Balthazar

/ˈbælθəˌzɔɹ/

From Middle English Balthasar, from Latin Baltassar, from Ancient Greek Βαλτασαρ (Baltasar), from Hebrew בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר (bēlšaṣṣar), attested in the Tanakh and the Old Testament (Daniel 5:1), from Akkadian 𒂗𒈗𒋀 (bēl-šarra-uṣṣur, literally “May Bel protect the king”). Doublet of Belshazzar.

בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר

Hebrew בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר (bēlšaṣṣar)

(biblical, historical) a Babylonian king mentioned in the Book of Daniel.


pronoia

en-noun

pronoia (countable and uncountable, plural pronoiae or pronoiai or pronoias)

pronoiae (plural)
pronoiai (plural)
pronoias (plural)

Borrowed from Ancient Greek πρόνοιᾰ (prónoia, “foreknowledge, foresight; providence; form of land grant”), from πρόνοος (prónoos, “careful, prudent”) + -ῐᾰ (-ia, suffix forming nouns). πρόνοος is derived from προ- (pro-, prefix indicating a coming forth) + νόος (nóos, “the mind; act of the mind”). The English word is cognate with Latin pronoea (“providence”).
The plural form pronoiae is probably a modification of Latin pronoeae, while pronoiai is from Ancient Greek πρόνοιαι (prónoiai).

der

Now Providence (which the Greekes call Pronoia) is an intellectuall knowledge, both fore-ſeeing, caring for, and ordering all things, and doth not onely behold all paſt, all present, and all to come, but is the cauſe of their ſo being, which Preſcience (ſimply taken) is not: and therefore Providence by the Philoſophers (ſaith S. Auguſtine) is divided into Memory, Knowledge, and Care: […]

1614, Walter Raleigh, “Of the Creation, and Preservation of the World”, in The Historie of the World. In Five Bookes. […], London: Printed for Walter Bvrre, →OCLC, § XIII (Of Providence), page 15:

[page 320] 'And make no provision for the flesh.' [Romans 13:14] 'Provision.' [footnote: Προνοια.] The word implies a forecasting of the mind; and the prohibition therefore is against all deliberation or devising of means or expedients for the gratification of our lusts. […] [page 321] He is a confirmed and advanced learner in the school of wickedness, who can thus in his cooler moments bestow care and calculation on such an enterprise, and in short make a study of the likeliest methods for securing to himself te enjoyment of unhallowed pleasures; and this is the pronoia, the unholy providence, if it may be so termed, on which our text lays its interdict. But it is not against all pronoia, all respect to things future, even though the futurities of this life, that the Bible warns us.

1836–1842, Thomas Chalmers, “Lecture XCIV: Romans, xiii, 11–14”, in Lectures on the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans (The Works of Thomas Chalmers; 25), volume IV, Glasgow: William Collins, […]; London: Hamilton, Adams, & Co., →OCLC, pages 320–321:

The development of the Roman State, therefore, a world-process whose magnitude is truly wonderful, was not brought about as though a drifting mass of elements, by some outward force or inherent affinity became consolidated to revolve at random without any end or aim in that divine pronoia under which the ages move.

1869 January, E. E. Higbee, “Art IV.—The Christian Conception of History.”, in T. G. Apple, editor, The Mercersburg Review; an Organ for Christological, Historical and Positive Theology, volume XVI, Philadelphia, Pa.: Reformed Church Publication Board, […], →OCLC, page 101:

The earlier history of the concept of providence is to be seen in the emergence, from Diogenes to Aristotle, of a notion of an intelligent purpose (telos, q.v.) operating in the universe. In all of these thinker it is clearly associated with the intelligent God whose features begin to appear in the later Plato (see Laws 899 where the denial of pronoia is reckoned blasphemy) and in Aristotle. For the Stoics the immanent Logos governs all by nous and pronoia (D.L. vii, 138; SVF i, 176).

1967, F[rancis] E[dward] Peters, “prónoia: forethought, providence”, in Greek Philosophical Terms: A Historical Lexicon, New York, N.Y.: New York University Press, →OCLC, paragraph 1, page 164:

(philosophy, theology) Divine providence, foreknowledge, foresight.

πρόνοια

divine providence, foreknowledge, foresight — see also foreknowledge, providence


novice

From Middle English novice, novys, from Anglo-Norman novice, Middle French novice, itself borrowed from Latin novīcius, later novitius (“new, newly arrived”) (in Late Latin as a noun, masculine novicius, feminine novicia (“one who has newly entered a monastery or a convent”)), from novus (“new”).

Nor had it been difficult to find a Coptic priest who, together with his youthful novice, chanted the seemingly interminable Egyptian service of the dead […]

1983, Lawrence Durrell, Sebastian, Faber & Faber 2004 (Avignon Quintet), page 1137

(religion) A new member of a religious order accepted on a conditional basis, prior to confirmation.


Mazda

Transliteration of Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬰𐬛𐬁 (mazdā, “wisdom”).

translit

(Zoroastrianism) Ahura Mazda, the supreme and transcendental god of Zoroastrianism.


hominization

en-noun

hominization (usually uncountable, plural hominizations)

From Latin homo (“human being”) + -ization.

(theology) The beginning of human life, or of a deity's life in human form.


Eostre

A learned borrowing from Old English Ēostre, the Northumbrian variant of West Saxon Ēastre (“a word referring to "the rising dawn" to indicate the season of Spring”) and ēastre (“Easter”), from Proto-West Germanic *austrā, from Proto-Germanic *Austrǭ (“Easter, springtime”). Doublet of Easter.

der

(paganism) A neopagan festival celebrated either in March or April to welcome the Spring, also called Ostara or Easter.


Ancestor Night

This is Ancestor Night, the Feast of the Dead, the night strongest for communication with those gone into the shadow lands, those who now dwell over Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge to Asgard.

1991, D J Conway, Norse Magic, Llewellyn Publications, page 51:

Other names are the Festival of Remembrance, the Feast of Apples, Ancestor Night or the Feast of the Dead.

1999, Gail Duff, The Wheel of the Wiccan Year, page 23:

(Germanic paganism) A festival celebrated by followers of Heathenry in late October or early November and based on the Germanic tradition of ancestor worship.


Panchen Lama

Tibetan པན་ཆེན་བླ་མ (pan chen bla ma). From Sanskrit पण्डित (paṇḍita, “scholar”) + Tibetan ཆེན་པོ (chen po, “big”) + Tibetan བླ་མ (bla ma).

Hastings sent two embassies to Tibet, those of George Bogle in 1774-5 and Samuel Turner in 1783. Both envoys went to the Panchen Lama’s residence near Shigatse (Jihkatse), but neither visited the Dalai Lama at Lhasa.

1985, Alastair Lamb, “Introduction”, in India and Tibet, Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, →OCLC, page v:

(Tibetan Buddhism) The second-highest-ranking lama of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism, after the Dalai Lama.

Panchen Lama

second-highest ranking lama of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism


Buddhahood

(Buddhism) The state of being a buddha, or being spiritually enlightened by Buddhist or other teachings.

佛境

state of being enlightened by Buddhist teachings


ontological argument

en-noun

ontological argument (plural ontological arguments)

(philosophy, theology) A type of argument which maintains that the existence of God can be deduced from an analysis of the concept of God.


argument from design

argument from design (plural arguments from design)

teleological argument
teleological argument


teleological argument

teleological argument (plural teleological arguments)

(philosophy, theology) A type of argument for the existence of God, stating that orderliness of nature is evidence of design, therefore also of a designer.


first cause

(theology, philosophy, sometimes capitalized) An initial cause from which all other causes and effects follow.


sawm

From Arabic صَوْم (ṣawm, “fasting; abstaining from food, drink, and sex”), probably borrowed from Classical Syriac ܨܘܡܐ (ṣawmāʾ).

der

(Islam) fasting, abstention, abstinence; the third of the five pillars of Islam


samsara

en-noun

samsara (countable and uncountable, plural samsaras)

Until we are released from the law of karma and reach moksha or deliverance, we will be in samsara or the time process.

1957, S. Radhakrishnan, C. A. Moore, editors, A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy, Princeton Univ. Press, page 38:

(philosophy, religion) In Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and some other eastern religions, the ongoing cycle of birth, death, and rebirth endured by human beings and all other mortal beings, and from which release is obtained by achieving the highest enlightenment.


Wahhabism

From Wahhab + -ism. Named after Islam theologian Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab.

named-after

(Islam) A Sunni Islamic fundamentalist reform movement based on the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (c. 1703–1792), followed primarily in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.


Lokean

(Germanic paganism) One who honours Loki as their primary god.


primum mobile

en-noun

primum mobile (plural primum mobiles or prima mobilia)

primum mobiles (plural)
prima mobilia (plural)

From Middle English primum mobile (“outermost celestial sphere causing other spheres to move”), borrowed from Medieval Latin prīmum mōbile (literally “first mover”), a calque of Arabic مُحَرِّك أَوَّل (muḥarrik ʔawwal, “first mover”), which is itself a calque of Ancient Greek τὸ πρῶτον κινῆσαν (tò prôton kinêsan, “prime mover”).

ref

From Petrus Apianus, Gemma Frisius (1539) Petri Apiani cosmographia, per Gemmam Phrysium, apud Louanienses medicum ac mathematicum insignem, restituta: additis de adem re ipsius Gemmae Phry. libellis, ut sequens pagina docet, Antwerp: In pingui gallina Arnoldo Berckma[n]no [Arnold Birckmann], →OCLC.

calque

مُحَرِّك أَوَّل

der

τὸ πρῶτον κινῆσαν

Have we got among our primum mobiles the force of such elastic vapours as be generated for the purpose out of nonelastic substances, and are not incondensible? A good magazine of vitr[iolic] acid and powder'd marble would not only save the expence of air in feeding fire, but generate heat.

1779 January 20–22, Jeremy Bentham, “302: To Samuel Bentham: 20–22 January 1779 (Aet 30)”, in Timothy L[auro] S[quire] Sprigge, editor, The Correspondence of Jeremy Bentham (The Collected Works of Jeremy Bentham), volumes 2 (1777–80), London: UCL Press, published 2017, →DOI, →ISBN, pages 219–220:

[M]otion is transferred and modified; by none of them produced:—in all of them motion finds a channel; in none of them [...] a source. [...] [W]hat are the several sources of motion, and what are the corresponding prime movers, or primum mobiles?

1815, [Jeremy Bentham], “Table 1. I.—Notes to the Advantages.”, in Chrestomathia: Being a Collection of Papers, Explanatory of the Design of an Institution, Proposed to be Set on Foot, under the Name of the Chrestomathic Day School, or Chrestomathic School, […], London: Printed for Messrs. Payne and Foss, […], and J. Ridgway, […]; by J. M‘Creery, […], →OCLC, pages 24–25:

The Universal Goddess, the World Mother, is among the oldest, "longest-winded," of the great supporting divinities known to the myths of the world. [...] For just because she is the Great Mother, so was she there before anything else. She is the primum mobile, the first beginning, the material matrix out of which all came forth.

1956, Heinrich Zimmer, “On the Siprā Shore”, in Joseph Campbell, editor, The King and the Corpse: Tales of the Soul’s Conquest of Evil (Bollingen Series; XI), 2nd edition, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, published 1993 (10th printing), →ISBN, part II (Four Episodes from the Romance of the Goddess), page 311:

(chiefly philosophy, theology) The prime mover or first cause (“an initial cause from which all other causes and effects follow”).

起因

prime mover or first cause — see also prime mover


partialism

en-noun

partialism (countable and uncountable, plural partialisms)

(Christianity, theology) The doctrine that the three persons of the Trinity are each three parts of God; in other words, each one thirds of God.

