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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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INSPIRATION:

in religious terms to be inspired means to be under the influence of the HOLY SPIRIT or the Spirit of God or even some other spirit, such as an ANCESTOR. In PROTESTANTISM, inspiration came to be identified with the writings of the BIBLE and any other "inspiration" was judged in terms of consistency with SCRIPTURE. In ROMAN CATHOLICISM it is the CHURCH that judges what is to be considered inspired. Other religious systems have their own ways of determining what is and what is not genuinely inspired in terms of the BELIEFS of the particular FAITH involved. In ISLAM, the ADTH is inspired while the QUR'N is REVELATION.

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