Knowra Religious belief Religious belief Religious belief is belief concerning divine beings, sacred realities, or religious doctrines and commitments. It can shape how people interpret existence, practice rituals, and organize communities.
Faith : Trust or commitment directed toward a person, claim, or reality, often without conclusive proof. Faith names a common way religious beliefs are held and lived.
Atheism : Lack of belief in gods, or the belief that no gods exist. Atheism directly contrasts with religious beliefs that affirm gods.
Prayer : Communication or communion with a deity or sacred reality, expressed through speech, thought, or action. Prayer gives belief a direct form of address or contemplation.
Cognitive science of religion : The interdisciplinary study of the mental processes and social conditions involved in religious thought and practice. It investigates how ordinary cognition contributes to religious belief.
Problem of evil : The challenge of reconciling suffering and evil with the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, perfectly good God. It presses a central difficulty for belief in a morally perfect deity.
Theism : Belief in the existence of at least one god. Belief in gods is one prominent form of religious belief.
Agnosticism : The view that the existence of gods is unknown or unknowable. Agnosticism concerns the limits of knowledge rather than requiring a religious commitment.
Worship : Acts of reverence and devotion directed toward a deity or sacred reality. Worship enacts beliefs about what deserves devotion.
Evolutionary psychology of religion : The study of how human evolutionary history may have shaped religious thought and behavior. It proposes explanations for recurring patterns in religious belief across societies.
Divine hiddenness : The question of why God’s existence or presence is not more evident to sincere, nonresistant people. It asks why divine reality may remain unclear to those open to belief.
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