(Christianity, theology) The doctrine that Christ's atonement was made for only a part of humanity.


psychographer

(spiritualism) A medium able to psychograph (to have one's body possessed by spirits in order to let them write texts in the physical world).


tawaf

tawaf (countable and uncountable, plural tawafs)

(Islam) The ritual of circumambulating the Kaaba seven times as part of the hajj in Mecca.


psychograph

In this article he deals with the still more remarkable impressions, known as "psychographs," which they have obtained on photographic plates without exposing them at all, and which Mr. Lethem claims could only be produced by "spirit" agency.

A remarkably clear psychograph — a thought-picture — was taken, or impressed, upon a plate in Hope's home without the plate being exposed to light.

1938, True Mystic Science - Volumes 1-2, page 21:

Such a psychograph - and I believe the normal psychic photograph is such - is independent of the laws of light, so that one can imagine how utterly at sea a photographic critic would be who judged its authenticity by shadows or any such tests.

1986, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, John Michael Gibson, Richard Lancelyn Green, Letters to the press: the unknown Conan Doyle, page 295:

Seven years after he began organising regular séances with Miss Poole, Dr. Hamilton managed to obtain his first so-called psychograph or spirit photograph.

2012, Fabrice Bourland, The Baker Street Phantom, →ISBN:

In 1915, for example, the British photographer William Hope made a "psychograph" that contained handwritten messages from two disembodied spirits, and Coates confirmed that the "writing attributed to the late Archdeacon Colley and Mr. William Walker is identical with their own handscript while they were in life."

2013, Kristen Lacefield, The Scary Screen: Media Anxiety in The Ring, →ISBN, page 36:

(spiritualism) A photographic image having a supposed supernatural or spiritual origin

A psychograph or a planchette is an apparatus used in spiritistic circles as an instrument for receiving written messages from the spirits of the dead.

1971, Kurt E. Koch, Occult Practices and Beliefs, →ISBN, page 94:

ln a very well-known utterance, the novelist said of Effi Briest (with that curious pellucidity which has no grain of vanity in it): "Perhaps I have been so successful with it because l wrote the whole novel in a dream-like state, almost as if with a psychograph" - a psychograph being the pen-like implement used in spiritualistic ghost-writing.

2001, Patricia Howe, Helen Chambers, Theodor Fontane and the European Context, →ISBN:

Yet more surprising are the results if recourse be had to the table, for rapping, or to the psychograph, requiring, it is true, longer practice than the divinging rod.

2012, Eduard von Hartmann, C. C. Massey, Spiritism, →ISBN, page 66:

(spiritualism) Any of various devices used for automatic writing.


skandha

Borrowing from Sanskrit स्कन्ध (skandhá, “mass, heap”).

(Buddhism) Any of the five attributes that constitute the sentient being; aggregate

ခန္ဓာ

any of the five aspects constituting the sentient being in Buddhism


constat

(law, religion, sciences) It is clearly evident; It is certain, without a doubt.


suchness

suchness (usually uncountable, plural suchnesses)

From English dialect, from Middle English swichnesse (“the quality or nature of a thing”), from Old English swilċnes (“quality”), equivalent to such + -ness. Reinforced also as a calque of Sanskrit तथाता (tathātā).

inh

ca. 1928, Hans Driesch, "Philosophy of Nature", in, 1928, Edward Leroy Schaub, ed., Philosophy Today: Essays on Recent Developments in the Field of Philosophy, page 431,
The same relation may prevail between the suchness of willing in men and the realization of that willing.

1955, J. D. Salinger, "Franny", in, 1961, Franny and Zooey, 1991 LB Books edition, page 22,
Without any apparent regard for the suchness of her environment, she sat down.

Rather than give an answer, you have to section the tangerine and invite the questioner to have a taste. Doing this, you allow him or her to enter the suchness of the tangerine without any verbal or conceptual description.

1988, Thich Nhat Hanh, The Sun My Heart: From Mindfulness to Insight Contemplation, Parallax Press, →ISBN, page 94:

(philosophy, chiefly Buddhism) Existence per se.


apparitional

en-adj

apparitional (comparative more apparitional, superlative most apparitional)

more apparitional (comparative)
most apparitional (superlative)

People enough, first and last, had been in terror of apparitions, but who had ever before so turned the tables and become himself, in the apparitional world, an incalculable terror?

1908, Henry James, chapter 2, in The Jolly Corner:

Since the people of this period carved innumerable vulvas on the walls of the caves, it is natural to assume that the monthly rhythms of the vulva were closely attended to, and that ovulation was no invisible event but was a subtle tidal pulse that seemed to be drawn by the apparitional light of the full moon.

1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 105:

(religion, forteana) Of or pertaining to an apparition or apparitions

aparicional

of or pertaining to an apparition or apparitions


Judean

(biblical) A member of the tribe of Judah.


Acts of the Apostles

Calque of Latin Āctūs Apostolōrum, itself a calque of Ancient Greek Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων (Práxeis Apostólōn).

der

Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων

(biblical) The fifth book in the New Testament of the Bible.

ܣܘܼܪ̈ܵܢܹܐ ܕܫܠܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ

suʿrānē d-šlīḥē


Bel and the Dragon

(biblical) A deuterocanonical, apocryphal book of the Bible.


deuterocanonical

(biblical) Being of the second canon of the Old Testament of the Bible, and not accepted by some Christians. Part of the Apocrypha.

Baruch

Deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament include


Canticle of Canticles

A calque of Latin Canticum Canticorum (“Song of Songs”).

(biblical) Synonym of Song of Songs, a canonical book of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament.


byname

From by- + name. Cognate with Dutch bijnaam (“nickname”), German Beiname (“nickname, epithet”), Swedish binamn, Danish binavn and Norwegian Bokmål binavn.

(Germanic paganism) A ritual title for a god or goddess used in Heathenry.


2 Chronicles

(biblical) The second of the two Books of Chronicles and the fourteenth book of the Old Testament of the Bible.


1 Chronicles

(biblical) The first of the two Books of Chronicles and the thirteenth book of the Old Testament of the Bible.


Song of Songs

A calque of Latin Canticum Canticorum (“Song of Songs”), variant of earlier Canticle of Canticles.

(biblical) The twenty-second book of the Christian Old Testament and the seventeenth book of the Hebrew Bible.


2 Corinthians

(biblical) The second book of Corinthians and the eighth book in the New Testament of the Bible, an epistle to the people of Corinth attributed to Paul the Apostle and Timothy.


1 Corinthians

(biblical) The first book of Corinthians and the seventh book in the New Testament of the Bible, an epistle to the people of Corinth attributed to Paul the Apostle and Sosthenes.

Céad Litir Naomh Pól chuig na Corantaigh


Ben Sira

(biblical) Ecclesiasticus, a book of the Bible.


Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach

the Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach (canonical)


Salafism

(Islam) A movement comparing itself to Sunni Islam, claiming to taking the pious ancestors, the salaf of the patristic period of early Islam, as exemplary models.


Salafi

Many Salafis are not violent; most are actually apolitical.

2016 November, David Patrikarakos, “Progression through Regression”, in Literary Review:


Judg.

Iūd.

abbreviation of the equivalent of Judges


4 Kings

(biblical) A book of the Old Testament of Bible, and of the Tanakh.


Maccabees

(biblical) One of two books of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox canon of the Old Testament, considered apocryphal by Protestants.


1 Kings

(biblical) The eleventh book of the Old Testament of Bible, and of the Tanakh.


2 Kings

(biblical) The twelfth book of the Old Testament of Bible, and of the Tanakh.


1 Samuel

(biblical) The ninth book of the Old Testament of the Bible, and of the Tanakh.

撒母耳记上卷

Sat-bó͘-ní Kì Siōng-koàn, Sat-bó͘-jí Kì Siōng-koàn

撒母耳记上

Sat-bó͘-ní Kì Siōng, Sat-bó͘-jí Kì Siōng


2 Samuel

(biblical) The tenth book of the Old Testament of Bible, and of the Tanakh.

撒母耳记下卷

Sat-bó͘-ní Kì Hā-koàn, Sat-bó͘-jí Kì Hā-koàn


bus ministry

(religion) An outreach program of a religious institution that regularly uses buses or jitneys to transport people, typically children, to a site of religious practice.


apodictic

en-adj

apodictic (comparative more apodictic, superlative most apodictic)

more apodictic (comparative)
most apodictic (superlative)

From the Latin apodīcticus (“proving clearly”, “demonstrative”), from the Ancient Greek ἀποδεικτικός (apodeiktikós, “affording proof”, “demonstrative”), from ἀποδείκνυμι (apodeíknumi, “I demonstrate”). In turn, from ἀπο- (apo-, “separate, without”), and δεικτικός (deiktikós, “capable of proof”).

uder

ἀποδεικτικός

(Biblical studies, theology) Absolute and without explanation, as in a command from God like "Thou shalt not kill!"


Prayer of Manasseh

(biblical) A book of the Apocrypha of the Bible.


Song of the Three Holy Children

(biblical) A book of the Apocrypha, now included in the passage Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children.


2 Peter

(biblical) The second epistle of Peter, the twenty-second book of the New Testament of the Bible.


1 Peter

(biblical) The first epistle of Peter, the twenty-first book of the New Testament of the Bible.


structurality

en-noun

structurality (countable and uncountable, plural structuralities)

(philosophy, theology) The qualities or types of the structure or structures an object possesses.


for ever and ever

Arising in the King James Bible, an approximate translation from Ancient Greek εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων (eis toùs aiônas tôn aiṓnōn, “to the aeons of the aeons”) and Hebrew לעולם ועד (“forever and until”), as well as Latin in saecula saeculorum and per omnia saecula saeculorum (themselves from the Greek).

der

εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων

(biblical, Christian liturgy) Eternally; timelessly; with no beginning and no end.


atman

From Sanskrit आत्मन् (ātmán, “soul; self; ego; essence”). Doublet of edder (“blood vessel”) and cognate with Old English ǣþm (“breath”).

bor

However, we have been led beyond this to a threefold analysis which in its western version is body-soul-spirit and in its eastern version body-mind-atman.

1994, John Hick, Death and Eternal Life, page 450:

Atman is the manifestation of brahman in the human body. The central theme of the Upanishads is that in the liberated state the atman is identical with brahman.[…]The word atman is generally translated as soul, self or spirit. However, in view of the Western definition of the soul, atman and soul are not the same.[…]In the Western view, the soul is created by God. In the Hindu view, the atman, being eternal, is not created by God. It is a part of God.

2005, Bansi Pandit, Explore Hinduism, page 63:

The human being in Hindu thought comprises Atman (or Punisha) and Maya (or Prakriti). The Hindu doctrine of Atman concerns one's deepest identity.

2006, Donald Goergen, Fire of Love: Encountering the Holy Spirit, page 151:

The priests who were immersed in the ritual science of the Brahmanas began to speculate on the nature of the self, and gradually the word "atman" came to refer to the essential and eternal core of the human person, which made him or her unique.

2006, Karen Armstrong, The Great Transformation, Atlantic Books, published 2007, page 84:

The Brahmanic tradition that Buddhism is both connected to and a reaction against was, according to almost every scholar, over the top as regards atman. So, not only were individuals possessed of an immutable, indestructible atman. Some, perhaps many Brahmins were asserting that they were ATMAN.

2011, Owen Flanagan, The Bodhisattva's Brain: Buddhism Naturalized, page 124:

(Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Vedanta) The true self of an individual beyond identification with worldly phenomena, the essence of an individual, an infinitesimal part of Brahman.


2 Thessalonians

(biblical) The fourteenth book of the New Testament of the Bible, the second epistle to the Thessalonians.


1 Thessalonians

(biblical) The thirteenth book of the New Testament of the Bible, the first epistle to the Thessalonians.


2 Timothy

(biblical) The sixteenth book of the New Testament of the Bible, the second epistle to Timothy.


1 Timothy

(biblical) The fifteenth book of the New Testament of the Bible, the first epistle to Timothy.


