Religious symbolism

Religious symbolism is the use of symbols, including archetypes, acts, artwork, events, or natural phenomena, by a religion. Religions view religious texts, rituals, and works of art as symbols of compelling ideas or ideals. Symbols help create a resonant mythos expressing the moral values of the society or the teachings of the religion, foster solidarity among adherents, and bring adherents closer to their object of worship.

The study of religious symbolism is either universalist, as a component of comparative religion and mythology, or in localized scope, within the confines of a religion's limits and boundaries.

The cross of the war memorial and a menorah for Hanukkah coexist in Oxford.
Religion or philosophy Name Symbol
Ayyavazhi
Main article: Ayyavazhi symbolism
 Lotus Carrying Namam
Bahá'í Faith
Main article: Bahá'í symbols
 Nine Pointed Star
Buddhism
Main article: Buddhist symbolism
 Wheel of Dharma
Lotus Flower
Christianity
Main article: Christian symbolism
 Ichthys (fish)
Christian cross
Patriarchal cross
Ethnic religions, Polytheistic reconstructionism
Paganism, Neopaganism, Wicca		 Hands of God
Mjolnir (Thor's Hammer)
Pentagram (also used as a Christian symbol)
Sun cross
Gnosticism Sun cross (also a symbol of neopaganism)
Ouroboros (also a symbol of Alchemy and Hermeticism)
Humanism Happy Human
Hinduism
Main article: Hindu iconography
 Omkar (Aum)
Lotus Flower
Swastika
Islam
Main article: Symbols of Islam
 Kalima/Shahadah
Name of Allah
Star and crescent (Ottoman symbol)
Rub el Hizb
Jainism Swastika
Judaism
Main article: Jewish symbolism
 Star of David
Menorah
LaVeyan Satanism Sigil of Baphomet
Slavic neopaganism Hands of God
Pastafarianism Spaghethys
Sikhism Khanda
Ek Onkar
Shinto Torii
Southeastern Ceremonial Complex Solar cross
Taoism (Daoism) Yin and yang (Taiji)
Thelema Unicursal Hexagram
Universal Sufism "Tughra Inayati"
Unitarian Universalism Flaming chalice
Zoroastrianism Faravahar

Evolutionary perspectives

See also: Evolutionary origin of religions

Religious symbolism may have a long history that could be over 100,000 years old. Ritual burials with grave goods are often interpreted as early human use of religious symbolism.

Sister project Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Religious symbol

The cross together with the crown is an important symbol of Christianity which symbolizes not only the sufferings of life that Jesus experienced (the cross), but also the victory Jesus proved was possible by following his teachings about God as divine Love, proved by the healing he accomplished, and which we see throughout the world today in his name (the crown).

References

See also


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  • This page was last modified on 4 January 2009, at 01:31.

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