Ethnic religions may include officially sanctioned and organized civil religions with an organized clergy, but they are characterized in that adherents generally are defined by their ethnicity, and conversion essentially equates to cultural assimilation to the people in question. Contrasted to this are imperial cults that are defined by political influence detached from ethnicity. The intended meaning of the term civil religion often varies according to whether one is a sociologist of religion or a professional political commentator. ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... An Imperial cult is a kind of religion in which an Emperor, or a dynasty of emperors (or rulers of another title), are worshipped as demigods or deities. ...

In antiquity, religion was one defining factor of ethnicity, along with language, regional customs, national costume, etc. As Xenophanes famously comments: This article or section should be merged with ethnic group Ethnicity is the cultural characteristics that connect a particular group or groups of people to each other. ... Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting customs duties and for controlling the flow of animals and goods (including personal effects and hazardous items) in and out of a country. ... Xenophanes of Colophon (Greek: Ξενοφάνης, 570 BC-480 BC) was a Greek philosopher, poet, and social and religious critic. ...

Men make gods in their own image; those of the Ethiopians are black and snub-nosed, those of the Thracians have blue eyes and red hair. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 7.4)

With the rise of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, ethnic religions came to be marginalized as "leftover" traditions in rural areas, referred to as paganism or shirk (idolatry). The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Ityopiya, Amharic ኢትዮጵያ) is a country situated in the Horn of Africa. ... Thracian peltast, fifth to fourth century BC. Thracian Roman era heros (Sabazius) stele. ... Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens), was the first member of the Church of Alexandria to be more than a name, and one of its most distinguished teachers. ... The Stromata (Clement entitled this work Stromateis, patchwork, because it dealt with such a variety of matters), third in the great trilogy of Clement of Alexandria, goes further than its two predecessors and aims at the perfection of the Christian life by initiation into complete knowledge. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ... Pagan and heathen redirect here. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ...

The notion of gentiles ("nations") in Judaism reflect this state of affairs, the implicit assumption that each nation will have its own religion. Historical examples include Germanic polytheism, Celtic polytheism, Slavic polytheism and pre-Hellenistic Greek religion. Goy is a Hebrew word meaning nation or people. The first use of Goy (plural, Goyim) in the Hebrew Bible is in Genesis 10:1, in reference to non-Israelite nations. ... Germanic paganism refers to the religion of the Germanic nations preceding Christianization. ... Celtic polytheism refers to the religious beliefs and practices of ancient Celts until the Christianization of Celtic-speaking lands. ... Slavic mythology and Slavic paganism evolved over more than 3,000 years. ... Greek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs and rituals practiced in Ancient Greece in form of cult practices, thus the practical counterpart of Greek mythology. ...

Contemporary ethnic religions are Shinto of the Japanese people, Judaism of the Jewish people (see: Who is a Jew?), and ethnocentric currents of Hinduism (Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?) or Buddhism (e.g. Tibetan Buddhism). Shinto ) is the native religion of Japan and was once its state religion. ... Languages Japanese Religions Shinto, Buddhism, large secular groups      The Japanese people ) is the ethnic group that identifies as Japanese by culture or ancestry, or both. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The word Jew (Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or a member of the Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... Who is a Jew? (‎) is a commonly considered question that addresses the question of Jewish identity. ... Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ... Tibetan Buddhism is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region (including northern Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Ladakh), Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ...

Over time, even revealed religion will assume local traits and in a sense will revert to an ethnic religion. This has notably happened in the course of the History of Christianity, which saw the emergence of national churches with "ethnic flavours" such as Germanic, Ethiopian, Armenian, Greek, Russian and others. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Church... The term national church is usually a reference to a church organization in Christianity that claims pastoral jurisdiction over a nation. ... The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church is an Oriental Orthodox church in Ethiopia that was part of the Coptic Church until it was granted its own Patriarch by Cyril VI, the Coptic Pope, in 1959. ... Armenian Church can refer to: Armenian Catholic Church Armenian Apostolic Church External reference and links Jerusalem Photos Archive - Armenian Church in Jerusalem Pictures of Armenian Churches This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Greek Orthodox Church can refer to: the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, headed by the Patriarch of Constantinople, who is also the first among equals of the Eastern Orthodox Communion. ...