1 John

(biblical) The twenty-third book of the New Testament of the Bible, the first epistle of John.


2 John

(biblical) The twenty-fourth book of the New Testament of the Bible, the second epistle of John.


3 John

(biblical) The antepenultimate book of the New Testament of the Bible, the third epistle of John.


desacralization

en-noun

desacralization (countable and uncountable, plural desacralizations)

(religion) The reverse of sacralization, and occurs when a formerly dedicated religious structure such as a church or religious school is given over for another purpose outside of the particular religious organization which dedicated it for a sacred purpose.


tropology

tropology (countable and uncountable, plural tropologies)

From Late Latin tropologia, from Late Greek τροπολογία (tropología), equivalent to trope + -ology.

Where the syntax of propositions is broken, we see a very general principle of tropology that grants a priori that things like texts are replacements of things like authors.

1993, Miguel Tamen, Manners of Interpretation: The Ends of Argument in Literary Studies, page 58:

He must distinguish the historical information from the allegory, divide the allegory from the tropology, and separate the tropology from the anagogy.

2009, Geoffrey Grossus, The Life of Blessed Bernard of Tiron, page 58:

A similar story can be told for White's tropology. Tropology also is something that “the mind brings” to (past) reality and that is not part of the past itself.

2009, Frank Ankersmit, “2: White's "New Neo-Kantianism": Aesthetics, Ethics and Politics”, in Frank Ankersmit, Ewa Domanska, Hans Kellner, editors, Re-Figuring Hayden White, page 37:

(theology, philosophy) The interpretation of scripture or other work in order to educe moral or figurative meaning; a treatise of such interpretation.


ayah

Borrowed from Arabic آيَة (ʔāya, “sign, token”).


reactive mind

(Scientology) A portion of the brain akin to the subconscious where painful memories, or engrams, are stored.


tone scale

(Scientology) A subjective appraisal of a person's spiritual aliveness, usually given by an auditor, ranging from 'total failure' to 'serenity of beingness'.


Gideon

Borrowed from Hebrew גִּדְעוֹן (gid'ón, “Gideon”) ("feller", "hewer", "mighty warrior").

And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Judges 7:7:

(biblical) A warrior judge of Israel mentioned in the book of Judges.


bija

(Hinduism, Buddhism) The origin or cause of things.


Maitreya

Transliteration of Sanskrit मैत्रेय (maitreya, “friendly, benevolent”).

translit

(Buddhism) A bodhisattva who is considered to be a future Buddha.

ဢရီႉမိတ်ႈတေႇယႃႉ

ʼǎ rḭ̂i mīt tèe yâ̰a


bottomless pit

1769, The Bible, King James Version, Oxford Standard Text, Revelation, 9:11,
And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.


mutat

Borrowed from Arabic مُتْعَة (mutʕa). Doublet of mut'ah.

Relying on Qur'an, Sura II, verse 236, Nasir (1990a, p. 144; 1990b, pp. 96-98) shows that the amount of mutat is a matter of goodwill and of custom.

1998, David Pearl, Werner Menski, Muslim family law, →ISBN, page 184:

Once it has had three steers, the new owner can 'cut the linkage' (mutat) by giving back an ox and six goats or so, depending on the practice in a particular area, and the original owner will give away the ox in exchange for another calf, which will create a new cattle lineage.

2007, David J. Ndegwah, Biblical Hermeneutics as a Tool for Inculturation in Africa, page 121:

This is a ruling agreed upon by the Shi’ahs with the reservation that if the husband should die before consummation, without having specified a dower, nor set any portion for his wife in the contract, then nothing is due to her by way of dower or gift (mutat) (Ref. Al-Hilli, p. 21).

2009, Jamal J. Ahmad Nasir (editor), The Status of Women under Islamic Law and Modern Islamic Legislation (third edition), BRILL, chapter thirteen: “The Dower”, § 5: ‘Entitlement to the Dower’, page 95

This argument confirms that in traditional Muslim jurisprudence the concept of some kind of compensation for the divorced Muslim wife, in the form of mata or mutat, was not unknown.

2013, Werner Menski, Modern Indian Family Law, →ISBN, page 284:

(Islam) A compensation gift given to a woman when divorced or repudiated by her husband.


Helatrobus

(Scientology) An "interplanetary nation" which existed trillions of years ago, the reasons for the demise of which are uncertain.


Xenu

From the works of L. Ron Hubbard, of unknown origin. Richard Abanes notes that a Journey into Mystery science fiction comic story featuring an alien warlord titled “Xemnu the Titan” (1961) was reprinted in 1967, the year that Hubbard composed the Xenu narrative.

He caused people to be brought to Teegeeack (Earth) and put an H Bomb on the principal volcanoes (Incident 2) and then the Pacific area ones were taken in boxes to Hawaii and the Atlantic Area ones to Las Palmas and there "packaged." His name was Xenu. He used renegades.Various misleading data by means of circuits etc. were placed in the implants.

1968, L. Ron Hubbard, OT III: Wall of Fire, archived from the original on 2013-01-12:

The documents Scott took are a refinement of Hubbard’s account of Xemu, assertedly an evil tyrant who planted the seeds of aberrant behavior in people 75 million years ago. ¶ According to documents obtained previously by The Times in Los Angeles Superior Court, Hubbard contends that Xemu trapped people in a compound of frozen alcohol and glycol and deposited them in 10 volcanoes. Xemu then dropped nuclear bombs on the volcanoes, according to Hubbard, destroying the people but freeing their spirits, which clustered together and were brainwashed by Xemu.

1985 November 23, Robert Welkos, Joel Sappell, “Scientologists Win Major Court Victory Over Defectors, Documents”, in Los Angeles Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2020-07-12:

Seventy-five million years ago there was a galactic confederation consisting of seventy-six planets which had an over-population problem. The head of the confederation was named Xenu and he resolved that he would entice the entire population of the confederacy to Earth (called Teegeeach) and blow them up. […] Contacting the BTs is done telepathically and they are then guided back down the time-track to the moment seventy-five million years ago when Xenu vaporized them, which is known as Incident 2.

1986, Stewart Lamont, Religion Inc.: The Church of Scientology, London: Harrap, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page 50:

"Trapped" made merciless fun of Mr. Cruise and Scientology, but stuck mostly to the church's actual beliefs, including such notions as frozen aliens and a Lord Xenu who ruled a galactic federation of planets.

2006 March 24, Alessandra Stanley, “A 'South Park' Character's Return Becomes an Opportunity for Revenge”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2017-03-14, Television:

At the heart of Scientology’s belief system is the story of a galactic dictator called Xenu who, 76 million years ago, imprisoned the billions of people of the 75 planets of the Galactic Federation in volcanoes on Earth and dropped H-bombs on them. This traumatic event separated the thetans from their bodies. These deeply troubled thetans attach themselves in their millions to humans today; and are responsible for illness, perversion and many of the other problems of the human race. Advanced levels of auditing can help Scientologists to rid themselves of these ‘body thetans’.

2007, Una McGovern, Chambers Dictionary of the Unexplained, Chambers, →ISBN, page 607:

That incident, the story of Xenu, is an extremely important incident theologically, because it explains why everyone is infested with body thetans here on earth. It is a serious event considered to have happened.

2008, Michael Streeter, Behind Closed Doors: The Power and Influence of Secret Societies, New Holland Publishers, page 219:

More than a few Scientologists read the Xenu story as “a bizarre science fiction story,” as one former member described it. But fearing they'd be denounced for doubting Hubbard's teachings—to do so would be a thought crime — they held their tongue.

2011, Janet Reitman, Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion, Houghton Mifflin, page 100:

A more elaborate version of the Xenu/Xemu story appears in a lecture attributed to Hubbard from September 1968, also now widely available online.

2011, Hugh B. Urban, The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion, Princeton University Press, page 103:

(Scientology) An extraterrestrial galactic leader said to have transported aliens to Earth 75 million years ago and murdered them with hydrogen bombs at sites of volcanoes, turning them into thetans.

Journey into Mystery
L. Ron Hubbard
Richard Abanes
Xenu


khula

(Islam) A form of divorce initiated by the wife.


restimulate

en-verb

restimulate (third-person singular simple present restimulates, present participle restimulating, simple past and past participle restimulated)

restimulates (present singular third-person)
restimulating (participle present)
restimulated (participle past)
restimulated (past)

The sound of firecrackers restimulated the war veteran, and he felt tired for several days after.

(Scientology) To "awaken" a previously lost or hidden memory (engram) from the past, in (a person).


physicotheology

en-noun

physicotheology (countable and uncountable, plural physicotheologies)

What else can be concluded, but that all was made with magnificent Design, and that all the whole Structure is the Work of some intelligent Being; some Artist, of Power and Skill equivalent to such a Work?

1713, William Derham, Physico-Theology, or, A Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God, from His Works of Creation, 5th ed. (1720), London, book I, p. 36

We have been rather severe in the foregoing observations on Dr. Büchner's work, because it belongs to a school of physico-theology, which, whether on the affirmative or negative side, we hold to be equally opposed to the true interests of science.

1865, “Büchner's Force and Matter”, in Anthropological Review, volume 3, number 8, page 28:

Indeed, Creation, like a number of passages in The Seasons, furnishes excellent examples of physicotheology, helpfully defined by Harry Solomon as "the use of the scientific examination of nature to establish and raise admiration for the existence and providence of God."

1989, Thomas B. Gilmore, “Implicit Criticism of Thomson's 'Seasons' in Johnson's 'Dictionary'”, in Modern Philology, volume 86, number 3, page 269:

Some claim that Kant's discussion amounts to a refutation of physicotheology and thus does not result in an argument from design.

2002, “Abstracts of Colloquium Papers: 'On Kant's Only Possible Argument in Support of a Demonstration of the Existence of God' by Martin Schönfeld”, in Proceedings and Addresses of the American Philosophical Association, volume 75, number 3, page 127:

(philosophy, theology, dated) The view that evidence and sound arguments for God's existence can be derived from a study of the natural world; a study of the natural world intended to provide such evidence.


ifrit

→ Japanese: イフリート (ifurīto)

(Islam) A kind of djinn mentioned in the Qur'an.


Asura

Transliteration of Sanskrit असुर (asura). Doublet of Ahura. Compare English Æsir.

translit

(Buddhism) The lowest class of deities and demigods of the Kāmadhātu.


religious order

en-noun

religious order (plural religious orders)

(religion) An organized community of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of the founder's religious practice.

náboženský řád

organized community of people following a specific religious devotion


Ascension

(religion) Entry into heaven while still alive.


house of worship

house of worship (plural houses of worship)

(religion) A religious edifice; a mosque, church, synagogue, temple, or similar place where believers go to practice their faith.


bardo

Borrowed from Tibetan བར་དོ (bar do), from བར (bar, “interval”) + དོ (do, “two”), in the sense of an interval between two states.

According to the belief of the Tibetans, that is considered an untimely death, which, in opposition to the ordinary course of nature, is accelerated by evil spirits, such as Sringan, Dechad, Jungpo, and others. As a consequence of premature decease, the "Bardo," is prolongated. This is the middle state between the death and the new re-birth, which does not follow immediately, but there exists an interval, which is shorter for the good than for the bad. The prolongation of this intermediate state is considered as a punishment caused by evil spirits who have only power over sinful men.

1863, Emil Schlagintweit, “Details Characteristic of the Religion of the People”, in Buddhism in Tibet: Illustrated by Literary Documents and Objects of Religious Worship. With an Account of the Buddhist Systems Preceding It in India. … With a Folio Atlas of Twenty Plates and Twenty Tables of Native Print in the Text, Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus; London: Trübner & Co., →OCLC, page 109:

The soul's gradual progress to God in terms of a spiralling pathway up the side of the cosmic mountain, from one spiritual station to the next, is an image common to almost all of the world's mystical systems; but few mention the direct path from the base of the mountain straight up to the summit. Even the Bardo Thodol mentions the direct path only once, and then glancingly, confining itself solely to a description of the soul's circuitous afterlife journey through the heaven-worlds. The shortcut for heroes that bypasses the heaven-worlds or bardos and takes them straight to the divine world—in one lifetime, so it is said—is so well guarded in religious literature that the relevant Tibetan Buddhist texts are written in the "twilight language," a cipher that can be understood only with the help of revelation.

