, presence, arrival]. |
paynim | see PAINIM. |
paynimry | heathendom. |
perdition | everlasting misery after death, damnation. |
perfecti | a Catharist sect in the 12th and 13th centuries who led very strict lives. N.B. this is a plural. |
pewholder | one who has his or her own pew in a church. |
phallism | the worship of the generative principle in nature, symbolized by the phallus. |
phallist | an adherent of PHALLISM. |
pietism | unquestioning or dogmatic religious devotion. |
pietist | a person characterized by or professing (often affected or exaggerated) piety. |
pietistic | relating to PIETISM, unquestioning or dogmatic religious devotion. |
pilgrim pilgrimer | someone who goes on a pilgrimage. |
pillarist | an ascetic living on top of a pillar, a STYLITE. |
pleroma | fullness, abundance; in Gnosticism, divine being. [Gk. pleroma, that which fills]. |
prajna | wisdom or understanding considered as the goal of Buddhist contemplation. |
preterist | a person who holds that the prophecies of the Apocalypse have been already fulfilled. |
proselyte | a convert, especially to Jewish faith; (verb) to become a proselyte. |
pyrolater | a fire-worshipper. |
pyrolatry | fire-worship. |
qabala | see CABALA. |
qabalah | see CABALA. |
qabalism | see CABALISM. |
quietism | the doctrine of enlightenment through mental tranquility. |
rabbinism | a rabbinic expression or phraseology; a peculiarity of the language of the rabbins. |
rasta | a RASTAFARIAN. |
rastafari rastafarian | a member of a W. Indian cult which rejects western ideas and regards the Emperor Haile Selassie as divine > RASTAFARIS. [The real name of Haile was Prince Ras Tafar Makonnen]. |
recusant | one who refuses to attend Catholic church services; generally, one who refuses to submit to authority. |
regalist | one who believes in royal supremacy, esp. in church matters. |
responsum | in rabbinical literature, a written response to a question of doctrine > RESPONSA or RESPONSUMS. |
rigorist | one who is rigorous; -- sometimes applied to an extreme Jansenist. |
sacrilege | profanation or disregard of anything holy. |
said saiyid sayid sayyid | a descendant of Mohammed's daughter Fatima. |
samsara | in Buddhism, the never-ending cycle of birth, death and rebirth. |
sangha | the Buddhist community or Buddhist monastic order. |
santeria | a Caribbean religion composed of elements from both traditional African religion and Roman Catholicism. |
satanism | the worship of the Devil. |
satori | a state of sudden enlightenment, sought in Zen Buddhism. |
sayid | see SAID. |
sayyid | see SAID. |
sect | a group of people united by common beliefs or interests, esp. religious beliefs. |
sectary | a member of a sect; a person who is zealous in the cause of a sect. |
secular | not spiritual > SECULARLY; (noun) a layman; a clergyman not bound by monastic rules. |
shamanism | the religion of certain peoples of N. Asia, based essentially on magic and sorcery as practised by shamans. |
sharifian sherifian | relating to a SHERIF, a descendant of Mohammed through his daugher Fatima. |
soterial | of or pertaining to salvation. |
spikery | very high-church Anglicanism. |
spiritism spiritualism | the belief that nothing is real except the soul or spirit. |
spiritist spiritualist | one who believes that nothing is real except the soul or spirit. |
subcult | a subordinate CULT. |
subsect | a SECT directly derived from another. |
synergism | the belief that human will and divine spirit cooperate in salvation. |
talmudism | belief in the doctrines of the TALMUD, the body of the Jewish civil and canonical law not comprised in the Pentateuch. |
tao | a path of virtuous conduct in Chinese philosophy. |
tathata | in Buddhism, the ultimate nature of things. |
terminism | the doctrine that there is a time limit for repentance. |
terminist | a believer in TERMINISM, the doctrine that there is a time limit for repentance. |
tetradite | a person who attaches mystic properties to the number four; a believer in a godhead of four persons. |
theism | a belief in the existence of God with or without special revelation. |
theistic theistical | of or pertaining to THEISM. |
theodicy | a vindication of the justice of God in establishing a world in which evil exists. |
theology | the study of God, religion and revelation. |
theonomy | government or rule by God. |
theosoph theosopher theosophist | a believer in THEOSOPHY. |
theosophy | immediate divine illumination or wisdom. |
theurgist | a believer in THEURGY, magic performed with the aid of beneficent spirits. |
thiasus | a group of worshippers gathered to dance in praise of gods > THIASUSES. [Gk. thiasos]. |
thurifer | an altar boy or acolyte who carries a THURIBLE. |
tora torah | the body of Jewish law and learning, including sacred literature and oral tradition > TORAS; TORAHS, TOROT, TOROTH. |
totemism | the belief that a group has a special kinship with an object or animal. |
totemist totemite | one belonging to a clan or tribe having a totem. |
traditor | an early Christian who surrendered sacred books and vessels or betrayed fellow-Christians in times of persecution to save his or her own life > TRADITORS or TRADITORES. |
traducian | a believer in TRADUCIANISM, the theory that the soul is transmitted to a child in the act of generation or concomitantly with its body. |
tritheism | the belief that the members of the Trinity are three separate gods. |
tritheist | one believing that the members of Trinity are three separate gods. |
tropist | a user of tropes; someone who understands the Bible as figurative. |
twicer | one who goes to church twice on a Sunday. |
unitarian | one who denies the doctrine of the Trinity, believing that God exists only in one person. |
venerative | relating to veneration, worship. |
wicca | the practice of witchcraft. |
wiccan | a member of the cult of WICCA. |
worshiper worshipper | one who worships. |
zealant zelant | a zealot, a religious fanatic. |
zealot | a religious fanatic. |
zendik | (Arabic) in the east, one who abstains from magic or practises religion. |
zoolater | someone who worships animals. |
zoolatria zoolatry | worship of animals. |
zoomorphy zoomorphism | the conception of a god or man in animal form |
zootheism | the attribution of divine qualities to animals. |