The definition of sacramentalism in the dictionary is belief in or particular emphasis on the validity of the sacraments in gifts. Sacramentists claim that God gives people saving grace through their participation in the sacraments. … Read more
Politically speaking, secularism is a movement towards the separation of religion from government (often referred to as the separation of church and state). Secularism is the doctrine that religion is separate from the social, political, … Read more
A thorough analysis of the theology and practice of Christian monasticism is presented by Louis Bouillet in The Meaning of the Monastic Life (London, 1955). Any adequate understanding of monasticism requires knowledge of the life, … Read more
{Shinyi Shingon sect} is one of the many sects of Japanese Buddhist sects. Shingon is a Japanese Buddhist sect founded by Kukai (Kobo Daishi) in the early ninth century. Shingon Buddhism is based on the … Read more
Generally speaking, asceticism is the practice of strict self-denial as a means of reaching a higher spiritual level. Asceticism is a practice of self-denial, an attempt to approach God. Asceticism describes a life characterized by … Read more
Pantheism has many forms, but they all boil down to the belief that the universe is God, or at least indistinguishable from God. Pantheism is a type of religious belief and not a specific religion, … Read more
So-called Sokushinbutsu, is practiced by the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhist monks who articulate the idea of giving up all worldly pleasures in order to achieve enlightenment and unity with God on a new level. … Read more
Yiguandao is a Chinese folk religion that originated in the 19th century from the Xiantiandao tradition. Like many sects, Yiguandao combines elements of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Chinese folk religion. Since the focus is on … Read more
Many Adventists believe the Bible offers an accurate view of antiquity; Carson for example attributes creationism as the idea that God created the world in six days. Many of the series’s 2,000 visions of the … Read more
The Urantia Book claims to be a new revelation of Jesus’ life and teachings based on the reality of the new testament. It is not a new religion, but rather a modern, epochal revelation aimed … Read more