1996, Victoria LePage, “The Perfection of the Shortest Path”, in Shambhala: The Fascinating Truth behind the Myth of Shangri-La, 1st Quest edition, Wheaton, Ill.: The Theosophical Publishing House, →ISBN, page 95:

The bardo in Tibetan means an intermediate state, most specifically the one after death when your soul wanders through the heavens and hell, trying to avoid rebirth into samsara—the realm of the material—and achieve nirvana or Buddhahood. […] Like everything the bardo journey takes place both inside you and outside. Like everything it's both a metaphor and not. I was born in the fifties in a nation suspended in the bardo state between a war a decade over and the hellsmoke light of a new war pulling in the East.

1998, Susanne Paolo, “Prologue”, in Bardo (The Brittingham Prize in Poetry), Madison, Wis.: University of Wisconsin Press, →ISBN, page xiii:

Some writers have suggested the near-death experience expresses the stages of the dissolution process in the bardo of dying. It is premature, I feel, to try to link the near-death experience too precisely with the bardo descriptions, […]

2013, Sogyal Rinpoche, “The Near-Death Experience”, in Lee W. Bailey, Jenny Yates, editors, The Near-Death Experience: A Reader, Routledge, →ISBN, page 173:

Possessing both omniprescence and omniscience, they now stared beyond the abyss of astral space—beyond the six bardos of Tibetan Buddhism—spreading their karmic seeds across the infinite coordinates of the cosmological Minkowski continuum.

2014, C. J. Cala, “Babble On”, in Four Different Faces, [s.l.]: C. J. Cala, →ISBN, page 151:

"Bardo," as noted, means in-between state. So whenever we're in between two states, no matter what the scale, we're in a bardo state. These two states could be living and dying or being awake and being asleep, but they could also be the just-past moment of thought and the moment to come. Thus "bardo" includes the gap between the cessation of one moment of thought and the arising of the next moment.

2015, Evan Thompson, “Dying: What Happens when We Die?”, in Waking, Dreaming, Being: Self and Consciousness in Neuroscience, Meditation, and Philosophy, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 292:

For internees the war was experienced in exile. The Buddhists in Crystal City understood it as a bardo state—a provisional period between the lives before their confinement, and the dream of freedom after the war.

2015 January, Jan Jarboe Russell, “The All-American Camp”, in The Train to Crystal City: FDR’s Secret Prisoner Exchange Program and America’s only Family Internment Camp during World War II, New York, N.Y.: Scribner, →ISBN, page 233:

(Tibetan Buddhism) The state of existence between death and subsequent reincarnation.


civilist

From Medieval Latin civilista, from Latin cīvīlis (“civil (law)”), on the pattern of Medieval Latin canonista (“canonist”), from Latin canōn (“rule”).

(obsolete, theology) One who rejects the moral authority of Christ but who nevertheless adheres to a moral code in line with “civil righteousness” and “good citizenship”.


lay speaker

(religion) A person who is not ordained but is appointed to lead Church services.

Lay reader in the Anglican and Episcopal Churches

Local preacher in the UK Methodist Church and the Uniting Church in Australia


lay preacher

(religion)A person who is not ordained but is appointed to lead Church services in a religious denomination.

Lay speaker in the United Methodist Church


lay reader

The Sabbath with us was literally a day of rest. The doctor, who was a licensed lay reader, read the service, and we managed to form a choir, composed of my sister and those of the staff who cared to join it.

1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 80:


local preacher

(religion) A person who is not ordained but is appointed to lead Church services in some religious denominations.


Yule tree

1993 The Rites of Odin, Ed Fitch, Llewellyn, →ISBN, page 135.
Modern Yule Tree decorations are acceptable for this season, of course, though parents may wish to decorate the Yule tree so that it reflects Yggdrasill, the mythic World-Tree.

1997 Thunder issue 2 (Heathen Journal), The Folk's Noisy Friend, Garman Lord.
Then again; what about those Indian shamans whose idea of a quick sure fire way to do a vision quest is to go stand on a mountain outcrop where lightning is about to strike, until they light up like Yule trees with static electricity, jumping off the rock to safety (hopefully) at the last possible moment?

2000 Ratatosk Volume 4 issue 4 (Heathen Journal) Yule not Xmas, Red Raven.
Those without an outdoor tree can hang gifts indoors on the Yule tree, or go for a walk to the local woods.

(chiefly paganism) A yuletide decoration comprising a potted tree decorated with ribbons and religious symbols.


Night

"In this prayer, Sigdrifa calls upon powers of Nature - Day, Night, Earth - and the gods and goddesses as a group.

1993, Our Troth, Ring of Troth and other True Folk, Ring of Troth, page 383

Hail to Night and her daughters.

1993, Teutonic Religion, Kveldulf Gundarsson, Llewellyn Publications, page 316

In another story, the Allfather, the original sky god from early Wyrd culture, took Night and her son Day, and gave to each of them a horse and chariot and put them in the sky, so that they should ride around the world every twenty-four hours.

1996, The Wisdom of the Wyrd, Brian Bates, Rider, page 48

(Germanic paganism) The goddess of the night in Heathenry.


omnisentience

In professional training programs, our strivings for omniscience, omnipotence, and omnisentience are stimulated, reinforced, and rewarded by the programs' faculties.

1972, Horace G. Whittington, Clinical Practice in Community Mental Health Centers, page 119:

(religion) Sensory awareness of all things.

Similar difficulties arise concerning the genesis of consciousness for the individual […] To escape these perplexities, the notion of omnisentience or panpsychism has often been put forward.

1974, Richard Spilsbury, Providence Lost: A Critique of Darwinism, page 65:

(religion, philosophy) The presence of sensory awareness in all things, or the doctrine that sensory awareness is universal.


dogmatics

(theology) The systematic study of dogmata.


Yule wreath

1989 A Book of Troth, Eldred Thorsson, Llewellyn Publications, →ISBN, page 175.
The harrow, which must be made of stone and set up outside or in an outdoor room with a chimney or smoke hole, is fitted out with a horn, a vessel of beer or ale, a single (red) candle and the Yule-wreath in its center.

1993 Our Troth, the Ring of Troth and other true folk, →ISBN, page 554.
In Scandinavia, the centre of he Yule festivities (especially before the German tree was adopted) was the Yule wreath; many families have wrought-iron candleholder wreaths as family heirlooms, and these are also woven with evergreen branches.

2000 Ratatosk Volume 4 issue 4 (Heathen Journal) Yule not Xmas, Red Raven.
Over the Yule period write wishes on strips of paper and thread them onto the Yule wreath.

(chiefly paganism) A yuletide decoration comprising a ring of greenery decorated with ribbons.


Perez

(biblical) The father of Hezron and the son of Judah; the grandson of Jacob.


Thor's beard

Sempervivum tectorum
Sempervivum tectorum#Translingual

(Germanic paganism) The plant houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum), as used in Heathenry.


Thor's hammer

(Norse mythology, Germanic paganism) Mjöllnir (Mjollnir), the distinctively T-shaped war-hammer of the Norse thunder god Thor, or a representation thereof, now used as a symbol by various pagan religious groups.


Sky Father

(Germanic paganism) Title for any of the highest gods of Heathenry, but especially Tiw/Tyr.


world-ash

Ash is a strongly runic tree by implication, the world-ash Yggdrasil being the tree from which Odin hung in order to obatin the runes.

1993, Bernard King, The elements of the Runes, Thorsons Element, →ISBN, page 95:

This eventuality would not be surprising if the world ash was, at the time, a small young tree.

1988, David A. White, The turning wheel: a study of contracts and oaths in Wagner's ring, page 108:

(Norse mythology and Germanic paganism) Yggdrasil.


Silvanus

From Latin Silvanus, a Latin cognomen, from silva (“forest”). The name Silas, from the early Christian apostle, was Latinised as Silvanus by Paul.

(biblical) A companion of Paul, also called Silas.


spae-craft

Twelfth Night is particularly a time fo fore-tellings; if there is a skilled rune-reader or someone with spae-craft in the group, this is when they should cast or speak for the year ahead.

1993, Our Troth: History and Lore, →ISBN, page 570:

The greatest tools of spae-craft seem to have been the staff and the hooded cloak.

1994, Kveldúlf Hagan Gundarsson, Teutonic Magic: The Magical & Spiritual Practices of the Germanic Peoples, Llewellyn Publications, →ISBN, page 216:

I have the privilege of having a very wise and kind idis, Ealgitha, who teaches me spaecraft and other things.

1997, Elmindreda Pukwdugie, Winifred Hodge, Lina (Heathen Journal), volume 3, number 1:

(Germanic paganism) The magical art of foretelling the future, used especially in Heathenry.


ephod

1769, Oxford Standard text, Bible (King James): Exodus, 28, vi-viii,
And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.
It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together.
And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

1769, Oxford Standard text, Bible (King James): Hosea, 3, iv,
For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:

From this it appears that at least towards the close of the Exile, the Urim and Thummim were considered as something distinct from the ephod of the high priest and the gems with which it was adorned.

1913, “Urim and Thummim”, in Catholic Encyclopedia:

(biblical, Judaism) A priestly apron, or breastplate, described in the Bible in Exodus 28: vi–xxx, which only the chief priest of ancient Israel was allowed to wear.

éphod

apron worn by chief priest of ancient Israel


oath-ring

(Germanic paganism) A ring (particularly an arm ring) on which oaths are sworn.


Otherworld

(paganism) The other realms of existence beyond the world of mankind, especially the realms of the dead or the fairy folk.


rainbow bridge

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-rainbow bridge.wav

1993 The Rites of Odin, Ed Fitch, Llewellyn, →ISBN, page 273.
O High Ones of the Rainbow Bridge, Thou hast heard that which is my need And my desire.

1998 Heartland, Volume 1, Issue 3 (Heathen Journal), I Believe, Joanne Fletcher - Holloway.
With nature I give and feel her pain, In Freyja's arms I'm at peace again, And in all I've heard, And in all I've read, My life is anew, like the eagle that flew, Across the Rainbow Bridge, Myself to myself, I give to you.

2004 The Book of Seithr, Runic John, Capall Bann Publishing, →ISBN, page 82.
Asgard stands perched on the highest branches of the tree, where it is reached by crossing Bifrost, the rainbow bridge.

(Germanic paganism) The road between the realm of the gods and the realm of men in Heathenry which appears in the form of a rainbow; Bifrost.


aett

1984 Fortune -Telling By Runes, David & Julia Line, The Aquarian Press, →ISBN page 15.
Known as aettir, these basic divisions were sometimes named after Norse deities: Freya's eight, Hagal's eight and Tiu's eight.

1993 The Elements of The Runes, Bernard King, Element, →ISBN, page 110.
When we examined runic divination, we related, in passing, the phases of the moon to the three ættir of the Common Germanic Futhark.

The runic futhark is usually divided into three aetts.

1998, The Norse Tradition a beginners guide, Pete Jennings, Headway, →ISBN, page 36:

Each aett is named after the rune that begins it, which may be regarded as the patriarch of the family it heads. This trine of families was so important that it survived the increase of the runes in England and the decrease in their number […]

2009, Donald Tyson, Runic Astrology: Chart Interpretation Through the Runes, Llewellyn Worldwide, →ISBN:

Each Aett contains certain runes that cover similar concepts. For example each has a rune for light, as in Kanauz the torch, Sowelo the sun, and Dagaz the day. The light becomes greater in power as we progress through the Aettir.

