15.5: Key Terms
- Page ID
- 164550
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- animism
- the religion that believes in the divinity of nonhuman beings, like animals, plants, and objects of the natural world
- atheism
- the belief in no deities
- cults
- religious groups that are small, secretive, and highly controlling of members and have a charismatic leader
- denomination
- a large, mainstream religion that is not sponsored by the state
- ecclesia
- a religion that is considered the state religion
- established sects
- sects that last but do not become denominations
- liberation theology
- the use of a church to promote social change via the political arena
- megachurch
- a Christian church that has a very large congregation averaging more than 2,000 people who attend regular weekly services
- monotheism
- a religion based on belief in a single deity
- polytheism
- a religion based on belief in multiple deities
- religion
- a system of beliefs, values, and practices concerning what a person holds to be sacred or spiritually significant
- religious beliefs
- specific ideas that members of a particular faith hold to be true
- religious experience
- the conviction or sensation that one is connected to “the divine”
- religious rituals
- behaviors or practices that are either required for or expected of the members of a particular group
- sect
- a small, new offshoot of a denomination
- totemism
- the belief in a divine connection between humans and other natural beings