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University of Virginia Library

Concise Dictionary of Religion

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PACCEKA-BUDDHA:

PAHLAVI LITERATURE:

PAINE, Thomas (1737-1809):

PALEY, William (1743-1805):

PANNENBERG, Wolfhart (1928-):

PAPIAS (60-130):

PARACELSUS (1493-1541):

PARETO, Vilfredo (1848-1923):

PARMENIDES (513-448 B.C.):

PARSEE [Parsis]:

PARSONS, Talcot (1902-1979):

PASCAL, Blaise (1623-1662):

PATAÑJALI (2nd century B.C.):

PAICCA-SAMUPPATION:

PATRICK (390-460):

PAUL, THE APOSTLE (1st century):

PAVLOV, Ivan Petrovich (1849-1936):

PEALE, Norman Vincent (1928-1986):

PEASANT'S REVOLT:

PELAGIUS (360-420):

PENN, William (1644-1718):

PEOPLE'S TEMPLE:

PERSPICUITY OF SCRIPTURE:

PETER (1st century):

PETER Lombard (1100-1160):

PETER THE HERMIT (1050-1115):

PETITIO PRINCIPII:

PHENOMENOLOGY OF RELIGION:

PHILIPP OF HESSE (1504-1567):

PHILO (30 B.C.-50 A.D.):

PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION:

PHOTIUS (810-895):

PIAGET, Jean (1896-1981):

PI-HSIA YUAN-CHUN:

PIOUS IX (1792-1878):

PLANCK, Max (1858-1947):

PLANTINGA, Alvin (1938-):

PLATO (427?-347 BC):

PLATO'S ACADEMY:

PLATT, Parley P. (1805-1859):

PLOTINUS (205-270 A.D.):

PLUTARCH (46-120 A.D.):

PLYMOUTH BRETHREN:

POLANYI, Michael (1891-1976):

POLYCARP (1st century):

PONTIUS PILATE (1st Century):

POPPER, Sir Karl (1902-):

PORPHYRY (232-303 A.D.):

POSITIVE THINKING:

POST HOC ERGO PROPTER HOC:

PRABHUPADA, A.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami (1896-1977):

PRAYER MEETING:

PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD:

PREDESTINATION:

PRESBYTERIANISM:

PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS:

PROBLEM OF EVIL:

PROCESS THEOLOGY:

PRODHON, Pierre Joseph (1809-1865):

PROOFS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD:

PROPHET, Elizabeth Clair (1940-):

PROTAGORAS (490-410 B.C.):

PROTESTANT PRINCIPLE:

PROVERBS, BOOK OF:

PSEUDEPIGRAPHA:

PSEUDO-SCIENCE:

PSYCHOLOGY OF RELIGION:

PTOLEMY (2nd century):

PURAS:

PURE LAND BUDDHISM:

PYTHAGORAS (6th century B.C.):

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PURAS:

post-VEDIC literature which belong to the CANON of HINDUISM that may be described as "ancient tales" or "stories from the past." They deal with such themes as CREATION, the action of the GODS, and the lives of Kings and heroes. Theologically they tend towards BHAKTI and present BRAHM, VISHNU and IVA as three manifestations of GOD. There are 18 principle Puras all of which date from the GUPTA period in the fourth century although most scholars believe they contain many older elements.