2016, Kim Farnell, Runes, Plain & Simple: The Only Book You'll Ever Need, Hampton Roads Publishing, →ISBN, page 38:

(sometimes paganism) A division of the runic alphabet containing eight runes.


Norse Tradition

1997 Pagan Dawn issue 125 (Pagan magazine), Call us Heathens, Arlea Anschutz and Steven Hunt.
Norse Tradition is another similar term, but instead of being too broad, it[']s too narrow.

1998 The Norse Tradition a beginners guide, Pete Jennings, Headway, →ISBN, page 1.
The Norse Tradition, sometimes known as Odinism (after its chief god Odin), sometimes called Northern Tradition (as in Northern Europe) or Asatru (from the words meaning 'a faith in the Gods') is attractive today for many of the reasons for which it was followed long ago.

2001 Goddess of the North, Lynda C. Welch, Weisser Books, →ISBN, page 226.
While an entire book could be written about the spiritual symbols of the Norse Tradition, the purpose here is to give a brief description, without compromising the reader's own intuition concerning the symbols.

(Germanic paganism) The religion of Heathenry, a modern faith inspired by the ancient pagan beliefs of the Germanic tribes, Anglo-Saxons and Norse peoples.


need-fire

In Silesia, also, need-fires were often employed for the purpose of curing a murrain or preventing its spread.

1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 10, page 278:

Fire - divided into need-fire (kindled by friction - discussed under 'Waluburg's Night') and 'struck fire' (sparked by flint and steel - discussion under Thonar).

I built up the kindling in various stages in the base of the stove as I prepared to make my need-fire.

1998, Darien Hamilton, “Kindling in the Yuletide”, in Heathen Journal, volume 2, number 3:

When great pestilence is upon the land, old folklore tells of using a bow drill to make the need-fire, which is then used to cure cattle of their illness.

2003, Brian Froud, Ari Berk, The Runes of Elfland, page 51:

(paganism) A ritual fire created by friction.


Winter Finding

1985 The Wisdom of the Runes, Michael Howard, Rider & Company, →ISBN, page 133.
Winter Finding.

1998 The Norse Tradition a beginners guide, Pete Jennings, Headway, →ISBN, page 70.
Asatru: Sheddingmoon Bede: Halegmonath Roman Date: Sept 23 Festival: Winter-Finding Theme: Harvest end.

2006 Everything you need to know about Paganism, Selene Silverwind, David & Charles, →ISBN, page 106.
Winter Finding; is also referred to as Harvest.

(Germanic paganism) A festival celebrated in Heathenry which marks the beginning of fall, held on the autumn equinox.


Summer Finding

1985 The Wisdom of the Runes, Michael Howard, Rider & Company, →ISBN, page 133.
Summer Finding.

1989 A Book of Troth, Eldred Thorsson, Llewellyn Publications, →ISBN, page 54.
The tide of the spring fetival, Easter, is rekoned as mentioned above - the first full Moon after the spring equinox, or Summer Finding.

2006 Everything you need to know about Paganism, Selene Silverwind, David & Charles, →ISBN, page 104.
Other names for Summer Finding are Ostara and Easter.

(Germanic paganism) A festival celebrated in Heathenry which marks the beginning of spring, held on the spring equinox.


Elisheba

Borrowed from Hebrew אלישבע (“the Lord is her oath”). Doublet of Elizabeth.

bor+

(biblical) The wife of Aaron, mentioned in Exodus 6:23.


hex sign

Compound of hex + sign, coined in English.

(Germanic paganism) A protective symbol used in Heathenry comprising a six-petaled flower or star set within a circle, as a New Age adaptation of the above.


trefot

1984 Futharc A Handbook of Runic Magic, Eldred Thorson, Weser, →ISBN, page 108.
Trefot - dynamic power from the three realms of being and the threefold evolutionary force.

1993 Our Troth, by the Ring of Troth and other true folk, The Ring of Troth, →ISBN, page 668.
Trefot - also called triskelion (swirling form).

1997 Theod Volume IV Number 1 (Heathen Journal), Two Charms Against Dwarves, Eric Lord Wodening.
If so we can be assured that the crosses were substituted for some heathen symbol, valkntR, trefot or fylfot.

(Germanic paganism) A three-armed spiral symbol used in Heathenry to represent the god Woden or the Norns.


Asafolk

The first element is cognate to the first element of Ásatrú, and derives from Old Norse or Icelandic áss (“god”). The second element is folk.

All Asatru organizations, publications, independent kindreds, and just plain Asafolk are asked to take part.

1996, Lina, Ostara, volume 1, issue 4 (Heathen Journal), An Open Message to All Asafolk

Gamlinginn claims pines have spiritual significance for Asafolk.

1997, Lina, volume 2, issue 4 (Heathen Journal), Second Annual Yggdrasil Day (Charles Spratling)

Most Asafolk seem to have the attitude 'I found the gods, and I'm better off for it.'

1998, Lina, volume 4, issue 2 (Heathen Journal), News and Announcements (Dave Haxton)

(uncommon, modern Germanic paganism) Followers of Heathenry.


Ases' Garth

1993 Our Troth, the Ring of Troth and other true folk, →ISBN, page 262.
There are nine worlds: the Ases' Garth (or God Home), Light Alf-Home, the Middle-Garth (Middenerd, Middle-Earth, or Man Home), Nibel-Home, Etin Home, Muspell-Home, Wan-Home, Swart Alf-Home, and Hel-Home (which also includes Niflhel), Misty-Dark Hel, a lower realm into which, according to Vafthrudnismal, men die out of Hel.

1997 Teutonic Religion, Kveldulf Gundarsson, Llewellyn Publications, →ISBN, page 10.
Ases' Garth

1997 Lina Volume 3, Issue 2 (Heathen Journal), Love Songs for Sif and Thor, Winifred Hodge.
My Sif, Even the wide plains, Even Middle Garth's broad reaches, Even Ase's Garth itself Cannot hold our love enclosed.


Earth Mother

In the ancient myth of Demeter and Persephone - which has been adopted by so many peoples under so many forms - Demeter the Earth-mother loses her daughter Persephone (who represents of course the Vegetation), carried down into the underworld by the evil powers of Darkness and Winter.

1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., published 1921, page 73:

Taking this somewhat tenuous line of reasoning one step further, it might be suggested that witches sought enlightenment and contact with the Earth Mother and Sky Father through group activities, while wizards tended towards shamanistic methods and techniques.

1994, Tony Linsell, Anglo-Saxon Mythology, Migration & Magic, Anglo-Saxon,, →ISBN, page 165:

His mother is Jord (the Earth Mother), his foster mother is Hlora, his step mother is Frigg, his wife is Sif, his mistress is the giantess Jarnsaxa and his daughter is Thrud (one of the valkyries).

1997, Thorskegga Thorn, "Thor and the Goddesses", Thunder, issue 2 (Heathen Journal)

The following scheme further interprest the 'Skyfather(s)' - Earthmother(s) cosmology, drawing on our previous discussion of cosmogony and cosmology.

2000, Nathan J. Johnson, Robert J. Wallis, Galdrbok, The Wykeham Press,, →ISBN, page 193:

(paganism, archaeology) The Great Goddess of the Earth and fertility.


Mother Earth

[P]igs and sows by their exceeding fruitfulness would in their hour of sacrifice remind old mother Earth of what was expected from her!

(religion) The goddess of the earth in various cultures.


proposant

(religion, historical) A theological student who performs religious functions.


King James Version

/ˌkɪŋ ˈdʒeɪmz ˌvɜː.ʃən/

/ˌkɪŋ ˈdʒeɪmz ˌvɜː.ʒən/

/ˌkɪŋ ˈdʒeɪmz ˌvɝː.ʒən/

/ˌkɪŋ ˈdʒeɪmz ˌvɝː.ʃən/

Named for James I of England (James VI of Scotland), who authorized the production of a new English translation of the Bible.

[...], and of course the Bible, the men who wrote it and especially the men who made the King James version, for it was the language of the Bible rather than its "message" which I got first and which I will never shake off.

a. 1964, Henry Miller, “The Books in My Life”, in Henry Miller on Writing, page 125:

a. 1998, Jeffrey M. Perl, Common Knowledge, quoted in front material, Homer, Robert Fagles (translator), The Iliad, page i
"Fagles' Homer, Sophocles, and especially Aeschylus may one day stand relation to their originals as the King James Version to Greek and Hebrew Scripture."

The Catholic priest would have been surprised that the old shaman had memorized the King James version of this song.

1999, James D. Doss, The Shaman's Game, page 119:

She thought for a moment, trying to remember; then she told him, "twenty-third Psalm, King James version," as best she recalled.

2004, R. Garcia y Robertson, Lady Robyn, page 320:

It pained him to tell the story, yet tell it he did, over and over, in the unabridged, King James version.

2005, Michael Kun, You Poor Monster, page 19:

A Bible, King James Version. (This he stuck in his bag, because anybody who knows anything about English literature knows you can't ger away from the Bible.)

2005, Catherine Landis, Harvest, page 54:

(biblical, Christianity) An English translation, published in 1611, of the Bible from the original Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) commissioned for the Church of England, which is the version most quoted and influential in English literature and English Protestant religious culture.


Gomorrah

From Ancient Greek Γόμορρᾰ (Gómorrha), from Biblical Hebrew עֲמֹרָה (ʿămōrā).

(biblical, Quranic) A city in the Middle East which, according to the Hebrew Bible and to Islamic tradition, was destroyed by God (along with Sodom) for the sins of its inhabitants.


Adah

From Hebrew עָדָה (adá, “Adah”, literally “ornament, dawn”).


Muspell

Borrowed from Old Norse Muspell. The ultimate origin is disputed, but one suggestion includes Latin mundus (“world”) + Proto-Germanic *spilþijaną (“to kill, ruin, murder”), thus meaning "destruction of the world." More at Muspilli.
Cognates include Old Saxon mūdspelli, Old High German muspilli. More at spill.

At the beginning of time there was Muspell, which was the realm of Fire.

2003, Kim Farnell, Reading the Runes, A Beginner's Guide, Zambezi Publishing, →ISBN, page 21:

Certainly the encounter between the cold of Niflheim and the fires of Muspel suggests the chemical reactions that led to the evolution of the planetary surface and its atmosphere.

2005, Diana Paxson, Taking Up the Runes, Weiser Books, →ISBN, page 323:

(Norse mythology and Germanic paganism) The primordial realm of fire which existed to the south of Ginnungagap.


supernature

en-noun

supernature (countable and uncountable, plural supernatures)

/ˈsuːpəˌneɪt͡ʃə/

/ˌsuːpəˈneɪt͡ʃə/

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-supernature.wav

It is the most commont and grossest blunders of scientific diminutives, to imagine that all in nature is of nature. There are more excellent natures. We ascend the height of argument by means of supernatures. These supernatures are, so to speak, natural manifestations or degrees of the supernatural.

1881, Joseph William Reynolds, The Mystery of Miracles, page 365:

These peripheral ghosts earn large amounts of money in the streets, and the money they make is a convertible currency in the sense that it enables a contest of power with other higher social classes in supernature.

2008, Heonik Kwon, Ghosts of War in Vietnam, →ISBN, pages 151–152:

(theology, philosophy) A supernatural realm beyond or apart from the physical world.


Japhetite

(biblical) A supposed descendant of Japheth, one of the three sons of Noah.


marabout

From French marabout, from Portuguese maraboto, marabuto, from Moroccan Arabic مْرَابِط (mrabeṭ) (standard Arabic مُرَابِط (murābiṭ, “soldier stationed in fortified outpost”)).

cog

one of their principal targets was the marabouts – or holy men and leaders of mystic orders – whom they accused both of corrupting the faith by their espousal of mysticism and of being the ‘domestic animals of colonialism’.