Indigenous traditional ethnic religions

Further information: List of mythologies

• African
  • San religion
  • Yoruba religion
• Asian
  • Bön/Tibetan Buddhism
  • Chinese folk religion
  • Folk Hinduism
  • Korean shamanism
  • Mandaeism
  • Ryukyuan religion
  • Shamanism in Siberia
  • Shinto (Japan)
  • Tengriism (Turkic-Mongolic)
  • Yazdânism (Kurdish)
  • Zoroastrianism (Parsi)
• Arctic
  • Sami religion / Noaidi
  • Shamanism among Eskimo peoples / Inuit mythology
• North America
  • Anishinaabe traditional beliefs
  • Mesoamerican Calendar Religion / Mexico / Central America

This is a list of Mythologies of the world, by culture and region: // Akamba mythology - Akan mythology - Alur mythology - Ashanti mythology - Baluba mythology - Bambara mythology - Bambuti mythology - Banyarwanda mythology - Basari mythology - Baule mythology - Bavenda mythology - Bazambi mythology - Baziba mythology - Bushongo mythology - Carthaginian mythology - Dahomey mythology (Fon) - Dinka mythology - Efik mythology... It has been suggested that African Traditional Religion be merged into this article or section. ... // The religion of the San people, or Bushmen, of southern Africa consists of a spirit world and our material world. ... Yoruba legends redirects here. ... Bön[1] (Tibetan: བོན་; Wylie: bon; Lhasa dialect IPA: [) is the oldest spiritual tradition of Tibet. ... Tibetan Buddhism is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region (including northern Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Ladakh), Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ... Clothed statues of Matsu / Mazu (Chinese goddess of the Sea) Chinese folk religion comprises the religion practiced in much of China for thousands of years which included ancestor veneration and drew heavily upon concepts and beings within Chinese mythology. ... There are a number of shamanistic practices that are developed in Korea, where the role of a shaman is most frequently taken by women. ... Religions Mandaeism Scriptures Ginza Rba, Qolusta Languages Mandaic, Arabic, Aramaic Mandaeism or Mandaeanism is a monotheistic religion with a strongly dualistic worldview. ... Ryukyuan religion is the indigenous belief system of the Uchinanchu people of Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands. ... Siberia is regarded as the locus classicus of shamanism [1]. It is inhabited by many different people. ... Shinto ) is the native religion of Japan and was once its state religion. ... It has been suggested that Tengri be merged into this article or section. ... Yazdânism or Cult of Angels (also Yazdâni or Yazdanism) is a modern term for the monotheistic, though universalist, religion that was practiced by most Kurds up to the Islamization during the sixteenth century. ... Zoroastrianism is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings ascribed to the prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra, Zartosht). ... This article is about the Parsi community. ... This article is in need of attention. ... The knowledge of the Sami religion is primarily based on archeological remains and written sources from missionary works in northern Scandinavia during the Middle Ages (1500 - 1600). ... A Noaidi, Noaide or Noaydde [noaydeh] was a shaman of the Sami people in the Nordic countries representing an indigenous nature religion. ... Yupik shaman exorcising evil spirits from a sick boy. ... Inuit mythology has many similarities to the religions of other polar regions. ... Native American spirituality includes a number of stories and legends that are mythological. ... Anishinaabe traditional beliefs cover the traditional belief system of the Anishinaabeg peoples, consisting of the Algonquin/Nipissing, Ojibwa/Chippewa/Saulteaux/Mississaugas, Odawa, Potawatomi and Oji-cree, located primarily in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ...

