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University of Virginia Library

Concise Dictionary of Religion

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'ABD AL-BAHĀ, 'Abbas Effendi (1844-1821):

ABELARD, Peter (1079-1142):

ABRAMIC RELIGIONS:

ABSOLUTE IDEALISM:

ABŪ BAKR, (d. 634):

ABU DAWUD, Al Sijistani (817-889):

ABU HANIFA (699-767):

ABŪ HURAIRA (d. 678):

ACTON, Lord (Dalberg-Acton, John 1834-1902):

AD HOC HYPOTHESIS:

ADAMSKI, George (1891-1965):

ADLER, Alfred (1870-1937):

AELFRIC (955-1020):

AFRICAN INDEPENDENT CHURCH:

AFRICAN RELIGIONS:

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS:

AGE OF AQUARIUS:

AHMED, Al-Badawi (1199-1200):

AHMED, ibn Hanbal, (780-855):

AHMED, Khan (1817-1898):

AHMED, Mirz Ghulam (1855-1908):

AKHENATEN, [Amenhotep IV] 1372-1354 B.C.):

AKIVA, (AQIBA) ben Joseph (50-135):

AL-GHAZALI, (1058-1111):

ALBERTUS, Magnus (1200-1280):

ALCUIN, (735-804):

ALDURA, THE CHURCH OF THE LORD:

ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE:

ALEXANDRIAN THEOLOGY:

'ALĪ 'Abd al-Rāziq (1888-1935):

ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION:

AMBROSE (339-397 A.D.):

ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY:

ANALYTIC-SYNTHETIC DISTINCTION:

ĀNANDA COMMUNITY:

ANAXAGORAS (499-422 B.C.):

ANAXIMANDER (610-547 B.C.):

ANAXIMENES (588-524 B.C.):

ANDERSON, Rufus (1796-1880):

ANGLO-CATHOLICISM:

ANSELM, (1033-1109):

ANTHONY, SAINT (251?-356):

ANTHROPOCENTRISM:

ANTHROPOMORPHISM:

ANTI-CULT MOVEMENT:

ANTIOCH THEOLOGY:

APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE:

APOCRYPHAL NEW TESTAMENT:

APOSTASY:

APOSTLE'S CREED:

APOSTOLIC FATHERS:

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION:

AQUINAS, Thomas (1224/27-1274):

ARCHIMEDES (287-212 B.C.):

ARISTOBULUS OF PANEAS (3rd-2nd Century B.C.):

ARISTOTLE (384-322 B.C.):

ARIUS, (250-336):

ARMINIUS, Jacob (1560-1609):

ARMSTRONG, Garner Ted (1930-):

ARMSTRONG, Herbert W. (1909-):

ARNOLD, Matthew (1822-1888):

ARNOLD, Thomas (1795-1842):

ASBURY, Francis (1745-1816):

ASCENDED MASTERS:

ASCENSION OF CHRIST:

ASH'ARĪ, Ali b. Ismail (873-935 A.D.):

AŚOKA (3rd century B.C.):

ASSUMPTION OF MARY:

AŚVAGHOSA (1st-2nd century A.D.):

ATHANASIUS [1], (296-373):

ATHANASIUS [2], (10th century):

ATHANASIAN CREED:

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD:

AUGSBURG CONFESSION:

AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY (died 604):

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (354-430):

AUGUSTINE, RULE OF:

AUROBINDO, Sri (1872-1950):

AVERROES, (1126-1198 A.D.):

AVICENNA (930-1037):

AYER, Sir Alfred Jules (1910-1989):

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APOSTASY:

the abandonment or renunciation of a RELIGION, such as CHRISTIANITY or ISLAM, either voluntarily or by compulsion. There are frequent Biblical allusions to the EVILS and the dangers of apostasy. It is described as departure from the FAITH 1 Timothy 4:1-3; being carried away by the error of lawless men Hebrews 3:12. The great apostasy, "The Rebellion" 2 Thessalonians 2:3, is associated with the return of CHRIST and the end of the world or JUDGMENT DAY.