1977, Alistair Horne, A Savage War of Peace, New York: Review Books, published 2006, page 38:

(Islam) A Muslim holy man or mystic, especially in parts of North Africa.


ecclesia

From Latin ecclēsia, from Ancient Greek ἐκκλησία (ekklēsía). Doublet of Eccles.

(ecclesiastical) A church, either as a body or as a building.

(biblical) The congregation, the group of believers, symbolic body or building.


isagogic

en-adj

isagogic (comparative more isagogic, superlative most isagogic)

more isagogic (comparative)
most isagogic (superlative)


what would Jesus do

(religion, Christianity, chiefly evangelicalism) Expression intended to help a person facing a choice with moral, ethical or religious implications.


enturbulence

(Scientology) The state or quality of being enturbulated, agitated or disturbed.


disincarnate

en-verb

disincarnate (third-person singular simple present disincarnates, present participle disincarnating, simple past and past participle disincarnated)

disincarnates (present singular third-person)
disincarnating (participle present)
disincarnated (participle past)
disincarnated (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-disincarnate.wav

(religion, intransitive) To die, in context of subsequently existing outside the body (for example, as a soul or spirit).


Asman

From Avestan 𐬀𐬯𐬨𐬀𐬥 (asman, “sky”). Cognate of Old Persian 𐎠𐎿𐎶𐎴 (a-s-m-n /asman-/, “sky”).

cog

𐬚𐬡𐬁𐬴𐬀 𐬚𐬡𐬁𐬴𐬀#Avestan

(Zoroastrianism) Avestan and Middle Persian name of the Zoroastrian divinity that is the hypostasis of the sky. Asman is the "highest heaven," and is distinguished from the firmament, 𐬚𐬡𐬁𐬴𐬀 (θβāṣ̌a), which lies nearer the earth.


Ahuna Vairya

Transliteration of Avestan 𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬥𐬀 𐬬𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀 (ahuna vaⁱriia).

translit

𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬥𐬀 𐬬𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀

(Zoroastrianism) Avestan language name of the most sacred of the Gathic hymns of the Avesta, the revered texts of Zoroastrianism.


Ameretat

From Avestan 𐬀𐬨𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬙𐬁𐬙 (amər^ətāt, “not dying”).

der

(Zoroastrianism) The Zoroastrian divinity/divine concept of "not dying". As the hypostasis of immortality, Ameretat is the Amesha Spenta of long life on earth and eternal life in the hereafter.


Yasna

From Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬯𐬥𐬀 (yasna, “oblation; worship”).

uder

(Zoroastrianism) The primary liturgical collection of texts of the Avesta.

(Zoroastrianism) The principal Zoroastrian act of worship at which those verses are recited.


Vendidad

From Avestan 𐬬𐬍𐬛𐬀𐬉𐬬𐬋𐬛𐬁𐬙𐬀 (vīdaēvōdāta, literally “given against the demons”).

(Zoroastrianism) A collection of texts within the greater compendium of the Avesta. By content, an enumeration of various manifestations of evil spirits, and ways to confound them.


Haurvatat

Transliteration of Avestan 𐬵𐬀𐬎𐬭𐬬𐬀𐬙𐬁𐬙 (haurvatāt, “wholeness”). Doublet of Khordad.

translit

(Zoroastrianism) The Zoroastrian concept of “wholeness” or “perfection”. As a divinity, Haᵘrvatat is the Amesha Spenta of water, prosperity, and health.


Angra Mainyu

From Avestan 𐬀𐬢𐬭𐬀⸱𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬎 (aŋra.maⁱniiu), from 𐬀𐬢𐬭𐬀 (aŋra, “evil”) + 𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬎 (maⁱniiu, “spirit”). Doublet of Ahriman.

der

𐬀𐬢𐬭𐬀⸱𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬎

(Zoroastrianism) Avestan language name of Zoroastrianism's hypostasis of the "destructive spirit". The Middle Persian equivalent is Ahriman.


daeva

Transliteration of Avestan 𐬛𐬀𐬉𐬎𐬎𐬀 (daēuua). Doublet of deva.

translit

(Zoroastrianism) A supernatural entity of disagreeable nature.


Amesha Spenta

en-noun

Amesha Spenta (plural Amesha Spenta or Amesha Spentas)

Amesha Spenta (plural)
Amesha Spentas (plural)

t

𐬀𐬨𐬆𐬱𐬀 𐬯𐬞𐬆𐬧𐬙𐬀

𐬀𐬨𐬆𐬱𐬀 𐬯𐬞𐬆𐬧𐬙𐬀 (aməša spəṇta)

Avestan: 𐬀𐬨𐬆𐬱𐬀 𐬯𐬞𐬆𐬧𐬙𐬀 (aməša spəṇta)

ამეშა სპენტა

ამეშა სპენტა (ameša sṗenṭa)

Georgian: ამეშა სპენტა (ameša sṗenṭa)

Middle Persian: 𐭠𐭬𐭧𐭥𐭮𐭯𐭭𐭣 (ʾmḥʿspnd /amahraspand/)

Persian: امشاسپند (fa) (amešâspand), امهرسپند (amahraspand)

From Avestan 𐬀𐬨𐬆𐬱𐬀 𐬯𐬞𐬆𐬧𐬙𐬀 (aməša spəṇta, “Bounteous Immortal”).

der

𐬀𐬨𐬆𐬱𐬀 𐬯𐬞𐬆𐬧𐬙𐬀

Thus whereas Bousset, for instance, regarded the Amesha Spentas of the Zoroastrian religion as a textbook example of the process by which concrete divine beings could be evaporated into abstract figures,² it is now recognized that the development ran, in fact, in the opposite direction, that is, from the personification of abstract concepts to concrete protecting spirits, while the ancient Persian gods were the object of Zoroaster′s fierce attack.³

1967, Walter Eichrodt, Theology of the Old Testament, page 195:

Each Amesha Spenta retains his or her⁵ individual nature and life which was given at their creation.[…]and it is an act he also accomplishes through the guardianship and identification that the Amesha Spentas have for and with the world.

1998, Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith, page 30:

Having created Asha,^([divine order]) Ahura Mazda was its first follower. He rules through His Divine Powers, the Amesha Spenta, the immortal Shining Ones, collectively known as the Haft Amshahspands, the Seven Amesha Spenta.

2003, Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi, “8: The Notions of Divine Being in various Religions”, in Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi, editor, World Religions and Islam: A Critical Study, Part 1, page 125:

(Zoroastrianism) Any of the six immortal beings created by Ahura Mazda plus Ahura Mazda himself, often equated to archangels, virtues, and elements of nature.


Ahura Mazda

Transliteration of Avestan 𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬭𐬀 𐬨𐬀𐬰𐬛𐬁 (ahura mazdā). Doublet of Aramazd.

translit

A relief sculpture of Ahura Mazda stands among the ruins of Persepolis in Iran.

2003, Jeffrey Brodd, World Religions 2003: A Voyage of Discovery, page 181:

What is important is that Darius and his successors were fervent Mazdeans, that is, worshipers of Ahura Mazda.

2004, Sarah Iles Johnston, Religions of the Ancient World: A Guide, page 555:

Thus Ahura Mazda may be analogous to the Christian Trinity (one God in three persons), except consisting of one God in seven Amesha Spentas. In any event, the doctrine of the Amesha Spentas should not be interpreted in any way that compromises Zoroaster′s monotheism, although it would eventually change in exactly that way after the passing of Zoroaster himself.

2012, Winfried Corduan, Neighboring Faiths: A Christian Introduction to World Religions, page 190:

(Zoroastrianism) The divinity exalted by Zoroaster as the one uncreated Creator, or God.

阿胡拉·马兹达

Āhúlā Mǎzīdá


tengu

(Japanese mythology, Shinto, mythology) A mythical Japanese creature, typically birdlike and having a long nose.


Tophet

Borrowed from Biblical Hebrew תוֹפֶת (tôp̄eṯ).

And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremiah 7:31:

(biblical) A location near Jerusalem in the valley of Gehenna where children were burned alive as sacrifice.


Bahrām

Ultimately from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Wr̥tragʰnás. Doublet of Vahagn.

(Zoroastrianism) Verethragna; The Zoroastrian concept of “victory over resistance” and, as the hypostasis of victory, one of the principal figures in the Zoroastrian pantheon of yazatas.


Mary Magdalene

From Mary + Magdalene; from Middle English Marie Magdaleyn, Marie Magdeleyne, Marye Maudelen, Marye Maudeleyne, Marie Mawdeleyn, Mary Maudelen, Mary Mawdelayn, from Old French Marie Madelaine and Latin Marīa Magdalēna.

The firſt day of the weeke, commeth Mary Magdalene earely when it was yet darke, vnto the Sepulchre, and ſeeth the ſtone taken away from the Sepulchre.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 20:1, column 2:

I tried to explain to the large and emotional congregation how Jesus would address the problem of illicit sex, contagion, and suffering. I quoted texts about his attitude toward Mary Magdalene (who was cured of seven sins), the Samaritan woman at the well (with five lovers), and the woman caught in adultery and sentenced to be stoned to death. I said that all these actions showed his love and forgiveness and that Matthew 25’s “unto the least of these” put the responsibility on all of us to reach out to the afflicted with forgiveness and love.

2014, Jimmy Carter, “Slavery and Prostitution”, in A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power, Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 139:


Mara

From Sanskrit मर (mara), from Proto-Indo-European *mer- (“to die”). Doublet of mortality.

(Buddhism) The Buddhist archangel of evil or demon


confirmand

The preacher then tells the confirmands, that as a token of their full consent to the confession just made, each of them should kiss the Scroll of the Law.

1868, Isaac Mayer Wise, Hymns, Psalms and Prayers, page 203:

In confirmation the confirmand confesses his faith and expresses a willingness to accept and obey Jesus Christ as his Lord; and the Christian Church confirms the worthiness of the confirmand to partake of the fellowship and heavenly blessings which this new relation called church-membership involves.

1917 March 25, “Showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ”, in The Evangelical Herald, volume 16, page 83:

These persons are recruited from a list of several, active adults in the church that is submitted by each confirmand.

2009, Michael J. Coyner, The Race to Reach Out: Connecting Newcomers to Christ in a New Century:

(religion) A candidate for confirmation or affirmation of baptism.


Indra

Transliteration of Sanskrit इन्द्र (índra).

(Hinduism, Vedic religion) The god of war and weather; also the King of the Gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hinduism.


Yama

Borrowed from Sanskrit यम (yamá). Doublet of Enma.

(Hinduism, Buddhism) The Hindu lord of death, who rides a buffalo.

যম

the Hindu lord of death, who rides a buffalo


dhimmi

From French dhimmi, from Arabic ذِمِّيّ (ḏimmiyy, “a dhimmi”), from ذِمَّة (ḏimma, “protection, custody”).

(Islam, chiefly historical) A protected and specially taxed non-Muslim subject of a state governed under dhimma, a form of social contract, in accordance with sharia law.


Adi-Buddha

Transliteration of Sanskrit आदिबुद्ध (ādibuddha).

(Buddhism) The Primordial Buddha, a self-emanating, self-originating Buddha, present before anything else existed.


clandestinity

en-noun

clandestinity (usually uncountable, plural clandestinities)

(religion) A diriment impediment in the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, requiring the presence of witnesses to the marriage vows, one of whom must be a priest or a deacon.


bullantic

(ecclesiastical) Pertaining to, or used in, papal bulls.


chrismation

chrismation (countable and uncountable, plural chrismations)

The Church opposed burning people who had received the myron of chrismation in the baptism ritual.

(ecclesiastical) The sacrament of applying chrism to complete baptism in the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches.

(ecclesiastical) In general, the act of applying chrism, or consecrated oil.


bullary

From Late Latin bullarium: compare French bullairie.

(ecclesiastical) A collection of papal bulls.


chimere

From Middle French chimarre, from Spanish zamarra. Cognate with French chamarre, simarre, Italian zimarra, of same origin. Doublet of simar, sable, and zimarra.