Ethnic Christian Churches

Further information: National church

• Armenian Apostolic Church
• Assyrian Christianity
• Bulgarian Orthodox Church
• Coptic Church
• Ethiopic Church
• Eritrean Orthodox Church
• Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church
• Greek Orthodox Church
• Macedonian Orthodox Church
• Russian Orthodox Church
• Romanian Orthodox Church
• Serbian Orthodox Church

The term national church is usually a reference to a church organization in Christianity that claims pastoral jurisdiction over a nation. ... Official standard of Karekin II Catholicos of Armenia The Armenian Apostolic Church (Armenian: Հայ Առաքելական Եկեղեցի, Hay Arakelagan Yegeghetzi), sometimes called the Armenian Orthodox Church or the Gregorian Church, is the worlds oldest national church[1] [2] and one of the most ancient Christian communities [3]. // Baptism of Tiridates III. The earliest... The Bulgarian Orthodox Church (Bulgarian: , Bylgarska pravoslavna cyrkva) is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church with some 6. ... Christ - Coptic Art Coptic Orthodox Christianity is the indigenous form of Christianity that, according to tradition, the apostle Mark established in Egypt in the middle of the 1st century AD (approximately AD 60). ... The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church is an Oriental Orthodox church in Ethiopia that was part of the Coptic Church until it was granted its own Patriarch by Cyril VI, the Coptic Pope, in 1959. ... The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church is one of the Oriental Orthodox churches. ... The Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church (Saqartvelos Samotsiqulo Avtokepaluri Martlmadidebeli Eklesia in Georgian language) is one of the worlds most ancient Christian Churches, founded in the 1st century by the Apostle Andrew. ... Greek Orthodox Church (Greek: Hellēnorthódoxē Ekklēsía) can refer to any of several hierarchical churches within the larger group of mutually recognizing Eastern Orthodox churches. ... The Macedonian Orthodox Church (Macedonian: Македонска Православна Црква, Transliteration: Makedonska Pravoslavna Crkva) is the body of Christians who are united under the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia. ... The Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (Russian: ), also known as the Orthodox Christian Church of Russia, is a body of Christians who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with the other patriarchs and primates of the Eastern Orthodox Church. ... The Romanian Orthodox Church (Biserica Ortodoxă Română in Romanian) is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. ... Flag of the Serbian Orthodox Church Unknown flag, seen offten in public. ...

Folkish Neopagan revivals

Further information: Paganism

Further information: Polytheistic reconstructionism

• Baltic
  • Lithuanian
  • Latvian
• Celtic
• Finnish
• Germanic (Norse, Anglo-Saxon)
• Greek
• Slavic

... Pagan and heathen redirect here. ... Romuva Spring Jorė festival in Kulionys, Lithuania in 2006. ... The Baltic countries were the last part of Europe to be Christianized, and vestiges of paganism blend into a neopaganism movement that is largely independent of Western Asatru. ... Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism (CR) is a polytheistic, animistic, religious and cultural movement. ... Finnish neopaganism is an attempt to revive old Finnish paganism, a pre-Christian religion of Finland. ... The Mjolnir is one of the primary symbols of Germanic neopaganism. ... Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor, is one of the major symbols of Ásatrú. This article is about the reconstruction of Norse paganism in particular. ... Theodism, or Þēodisc Gelēafa (Old English: tribal belief) is a North American variant of Germanic Neopaganism which seeks to reconstruct the beliefs and practices of several historic Northern European tribes. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Hellenic polytheism. ... Slavic neo-pagans, heathens or reconstructionists are religious groups or individuals who consider themselves to be the legitimate continuation of pre-Christian Slavic religion. ...

See Also

• Animism
• Civil religion
• Evolution of religion
• Paganism
• Pre-Christian Alpine traditions
• Shamanism

The term Animism is derived from the Latin anima, meaning soul.[1][2] In its most general sense, animism is simply the belief in souls. ... The intended meaning of the term civil religion often varies according to whether one is a sociologist of religion or a professional political commentator. ... We dont have an article called Evolution of Religion Start this article Search for Evolution of Religion in. ... Pagan and heathen redirect here. ... Procession in Klagenfurt The central and eastern Alps of Europe are rich in traditions dating back to pre-Christian (pagan) times, with surviving elements amalgamated from Germanic, Gaulish (Gallo-Roman) and Raetian culture. ... This article is about the practice of shamanism; for other uses, see Shaman (disambiguation). ...

References

External Links