Religious symbolism 344401 225158498 2008-07-12T05:17:22Z Lockesdonkey 337066 More Islamic symbols '''Religious symbolism''' is the use of [[symbol]]s, including [[archetypes]], acts, artwork, events, or natural [[phenomenon|phenomena]], by a religion. Religions view religious texts, [[ritual]]s, and works of art as symbols of compelling ideas or ideals. The symbols helps create a [[reseonant]] [[mythos]] that expresses the [[moral]] values of the [[society]], the teachings of the religion, creates a sense of solidarity between religious adherents, or functions as a way to bring an adherent closer to their god or gods. The study of religious symbolism is either [[universalist religion|universalist]], as a component of [[comparative religion]] and [[mythology]], or in localized scope, within the confines of a religion's limits and boundaries. [[Image:CrossMenorahOxford 20051225KaihsuTai.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Christian cross|cross]] of the [[war memorial]] and a [[Menorah (Temple)|menorah]] for [[Hanukkah]] coexist in [[Oxford]].]] {| class="wikitable" |- ! Religion or philosophy ! Name ! Symbol |- | '''[[Ayyavazhi]]''' {{main|Ayyavazhi symbolism}} | [[Ayyavazhi symbolism#Lotus and Namam|Lotus Carrying Namam]] | [[Image:Ayyavazhi Lotus outline.svg|40px]] |- | '''[[Bahá'í Faith]]''' {{main|Bahá'í symbols}} | [[Bahá'í symbols#Nine Pointed Star|Nine Pointed Star]] | [[Image:Bahai star.svg|40px]] |- | rowspan="2" |'''[[Buddhism]]''' {{main|Buddhist symbolism}} | [[Dharmacakra|Wheel of Dharma]] | [[Image:Dharmacakra.svg|40px]] |- | [[Nelumbo nucifera|Lotus Flower]] | [[Image:Lotus.svg|40px]] |- | rowspan="3" | '''[[Christianity]]''' {{main|Christian symbolism}} | [[Ichthys]] (fish) | [[Image:Ichthus.svg|40px]] |- | [[Christian cross]] | [[Image:Christian cross.svg|40px]] |- | [[Patriarchal cross]] | [[Image:OrthodoxCross.svg|40px]] |- | rowspan="4" | '''Ethnic religions, [[Polytheistic reconstructionism]]<BR> [[Paganism]], [[Neopaganism]], [[Wicca]]''' | [[Hands of God]] | [[Image:HandsGod.svg|40px]] |- | [[Mjolnir]] (Thor's Hammer) | [[Image:Mjollnir.png|40px]] |- | [[Pentagram]] | [[Image:Pentagram green.svg|40px]] |- | [[Sun cross]] | [[Image:Simple crossed circle.svg|40px]] |- | rowspan="2" | '''[[Gnosticism]]''' | [[Sun cross]] (also a symbol of [[neopaganism]]) | [[Image:Simple crossed circle.svg|40px]] |- | [[Ouroboros]] (also a symbol of [[Alchemy]] and [[Hermeticism]]) | [[Image:Ouroboros-Zanaq.svg|40px]] |- | '''[[Humanism]]''' | [[Happy Human]] | |- | rowspan="3" | '''[[Hinduism]]''' {{main|Hindu iconography}} | [[Aum|Omkar (Aum)]] | [[Image:Aum.svg|40px]] |- | [[Nelumbo nucifera|Lotus Flower]] | [[Image:Lotus.svg|40px]] |- | [[Swastika]] | [[Image:HinduSwastika.svg|40px]] |- | rowspan="4" | '''[[Islam]]''' {{main|Symbols of Islam}} | [[Kalima]]/[[Shahadah]] | [[Image:Shahadah.png|40px]] |- | Name of [[Allah]] | [[Image:Allah.JPG|40px]] |- | [[Star and crescent]] ([[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] symbol) | [[Image:IslamSymbol.svg|40px]] |- | [[Rub el Hizb]] | [[Image:ROUB EL HIZB 06DE.svg|40px]] |- | '''[[Jainism]]''' | [[Swastika]] | [[Image:HinduSwastika.svg|40px]] |- | rowspan="2" | '''[[Judaism]]''' {{main|Jewish symbolism}} | [[Star of David]] | [[Image:Black Star of David.svg|40px]] |- | [[Menorah (Temple)|Menorah]] | [[Image:Menorah.svg|40px]] |- | '''[[LaVeyan Satanism]]''' | [[Sigil of Baphomet]] | [[Image:Baphosimb.gif|40px]] |- | '''[[Slavic neopaganism]]''' | [[Hands of God]] | [[Image:HandsGod.svg|40px]] |- | '''[[Pastafarianism]]''' | [[Spaghethys]] | [[Image:FSM logo2.svg|40px]] |- | rowspan="2" | '''[[Sikhism]]''' | [[Khanda (religious symbol)|Khanda]] | [[Image:Khanda1.svg|40px]] |- | [[Ek Onkar]] | [[Image:Ekonkar.normal.png|40px]] |- | '''[[Shinto]]''' | [[Torii]] | [[Image:Torii.svg|40px]] |- | '''[[Southeastern Ceremonial Complex]]''' | [[Sun cross|Solar cross]] | [[Image:Southern Cult Solar Cross.svg|45px]] |- | '''[[Taoism|Taoism (Daoism)]]''' | [[Yin and yang]] ([[Taiji]]) | [[Image:Yin yang.svg|40px]] |- | '''[[Thelema]]''' | [[Unicursal Hexagram]] | [[Image:Unicursalhexigramcurved.svg|55px]] |- | '''[[Universal Sufism]]''' | "Tughra Inayati" | [[Image:Wingedheart.svg|40px]] |- | '''[[Unitarian Universalism]]''' | [[Flaming chalice]] | [[Image:Flaming Chalice.svg|40px]] |- | '''[[Zoroastrianism]]''' | [[Faravahar]] | [[Image:Faravahar.svg|40px]] |} {{commons|Religious symbol}} == References == *[http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp United States Veteran's Administration approved religious symbols for graves] *[http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/blsymbols.htm] Visual Glossary of Religious Symbols [[Category:Religious symbols]] [[fr:Symbole religieux]] [[it:Simbolismo religioso]] [[nl:Lijst van religieuze symbolen]] [[pl:Symbole religijne]]