(ecclesiastical) The upper robe worn by some bishops of the Anglican communion, usually without sleeves.


burse

Borrowed from Middle French bourse, from Old French borse, from Latin bursa, from Ancient Greek βύρσα (búrsa). Doublet of purse, compare French bourse (“purse, fund”).

(ecclesiastical) An ornamental case to hold the corporal when not in use.


advowson

From Middle English avowson, from Anglo-Norman avouson, from Latin advocātiō. Doublet of advocation.

The advowson of the parsonages of Sempringham and Tirington, being the right of his father, he [St. Gilbert] was presented by him [his father] to those united livings, in 1123.

1866, Rev. Alban Butler, chapter IV, in The Lives of the Saints, volume II (February):

Advowson is the right to appoint the incumbent clergy of a parish, so three advowsons meant three incumbents.

2017, Ben Aaronovitch, The Furthest Station, Gollancz, page 88:

(UK, ecclesiastical law) The right to present a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church office.


dhyana

dhyana (countable and uncountable, plural dhyanas)

From Sanskrit ध्यान (dhyāna, literally “meditation”). Doublet of Zen and Chan.

bor

Thus the Kaivalyopanisad accords equal importance to Sraddha (faith-regard), devotion (bhakti) and meditation (dhyana) for the attainment of the highest knowledge.

The beginning must be made with pathawi-kasina, and then the dhyánas, &c., must be taken alternately, as from the first dhyána to the third, then to ákásánancháyatana, and so on to the end.

1860, Robert Spence Hardy, Eastern monachism, page 262:

Each of the three planes may be experienced through developing the dhyānas in meditation - so here we have yet another way of describing higher states of consciousness.

1997, Meditation: The Buddhist Way of Tranquillity and Insight, page 86:

(Hinduism, Buddhism) A type of profound meditation.


antependium

en-noun

antependium (plural antependiums or antependia)

antependiums (plural)
antependia (plural)

From Latin ante (“before”) + pendere (“to hang”).

(ecclesiastical) The hangings or screen in front of the altar; an altar cloth; the frontal.


Theophilus

/θiːˈɒfɪləs/

Ancient Greek Θεόφιλος (Theóphilos), meaning "love of God" or "friend of God".

It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus.

Acts of the Apostles
Acts of the Apostles

(biblical) The addressee of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.


Ushas

From Sanskrit उषस् (uṣás, “dawn”). Doublet of Aurora and Eos.

Of the goddesses there are only two who have any marked individuality, viz., Ushas, the dawn, and Sarasvati, the goddess of the river of that name, and afterwards the goddess of speech.

1999, Shyam Singh Shashi, Encyclopaedia Indica, page 16:

(Vedic religion, Hinduism) Vedic and Hindu female deity, personifying the dawn, usually mentioned in plural. She is portrayed as welcoming birds and warding off evil spirits, and as a beautifully adorned young woman riding in a golden chariot on her path across the sky.


Haoma

Transliteration of Avestan 𐬵𐬀𐬊𐬨𐬀 (haoma).

translit

Quickly spake Zarathustra: praise to the Haoma, the created by Mazda! Good is Haoma, the created by Mazda! Praise to the Haoma!

1864, Arthur Henry Bleeck, Friedrich Spiegel, Avesta: The Religious Books of the Parsees, Yasna 9.23, page 61

Even today Zoroastrian women who are with child pray to Hoama and constantly recite the Hōm Yasht in order to have distinguished sons.

1993, W.B. Fischer, Ilya Gershevitch, Ehsan Yarshster, The Cambridge History of Iran, page 653:

(Zoroastrianism) Hypostatic divinity of the haoma plant.


burqini

(Islam) A head-to-toe swimsuit, enabling women to conform to the Islamic dress code when bathing on a public beach.


Jahannam

Borrowed from Arabic جَهَنَّم (jahannam). Doublet of Gehenna and Gehinnom.

bor+

(Islam) Islamic concept of hell, where unfaithful Muslims not true to their religion will be punished, but will eventually be forgiven.


Huldah

And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect.

(biblical) A prophetess in the Old Testament.


patrology

en-noun

patrology (countable and uncountable, plural patrologies)

(theology) the study of the lives and works (especially the writings) of the Church Fathers.


triune

PIE word
 *tréyes
From tri- + Latin unus (“one”).

Coordinate term: biune

Christians believe in a triune God, meaning that he is three hypostases in perfect unity.

1990, Mary Ann Fatula, The Triune God of Christian Faith, Liturgical Press (Michael Glazier Books), page 21,
To be Christian today thus means reflective and critical fidelity to the essential elements of our Christian heritage in scripture and tradition, yet in a way that enables us to respond to the ever new presence of the triune God active in our own experience and world.

2003, Jeffrey C. Pugh, Entertaining the Triune Mystery, Continuum International Publishing Group (Trinity Press International), page 80,
Because the triune God is seen in ways that reflect relationality, God's presence can be expressed in the world in such a way that gnostic separation of the world and God should not be allowed to be a central part of Christian belief.

And in a double movement, the descent of the eternal Son is the Triune God's movement to initiate and enable reconciliation decisively with humanity, which is then followed by the ascent of the human Christ to continue the enabled relationship with the Triune God.

2014, Dick O. Eugenio, Communion with the Triune God, Wipf and Stock, unnumbered page:

(chiefly religion, Christianity) Both three and one at the same time.


Izanagi

Borrowed from Japanese 伊邪那岐 (いざなぎ, Izanagi).

(Japanese mythology, Shinto) A Japanese creator god; he is Izanami's elder brother and spouse, and the father of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Susanoo and Kagutsuchi.


Izanami

Borrowed from Japanese 伊邪那美 (いざなみ, Izanami).

(Japanese mythology, Shinto) A Japanese creator goddess who is also (along with the Shinigami and Enma) a goddess of death and the underworld; she is Izanagi's younger sister and spouse, and the mother of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Susanoo and Kagutsuchi.


Amaterasu

/ɑːmətɛɹˈɑːsuː/

Borrowed from Japanese 天照 (Amaterasu), from 天 (ama, “sky, the heavens”) + 照らす (terasu, “to illuminate something”).

(Japanese mythology, Shinto) The Japanese sun goddess, and most important Shinto deity; she is the daughter of Izanagi and Izanami and the sister of Susanoo, Tsukuyomi, Ōyamatsumi, and Kagutsuchi.


Rāhu

Transliteration of Sanskrit राहु (rāhu).

(Hinduism, Buddhism) The ascending lunar node. An asura and god of the solar eclipse.

(Tibetan Buddhism) A supernatural being in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, particularly the Nyingma lineage. Usually depicted as dark blue in colour and having nine heads one of which is that of a raven. He has a face in his belly the mouth of which swallows up the moon or sun during eclipses. He is master of the nine planets and the god of solar and lunar eclipses.


HO

HO (countable and uncountable, plural HOs)


Independency

(ecclesiastical history) The principle that each individual religious congregation is free from any external ecclesiastical control, as by a bishop.


en-proper-noun

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints#English

(religion, Christianity) Alternative form of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


church planter

(religion, chiefly Evangelical Christianity) A minister or organization that starts new congregations where none existed previously.


Syeda

Borrowed from Arabic سَيِّدَة (sayyida).
* (female given name): From Urdu سیدہ, from Arabic سَيِّدَة (sayyida)

(Islam) An honorific title borne by female descendants of the prophet Muhammad.


obnosis

Coined by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, apparently as a blend of observe + gnosis.

coined

Here you will find the Instructor's Code, Obnosis and the Tone Scale and one of the best descriptions of Assist processing ever published.

1958, Ability, Hubbard Association of Scientologists, International, page 12

Obnosis (observing the obvious) must be used at every moment to determine the best next step with any student.

1970, B. Robert Ross, A Parent's Guide to the Teaching of Reading: A Compilation of Old and New Methods of Teaching and a New View of the Reading Process: Upstat Pub. Co.

Hubbard created Scientology's language to be unique to its members. It includes words that are interpretations, or variations, of standard terms: "isness," for example, which Scientology's glossaries say, in essence, means "reality." But there are also words that are wholly made up, such as "obnosis," which means "observation of the obvious."

[2006 February 23, Janet Reitman, “Inside Scientology: Unlocking the complex code of America's most mysterious religion”, in Rolling Stone:


anythingarian

/ˌɛnɪθɪŋˈɛəɹɪən/

From anything + -arian, by analogy with unitarian, trinitarian, etc.

Such bifarious anythingarians, that always make their interest the standard of their religion.

ante''' 1704, The Works of Tom Brown, volume 3, page 97

Lady Smart. What Religion is he of?
Ld. Sparkiſh. Why he is an Anythingarian.
Lady Anſw. I believe, he has his Religion to chuſe, my Lord.

1738, Jonathan Swift, Polite Conversation, dialogue 1

They made puir Robbie Burns an anythingarian with their blethers.

1850, Charles Kingsley, chapter 22, in Alton Locke, Tailor and Poet:

(derogatory, religion) A person who does not profess any particular creed; an indifferentist.


Theravada

Transliteration of Pali theravāda, inherited from Sanskrit स्थविरवाद (sthaviravāda, literally “doctrine of the elders”), from स्थविर (sthavira, “elder”) + वाद (vāda, “doctrine”).

der

(Buddhism) A sect of Buddhism, whose teachings are based on Buddha's scriptures in the Pali canon, widely practised in Southeast Asia, mainly in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. It tends to be conservative in contrast to the more liberal Mahayana, rejects reliance on celestial beings, and teaches non-universal salvation.


tulpa

en-noun

tulpa (plural tulpa or tulpas or (often in sense 2) tulpae)

tulpa (plural)
tulpas (plural)
tulpae (often plural)

From Tibetan སྤྲུལ་པ (sprul pa, “emanation, magical creation”), equivalent to a calque of Sanskrit निर्मित (nirmita, “build”) or निर्माण (nirmāṇa, “build”).

bor

When the year was up, the tulpa began growing. It lost its fear of its master and began taking on new forms of its own. It ceased to run errands ....

1966, Nikos Kazantzakis, England: A Travel Journal, page 110:

(Buddhism, mysticism) A magical creature that attains corporeal reality, having been originally merely imaginary.

トゥルパ

magical creature that attains corporeal reality, having been imaginary


Anthropos

From Ancient Greek ἄνθρωπος (ánthrōpos).

(Gnosticism) The primordial man/humanity.


Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (canonical)

en-au-Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.ogg

"This is a graph of the death rate from infectious disease in this country. The heroes of my field have slain one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. While the heroes of your field gathered in the desert to create a new one."

2015 May 4, Randall Munroe, xkcd (webcomic), Degree-Off:

(biblical) Four beings in Revelation 6:1–8 that bring about the Apocalypse, each embodied as a horseman riding a different-colored horse that represents a different aspect of the Apocalypse.

אַרְבַּעַת פָּרָשֵׁי הָאָפּוֹקָלִיפְּסָה

náhodeesdzáago dįltʼéego łį́į́ʼ bił níjééʼ


jodo

A borrowing of Japanese 浄土 (jōdo, literally “pure land”), q.v.

(Japanese Buddhism) Synonym of pure land: the various realms of the buddhas and boddhisattvas.


logological

/ˌlɒɡ.əʊˈlɒd͡ʒ.ɪk.əl/

(theology, philosophy, rare) Of or pertaining to the doctrine of logos.

logologinen

theology: of or pertaining to the doctrine of logos


logology

en-noun

logology (countable and uncountable, plural logologies)

From logo- + -ology. In the sense “recreational linguistics” popularized by Dmitri Borgmann in Language on Vacation (1965).

Coordinate term: numerology

(religion) The study of words in search for divine truth.

logologia

religion: study of words in search for God


supercosmic

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-supercosmic.wav

The palingenesia having its first and last cause, as palingenesia, in the Incarnation is strictly supercosmic, supernatural, though it presupposes the natural, and like the cosmos has God for its first and last cause.

