Religion: English Vocabulary List

the table in a church, used for giving communion in Christianity

"The priest placed the sacrament on the stone altar."

"The altar was decorated with flowers for the special ceremony."

the belief that rejects the existence of God or a higher power

"Atheism is the absence of a belief in any god or gods."

"Agnostic atheism is a philosophical position that encompasses both a lack of belief in gods and the view that a divine existence is ultimately unknowable."

an Indian religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, whose followers worship in temples

"Buddhism teaches mindfulness."

"Buddhism is followed by many people around the world."

a person who believes in the teachings of Jesus or has been baptized

"He is a Christian."

"The Christian family attended church every Sunday and celebrated Christmas and Easter as the most important holidays of the year."

the Abrahamic religion based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, the followers of which regard the Bible as sacred

"Christianity is widespread."

"Christianity is one of the world’s major religions."

a person who believes in Hinduism

"She is Hindu."

"A Hindu may worship at a temple."

a person who believes in Judaism and belongs to the Jewish community

"He is a Jew."

"The Jew celebrated Hanukkah by lighting candles on the menorah for eight nights and eating traditional foods like latkes and sufganiyot."

related to the religion, culture, or people of Judaism

"It is a Jewish holiday."

"He is Jewish and celebrates Hanukkah every winter with his family by lighting the menorah candles."

a person who believes in Islam

"He is Muslim."

"A Muslim may pray five times a day."

God, particularly in Christian, Jewish, and Islamic traditions, signifying authority and divine power

"The Lord is watching."

"People prayed to the Lord for help."

the holy book of Christianity that consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament

"The Bible is sacred."

"She read a passage from the Bible."

any act that goes against the law of God

"Greed is a sin."

"Many religious teachings emphasize that pride is considered a fundamental sin that can lead to downfall."

a feeling of dissatisfaction, unhappiness, or anger that one might have as a result of wanting what others have

"Her colleagues looked at her promotion with envy."

"Envy is the ulcer of the soul, slowly destroying relationships and preventing people from finding true happiness."

(in theology) indifference or inactivity in moral or virtuous practice, considered a deadly sin

"Laziness made him late."

"Laziness can stop people from reaching their goals."

to stop being angry or blaming someone for what they have done, and to choose not to punish them for their mistakes or flaws

"She forgives him for his mistake."

"It is very difficult to forgive someone who has betrayed your trust but holding onto anger is also unhealthy."

to believe that someone is sincere, reliable, or competent

"You need to trust your partner."

"It is essential to trust your business partners because dishonesty can destroy any professional relationship completely."

the spirit that opposes God and tempts people to do wrong

"The devil was in the tale."

"People feared the devil in the old story."

someone believed to speak by divine inspiration or interpret the will of God

"The prophet spoke truth."

"Many followers believed the ancient prophet received direct revelations from the divine realm."

signifying a matter of deep concern

"The news is grave."

"The doctor had a grave expression on his face when he delivered the diagnosis and the patient knew that the news was not good."

(Christianity) a child to whom at a baptism ceremony a godparent promises to help take care of and teach them about the religion

"The godchild smiled."

"The godchild was baptized at the church."

(Christianity) a man who promises to take care of a child and teach them about the religion at a baptism ceremony

"The godfather arrived."

"He is the child’s godfather."

(Christianity) a woman who, during a baptism ceremony, promises to take care of a child and teach them about the religion

"The godmother smiled."

"She is the child’s godmother."

a representation of the structure on which Jesus Christ was executed, used as a symbol of Christianity

"I see a cross."

"The ancient church was adorned with a beautiful, ornate cross."

a person who believes in the teachings of Jesus or has been baptized

"He is a Christian."

"As a devout Christian, she attended church every Sunday."

a person who believes in Hinduism

"She is a Hindu."

"The Hindu festival was celebrated with great joy and devotion."

a person who believes in Islam

"He is a Muslim."

"The Muslim community gathered for prayers during the holy month."

a person believing in a religion that worships many deities, especially one that existed before the major world religions

"The pagan festival was lively."

"The pagan festival celebrated the summer solstice with dancing around a bonfire and rituals meant to honor the earth and the changing seasons."

any of the four books of the New Testament that is about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ

"Read the gospel."

"The sermon focused on the teachings found within the gospel of John."

the realm of God and angels where the believers are promised to reside

"Heaven is a beautiful place."

"Many people believe that heaven is a peaceful place where good souls live forever with God and angels after they leave this world."

(in Christianity) the dwelling place of Satan and his forces, where sinners suffer eternal punishment

"Hell is punishment."

"In Christian doctrine, hell is depicted as the eternal place of suffering for those who have sinned."

any immoral act that is against the law of God

"Pride is a vice."

"He warned against the vice of lying."

(in Christian theology) a state of being under divine influence

"She lives by divine grace."

"Through God's grace, he found the strength to overcome his addiction and rebuild his life."

the quality of having excessive self-esteem that is considered a sin in religious beliefs

"His excessive pride was a sin."

"His excessive pride prevented him from admitting his mistakes and seeking help when he needed it."

an intense and selfish desire for something such as power and wealth

"Greed caused problems."

"Greed can lead people to act unfairly."

(in theology) excessive or self-indulgent sexual desire, considered a deadly sin

"Lust can be destructive."

"The story warned against lust and temptation."

to admit one's faults and sins in front of a priest

"I confess my sins."

"He decided to confess his wrongdoing to the priest during confession."

to change one's religious beliefs to a different one

"People convert faiths."

"Many individuals choose to convert to a new religion after extensive study."

a trained individual who performs religious ceremonies, leads worship services, or provides spiritual guidance

"The minister led the prayer."

"The local minister delivered a powerful sermon that resonated with the entire congregation."

a religious ceremony of worship following a particular form, especially one held in a church

"We attended the church service."

"The Sunday morning service included hymns, readings, and a thoughtful homily from the priest."

the spiritual part of a person that is believed to be the essence of life in them

"The soul is eternal."

"She spoke from the soul."

relating to sacred matters such as religion, church, etc.

"She is a spiritual person."

"She is a spiritual person who meditates every morning and believes in the power of positive energy."

a hole made in the ground for burying a dead body in

"They dug a grave."

"The funeral procession slowly approached the freshly dug grave in the quiet cemetery."

believing firmly in a particular religion

"He is a devout Muslim."

"The devout Muslim prays five times a day and reads the Quran regularly to strengthen his faith."

a belief that one will get the reward or face the consequences of one's good or bad actions

"Good karma returns."

"Many believe that the good deeds you perform will eventually lead to positive karma and favorable outcomes."