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Concise Dictionary of Religion


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MACAULAY, Thomas Babington (1800-1859):
 
MACAULAY, Zachary (1768-1838):
 
MACCABEES, BOOK OF:
 
MACHEN, John Gresham (1881-1937):
 
MACHIAVELLI, Niccolo (1469-1527):
 
MACKINTOSH, Hugh Ross (1870-1936):
 
MACLAINE, Shirley (1935-):
 
MADHVA (1197-1276):
 
MDHYAMIKA:
 
MAGI:
 
MAGIC:
 
MAHBHRATA:
 
MAHBODHI SOCIETY:
 
MAHKYAPA THERA (6th century B.C.?):
 
MAHSATIPATTHANA SUTTA:
 
MAHVASA:
 
MAHVASTU:
 
MAHVRA (550-420 B.C.?):
 
MAHYNA:
 
MAHDI:
 
MAHINDA (3rd century B.C.):
 
MAIMONIDES, Moses (1135-1204):
 
MALINOWSKI, Bronislaw Kaspar (1884-1942):
 
MALTHUS, Thomas Robert (1766-1834):
 
MANDALA:
 
MANI (216-277):
 
MANICHAEISM:
 
MAJUR:
 
MANNHEIM, Karl (1893-1947):
 
MANTRA:
 
MANU:
 
MARA:
 
MARCEL, Gabriel (1889-1973):
 
MARCION (85-160):
 
MARCUS Aurelius (121-180):
 
MARITAIN, Jacques (1882-1973):
 
MARTIN, David (1939-):
 
MARTYR:
 
MARX, Karl (1818-1883):
 
MARY, (1st century):
 
MASS:
 
MATERIALISM:
 
MATHER, Cotton (1663-1728):
 
MATTER:
 
MATTHEW, GOSPEL:
 
MAURICE, Fredrick Denison (1805-1872):
 
MAWLID al-NABI:
 
MAYA (6th century B.C.):
 
MAYA:
 
MEAD, Margaret (1901-1978):
 
MEAN:
 
MEANING:
 
MECCA:
 
MEDINA:
 
MEDITATION:
 
MEEKNESS:
 
MELANCHTON, Phillip (1497-1560):
 
MENCIUS (371-289 B.C.):
 
MENDELSSOHN, Moses (1729-1786):
 
MENNONITES:
 
MERCURY:
 
MERCY:
 
MERIT:
 
MERLEAU-PONTY, Maurice (1908-1961):
 
MERTON, Thomas (1915-1968):
 
MESSIAH:
 
METAPHYSICS:
 
METEMAPSYCHOSIS:
 
METHODISM:
 
MEYKANDA (13th century):
 
MEYNELL, Hugo Anthony (1936-):
 
MICHELANGELO (1475-1564):
 
MILL, John Stuart (1806-1873):
 
MILLENARIAN MOVEMENTS:
 
MILLENNIALISM:
 
MILLER, William (1795-1883):
 
MILLERITES:
 
MILTON, John (1608-1674):
 
MIRACLE:
 
MISSION:
 
MISSIONARY:
 
MITHRA:
 
MITHRAISM:
 
MODERNIST:
 
MODERNITY, MODERNISM, AND RELATED DEFINITIONS:
 
MOFFAT, Robert (1795-1883):
 
MOLTMANN, Jürgen (1926-):
 
MONASTICISM:
 
MONISM:
 
MONOPHYSITISM:
 
MONOTHEISM:
 
MONTANISM:
 
MOODY, Dwight Lyman (1837-1899):
 
MOON, Sun Myung (1920-):
 
MOORE, George Edward (1873-1958)
 
MOORE, Hannah (1745-1833):
 
MORAVIANS:
 
MORE, Thomas (1478-1535):
 
MORGAN, Lewis (1818-1881):
 
MORMONS:
 
MORRIS, William (1834-1896):
 
MOSCA, Gaetano (1858-1955):
 
MOSQUE:
 
MOSES (12th-13th century B.C.):
 
MOTT, John Raleigh (1865-1955):
 
MO-TZU (5th century B.C.):
 
MOURNING:
 
MUHAMMAD (571-632):
 
MUHAMMAD 'ABDUH (1849-1905):
 
MÜLLER, Friedrich Maximilian (1823-1900):
 
MÜLLER, George (1805-1898):
 
MÜNZER, Thomas (1490-1525):
 
MURRAY, Andrew Jr. (1828-1917):
 
MUSLIM:
 
MYSTERY RELIGIONS:
 
MYSTIC:
 
MYSTICISM:
 
MYTH:
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MIRACLE:

unusual events which are seen as the intervention in human affairs of the divine. They are believed to confirm the spiritual power and AUTHORITY of a teacher or religious leader. Claims to miraculous powers exist in most religious TRADITIONS. The idea of miracles came under strong attack from DEISM and the PHILOSOPHY of the ENLIGHTENMENT where miracle was defined as an event which broke "the law of nature" and was, by DEFINITION, impossible.

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