1861 July 14, “Gioberti's Philosophy of Revelation”, in Brownson's Review, volume 2, number 3, page 310:

For Babbitt then, as for Buddha, there was the cosmic and the supercosmic.

1948, Louis Joseph Alexandre Mercier, American Humanism and the New Age, page 30:

As such, morality is both part of the way things were meant to be (supercosmic) and a part of the way things in fact are (cosmic).

2014, G. Christopher Scruggs, Path of Life: The Way of Wisdom for Christ Followers:

(religion) Extremely cosmic; above the cosmos.


Romish

en-adj

Romish (comparative more Romish, superlative most Romish)

more Romish (comparative)
most Romish (superlative)

From Middle English *Romish, equivalent to Rome + -ish. Compare Dutch Roomsch, Rooms (“Roman”), German Römisch (“Roman”).

the friars of the Romish church

(religion, derogatory, archaic) Of, like, pertaining to, or supporting Romanism or the Roman Catholic Church.


Jumu'ah

From Arabic جمعة (jumuʕa), as in الجمعة (al-jumuʕa).

[T]here was a reasonably priced foot of land from which the raindbow could be seen at night every third jum'a in the month of Rabbi-ul-aker.

1988, Milorad Pavić, translated by Christina Pribićević-Zorić, Dictionary of the Khazars, Vintage, published 1989, page 195:

Then, […] the wind carried to his nostrils from the fires of the troops camped in the valley the desert tang of a camel-dung fire, and with it the plangent cry of a soldier-muezzin calling his saddle-weary brothers to a belated Jumuah.

2007, Michael Chabon, Gentlemen of the Road, Sceptre, published 2008, page 57:

(Islam) The main congregational prayers, held at noon on a Friday.


talaq

en-noun

talaq (countable and uncountable, plural talaqs)

From Arabic طَلَاق (ṭalāq, “divorce”), from the root ط ل ق (ṭ-l-q).

(Islam) An Islamic divorce, sanctioned by the Qur'an.


talaq

en-verb

talaq (third-person singular simple present talaqs, present participle talaqing, simple past and past participle talaqed)

talaqs (present singular third-person)
talaqing (participle present)
talaqed (participle past)
talaqed (past)

Muslim women can be talaqed instantly, and thrown into the streets by whimsical husbands.

1987, Srikanta Ghosh, Muslim Politics in India, page 46:

(Islam) To divorce somebody by these means.


like unto

In the Heavens, in the Earth, in the Waters, under the Earth, is none like unto thee.

1843, Thomas Carlyle, Past and Present, Book 1, chapter 6, Aristocracy of Talent:

Truly, the first condition is indispensable, That Wisdom be there: but the second is like unto it, is properly one with it.

1843, Thomas Carlyle, Past and Present, Book 3, chapter 12, Reward:

(archaic, chiefly biblical, in adjective or adverb phrases that express resemblance) like, similar to


bhumi

(Buddhism) One of the ten hierarchically arranged stages through which bodhisattva passes to the path to awakening in the Mahayana tradition.


Adullamite

From Adullam + -ite, in the political sense from a speech by John Bright in Parliament on 13 March 1866 deriding the anti-reformist faction of Edward Horsman as a “Cave of Adullam”, i.e. a group of malcontents.

(biblical) An inhabitant of Adullam. Near this town there was a cave where David and his allies sought refuge from Saul.


archbishophood

/ɑːtʃˈbɪʃəphʊd/

(ecclesiastical) The rank of archbishop; the state of being an archbishop.


proprium

Man of himself, so far as he is under the influence of his proprium, is worse than the brutes. If man should be led by his own proprium, he could not possibly be saved.

1758, Emanuel Swedenborg, The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine:


diatessaron

en-noun

diatessaron (plural diatessarons or diatessara)

diatessarons (plural)
diatessara (plural)

From Latin, from Ancient Greek διά (diá, “through, across”) + τεσσάρων (tessárōn) (genitive plural of τέσσαρες (téssares, “four”)).

uder

(theology) A continuous narrative arranged from the first four books of the New Testament (the canonical gospels).


culture of death

en-noun

culture of death (plural cultures of death)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-culture of death.wav

(theology) In moral theology, the concept that human life can be a means to some other end and not solely an end itself.


horary

From Medieval Latin hōrārius, from Latin hōra (“hour”).

(rare, ecclesiastical) A book containing the divine offices for the various canonical hours.


anythingarianism

(religion) Beliefs and practices of an anythingarian.


ultramontane

en-adj

ultramontane (comparative more ultramontane, superlative most ultramontane)

more ultramontane (comparative)
most ultramontane (superlative)

Borrowed from Middle French ultramontain, from Late Latin ultramontanus.

'Tis no wonder that a Council which had declar'd itſelf ſuperior to the Popes, which had undertaken to try, and even to depoſe them, and had given ſuch great Blows to the Privileges, and to the Authority of the Cardinals, was not relith'd by the Court of Rome, nor approv'd of by the Popes or tlieir Divines, nor by the Ultramontane Canonists.

1730, [1728], Jacques L'enfant, translated by Stephen Whatley, The History of the Council of Constance, volume 1, page ix:

It was by becoming a Catholic that I pacified the Vendee, and a Mussulman that I established myself in Egypt; it was by becoming ultramontane that I won over public opinion in Italy.

1910 [August 13, 1800], Napoleon Bonaparte, The Corsican: a Diary of Napoleon's Life in his Own Words, trans. Robert Matteson Johnston, Houghton Mifflin, pg. 144-145

My friend, a Scottish newspaper chief, has spent half a lifetime gliding across some of Fleet Street's more ultramontane and unreasonable titles.

2010 September 12, Kevin McKenna, “Save Catholicism? The pope needs a miracle”, in The Guardian:

(theology) Promoting the supremacy of the Pope.


folkish

folkish (comparative more folkish, superlative most folkish)

more folkish (comparative)
most folkish (superlative)

universalist

chiefly US; related to their opponents, neopagan groups that support marginalized people

From folk + -ish. (Compare Old English folcisc, and German völkisch.)

neo-völkisch

related to far-right or racist neopagan groups

(religion, Germanic paganism) Practicing a form of Heathenry that is traditional.

(religion, Germanic paganism, especially in white supremacy and Nazism) Practicing far-right and racist forms of Heathenry that are hostile towards minorities, Christians, and Jewish people; and also supporting Nazi influences.


sacramentalism

en-noun

sacramentalism (usually uncountable, plural sacramentalisms)

(theology) The belief that observance of the sacraments is necessary for salvation, or belief in their efficacy.

sacramentarianism

belief in observation or efficacy of the sacraments

(theology) The belief that the natural world is a reflection or imitation of a perfect supernatural one.


zahir

(Islam) The external or apparent meaning of the Qur'an


batin

(Islam) The internal or hidden meaning of the Qur'an


probabilist

(theology, philosophy) A follower of probabilism.


humanation

In sixteenth-century England the Protestant Church dropped the word ‘humanation’, but the German version, Menschwendung, survived in Lutheran ‘wound mysticism’.

2006, Marsha Keith Schuchard, Why Mrs Blake Cried, Pimlico, published 2007, page 33:

(theology, rare) The fact or process of becoming human.


Jehoshaphat

/d͡ʒəˈhoʊ.ʃəˌfæt/

/d͡ʒəˈhɒʃ.ə.fæt/

/d͡ʒɪˈhɒʃ.ə.fæt/

From Hebrew יְהוֹשָׁפָט, from יהוה (“Yahweh”) + שָׁפַט (shafát, “to judge”), meaning "Yahweh has judged".

der

Hebrew יְהוֹשָׁפָט

compound

(biblical) A male given name from Hebrew


JE

(religion) A hypothetical intermediate stage in the development of the Torah, consisting of a combination of the Jehovist (J) and Elohist (E) sources.


Zen Buddhism

(Buddhism) The Zen denomination of Buddhism.


Abednego

/əˈbɛd.nɪˌɡoʊ/

From Hebrew עֲבֵד נְגוֹא, itself derived from a reconstructed Aramaic name meaning likely "servant of Nabu" or "servant of Nergal".

bor

עֲבֵד נְגוֹא

Hebrew עֲבֵד נְגוֹא

And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Daniel 3:23:

(biblical) Azariah, one of the captives in the Bible who came out of the fiery furnace unharmed.

Αβδεναγω

one of the captives who escaped the fiery furnace

Meshach

one of the captives who came out of the fiery furnace unharmed


unitarian

(Islam) Synonym of Muwahhid, a Muslim advocating God's strict unity.


qazf

It may amount to qazf to impute zina to a deceased person...

1984, Keith Hodkinson, Muslim Family Law: A Sourcebook:

Nor has one heard of anyone being flogged for qazf under this Ordinance.

1985, International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Ethnic Studies Report:

The maximum punishment for Qazf is 80 lashes and must be proven by the testimony of two pious Muslim male witnesses, except when the accused is non-Muslim.

1992, Asia Watch Committee, Double Jeopardy: Police Abuse of Women in Pakistan:

(Islam) False accusation of adultery (zina).


nonbelief

en-noun

nonbelief (countable and uncountable, plural nonbeliefs)

But of course, heresy and nonbelief are hardly comparable crimes.

1988 January 15, Name withheld, “Movie Politics”, in Chicago Reader:

(religion, philosophy) Failure to believe; lack of belief.


maximalist

en-adj

maximalist (comparative more maximalist, superlative most maximalist)

more maximalist (comparative)
most maximalist (superlative)

From maximal + -ist, by analogy with minimalist.

Again, the progressive view was that the Mother of Jesus should receive all veneration for holiness, but not the title of mediator between God and man. Much of the Curia supported a “maximalist” cult of the Virgin.

1964 September 17, “Powers of Curia Likely to be Cut”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

The case of the Bar Kokhba Revolt is an excellent example of how far the Minimalist and Maximalist interpretations of biblical and even ancient history can be verified.

2009, Richard A. Freund, Digging through the Bible, Rowman & Littlefield, →ISBN, page 329:

(religion) Relating to religious or Biblical maximalism.


maximalist

The first is reported to represent the secretariat's attempted compromise between the “maximalists” and those who see the further aggrandizement of the cult of Mary as a further obstacle to a dialogue with the Protestants.

1964 September 13, “Pope Paul Will Open Session Of Vatican Council Tomorrow”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

The Non-Fundamentalist Maximalists extrapolated from every single archaeological discovery an argument in favor of the authenticity of larger and larger parts of the Bible and used some of the critical Bible study information.

2009, Richard A. Freund, Digging through the Bible, Rowman & Littlefield, →ISBN, page 14:

(religion) A proponent of Biblical maximalism, one who affirms the historicity of central Biblical narratives.


Maccabee

From the Latin Maccabaeus, from the Ancient Greek Μᾰκκᾰβαῖος (Makkabaîos), from the Biblical Hebrew מַכַּבִּי (makkabbī).

(biblical) A member of the Maccabees (a liberation movement in Israel who established Jewish independence in the Land of Israel in the second and first centuries BC).


Shadrach

From Biblical Hebrew שדרך (šdrk /šadrak/), from Iranian, ultimately from Proto-Iranian *čiθráh with the hypocoristic suffix *-akah.

(biblical) Hananiah, one of the captives in the biblical Book of Daniel who came out of the fiery furnace unharmed.

Սեդրաք

one of the captives in the Book of Daniel

Abednego

one of the captives that came out of the fiery furnace unharmed


Meshach

From Biblical Hebrew מישך (myšk /mēšak/), from Iranian, ultimately from Proto-Iranian *mayšáh (“sheep, ram”) with the hypocoristic suffix *-akah.

(biblical) Mishael, one of the captives in the biblical Book of Daniel who came out of the fiery furnace unharmed.