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Concise Dictionary of Religion


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P
 
PA KAU:
 
PACCEKA-BUDDHA:
 
PAGAN:
 
PAGODA:
 
PAHLAVI LITERATURE:
 
PAINE, Thomas (1737-1809):
 
PALESTINE:
 
PALEY, William (1743-1805):
 
PALI:
 
PANENTHEISM:
 
PANDORA:
 
PAN-ISLAM:
 
PANJ PYARES:
 
PANNENBERG, Wolfhart (1928-):
 
PANTA REI:
 
PANTHEISM:
 
PAPACY:
 
PAPIAS (60-130):
 
PAPYRUS:
 
PARABLE:
 
PARACELSUS (1493-1541):
 
PARACLETE:
 
PARADIGM:
 
PARADISE:
 
PARETO, Vilfredo (1848-1923):
 
PARITTA:
 
PARMENIDES (513-448 B.C.):
 
PAROUSIA:
 
PARSEE [Parsis]:
 
PARSONS, Talcot (1902-1979):
 
PASCAL, Blaise (1623-1662):
 
PASSION:
 
PASSOVER:
 
PASTOR:
 
PATAÑJALI (2nd century B.C.):
 
PAICCA-SAMUPPATION:
 
PATRIARCH:
 
PATRICK (390-460):
 
PAUL, THE APOSTLE (1st century):
 
PAVLOV, Ivan Petrovich (1849-1936):
 
PEALE, Norman Vincent (1928-1986):
 
PEASANT'S REVOLT:
 
PELAGIANISM:
 
PELAGIUS (360-420):
 
PENANCE:
 
PENN, William (1644-1718):
 
PENTATEUCH:
 
PENTECOST:
 
PENTECOSTAL:
 
PEOPLE'S TEMPLE:
 
PERCEPT:
 
PERFECTIONISM:
 
PERICOPE:
 
PERSON:
 
PERSONALISM:
 
PERSPECTIVISM:
 
PERSPICUITY OF SCRIPTURE:
 
PETER (1st century):
 
PETER Lombard (1100-1160):
 
PETER THE HERMIT (1050-1115):
 
PETITIO PRINCIPII:
 
PEYOTE CULT:
 
PHALLUS CULTS:
 
PHARISEES:
 
PHENOMENOLOGY OF RELIGION:
 
PHENOMENOLOGY:
 
PHENOMENON:
 
PHI:
 
PHILIPP OF HESSE (1504-1567):
 
PHILISTINES:
 
PHILO (30 B.C.-50 A.D.):
 
PHILOKALIA:
 
PHILOSOPHY:
 
PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION:
 
PHOTIUS (810-895):
 
PIAGET, Jean (1896-1981):
 
PIETISM:
 
PIETY:
 
PI-HSIA YUAN-CHUN:
 
PILGRIMAGE:
 
PILTDOWN MAN:
 
PIOUS IX (1792-1878):
 
PISACA:
 
PLAINSONG:
 
PLANCK, Max (1858-1947):
 
PLANTINGA, Alvin (1938-):
 
PLATO (427?-347 BC):
 
PLATO'S ACADEMY:
 
PLATT, Parley P. (1805-1859):
 
PLOTINUS (205-270 A.D.):
 
PLURALISM:
 
PLUTARCH (46-120 A.D.):
 
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN:
 
PNEUMA:
 
POGROM:
 
POLANYI, Michael (1891-1976):
 
POLYCARP (1st century):
 
POLYGAMY:
 
POLYTHEISM:
 
PONTIUS PILATE (1st Century):
 
POOR CLARES:
 
POPE:
 
POPPER, Sir Karl (1902-):
 
PORPHYRY (232-303 A.D.):
 
POSITIVE THINKING:
 
POSITIVISM:
 
POSITIVIST:
 
POST HOC ERGO PROPTER HOC:
 
POSTULATE:
 
PRABHUPADA, A.C. Bhaktivedanta, Swami (1896-1977):
 
PRAGMATIC:
 
PRAGMATISM:
 
PRAKTI:
 
PRANAYAMA:
 
PRAYER:
 
PRAYER MAT:
 
PRAYER MEETING:
 
PRAYER WHEEL:
 
PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD:
 
PREDESTINATION:
 
PRESBYTERIANISM:
 
PRIDE:
 
PRIEST:
 
PRIESTHOOD:
 
PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS:
 
PROBLEM OF EVIL:
 
PROCESS THEOLOGY:
 
PRODHON, Pierre Joseph (1809-1865):
 
PROGRESS:
 
PROMETHEUS:
 
PROOFS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD:
 
PROPHECY:
 
PROPHET, Elizabeth Clair (1940-):
 
PROPHET:
 
PROPHETESS:
 
PROPITIATION:
 
PROPOSITION:
 
PROSELYTE:
 
PROSELYTIZE:
 
PROTAGORAS (490-410 B.C.):
 
PROTESTANT PRINCIPLE:
 
PROVERBS, BOOK OF:
 
PROVIDENCE:
 
PSALMS:
 
PSEUDEPIGRAPHA:
 
PSEUDO-SCIENCE:
 
PSYCHOLOGY:
 
PSYCHOLOGY OF RELIGION:
 
PTOLEMY (2nd century):
 
PUJA:
 
PUNDIT:
 
PURAS:
 
PURDAH:
 
PURE LAND:
 
PURE LAND BUDDHISM:
 
PURGATORY:
 
PURITANS:
 
PYRAMIDS:
 
PYRAMID TEXTS:
 
PYRAMIDOLOGY:
 
PYTHAGORAS (6th century B.C.):
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CHURCH:

the word used to translate the Greek word "Ekklesia" employed in the NEW TESTAMENT to designate the community created by the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Theologically, "Church members" are those people who participate in BAPTISM, receive the gift of the HOLY SPIRIT, gather together for common WORSHIP and the celebration of the HOLY COMMUNION. Sociologically, "Church" is used to refer to a religious organization which is UNIVERSAL in its scope.

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