8.8 Glossary

Agnostic: The belief that existence of the supernatural is unknown or unknowable.

Atheistic: The belief that there is nothing supernatural.

Branches: A large division of a religion.

Canonized doctrine: The officially recognized documents or ideas of a religion.

Denomination: a division of a religious branch (like Baptism from Protestantism)

Ethnic religions: A religion associated with a particular ethnic group.

Monotheism: The belief in one god. Pilgrimage: A journey to a sacred place. Polytheism: The belief in many gods.

Prophecy: Communication with a supernatural power.

Proselytizing: Seeking converts to a religion.

Religious fundamentalism: The belief in the absolute authority of a religious text.

Sacred spaces: Places associated with a sense of the divine. Sanctuary: A haven or place of safety, often defined by law. Schism: The fracturing of an organization.

Sectarian violence: Violence between different sects of the same religion.

Secular: A condition of separation between a state and any religion.

State religion: The official religion of a state. This is not the same as theocracy.

Syncretic religion: A religion formed by the combination of other religions.

Theocracy: A state ruled by religious principles.

Universalizing religion: A religion that seeks converts.