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Syncretism
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Syncretism(/skrtzm/)isthecombiningofdifferent,oftencontradictorybeliefs,whileblending
practicesofvariousschoolsofthought.Syncretisminvolvesthemergerandanalogizingofseveral
originallydiscretetraditions,especiallyinthetheologyandmythologyofreligion,thusassertingan
underlyingunityandallowingforaninclusiveapproachtootherfaiths.Syncretismalsooccurs
commonlyinexpressionsofartsandculture(knownaseclecticism)aswellaspolitics(syncretic
politics).

Contents
1 Nomenclature,orthography,andetymology
2 Socialandpoliticalroles
3 Religioussyncretism
3.1 AncientGreece
3.2 AncientRome
3.3 Bah'
3.4 Barghawata
3.5 Buddhism
3.6 Caribbeanreligionsandcultures
3.7 Christianity
3.7.1 Mormonism
3.8 Druzereligion
3.9 Indianreligions
3.10 Islam
3.11 Judaism
3.12 Othermodernsyncreticreligions
4 Culturesandsocieties
4.1 DuringtheEnlightenment
5 Seealso
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6 Notes
7 Furtherreading

Nomenclature,orthography,andetymology
TheOxfordEnglishDictionaryfirstatteststhewordsyncretisminEnglishin1618.Itderivesfrom
modernLatinsyncretismus,drawingonGreek(synkretismos),meaning"Cretan
federation".
TheGreekwordoccursinPlutarch's(1stcenturyAD)essayon"FraternalLove"inhisMoralia
(2.490b).HecitestheexampleoftheCretans,whocompromisedandreconciledtheirdifferencesand
cametogetherinalliancewhenfacedwithexternaldangers."AndthatistheirsocalledSyncretism".
ErasmusprobablycoinedthemodernusageoftheLatinwordinhisAdagia("Adages"),publishedinthe
winterof15171518,todesignatethecoherenceofdissentersinspiteoftheirdifferencesintheological
opinions.InalettertoMelanchthonofApril22,1519,ErasmusspecificallyadducedtheCretansof
Plutarchasanexampleofhisadage"Concordisamightyrampart".

Socialandpoliticalroles
Overtsyncretisminfolkbeliefmayshowculturalacceptanceofanalienorprevioustradition,butthe
"other"cultmaysurviveorinfiltratewithoutauthorizedsyncresisnevertheless.Forexample,some
ConversosdevelopedasortofcultformartyrvictimsoftheSpanishInquisition,thusincorporating
elementsofCatholicismwhileresistingit.
Somereligiousmovementshaveembracedovertsyncretism,suchasthecaseofmeldingShintbeliefs
intoBuddhismortheamalgamationofGermanicandCelticpaganviewsintoChristianityduringits
spreadintoGaul,theBritishIsles,Germany,andScandinavia.Indianinfluencesareseeninthepractice
ofShi'iIslaminTrinidad.Othershavestronglyrejecteditasdevaluingandcompromisingpreciousand
genuinedistinctionsexamplesofthisincludepostExileSecondTempleJudaism,Islam,andmostof
ProtestantChristianity.
Syncretismtendstofacilitatecoexistenceandunitybetweenotherwisedifferentculturesandworldviews
(interculturalcompetence),afactorthathasrecommendedittorulersofmultiethnicrealms.
Conversely,therejectionofsyncretism,usuallyinthenameof"piety"and"orthodoxy",mayhelpto
generate,bolsterorauthenticateasenseofuncompromisedculturalunityinawelldefinedminorityor
majority.

Religioussyncretism
Religioussyncretismexhibitsblendingoftwoormorereligiousbeliefsystemsintoanewsystem,orthe
incorporationintoareligioustraditionofbeliefsfromunrelatedtraditions.Thiscanoccurformany
reasons,andthelatterscenariohappensquitecommonlyinareaswheremultiplereligioustraditions
existinproximityandfunctionactivelyintheculture,orwhenacultureisconquered,andthe
conquerorsbringtheirreligiousbeliefswiththem,butdonotsucceedinentirelyeradicatingtheold
beliefsor,especially,practices.

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Religionsmayhavesyncreticelementstotheirbeliefsorhistory,butadherentsofsolabeledsystems
oftenfrownonapplyingthelabel,especiallyadherentswhobelongto"revealed"religioussystems,such
astheAbrahamicreligions,oranysystemthatexhibitsanexclusivistapproach.Suchadherents
sometimesseesyncretismasabetrayaloftheirpuretruth.Bythisreasoning,addinganincompatible
beliefcorruptstheoriginalreligion,renderingitnolongertrue.Indeed,criticsofaspecificsyncretistic
trendmaysometimesusetheword"syncretism"asadisparagingepithet,asachargeimplyingthatthose
whoseektoincorporateanewview,belief,orpracticeintoareligioussystemactuallydistortthe
originalfaith.Nonexclusivistsystemsofbelief,ontheotherhand,mayfeelquitefreetoincorporate
othertraditionsintotheirown.Othersstatethatthetermsyncretismisanelusiveone,[1]andcanbe
appliedtorefertosubstitutionormodificationofthecentralelementsofadominantreligionbybeliefs
orpracticesintroducedfromsomewhereelse.Theconsequenceunderthisdefinition,accordingtoKeith
Ferdinando,isafatalcompromiseofthedominantreligion'sintegrity.
Inmodernsecularsociety,religiousinnovatorssometimescreatenewreligionssyncreticallyasa
mechanismtoreduceinterreligioustensionandenmity,oftenwiththeeffectofoffendingtheoriginal
religionsinquestion.Suchreligions,however,domaintainsomeappealtoalessexclusivistaudience.
Discussionsofsomeoftheseblendedreligionsappearintheindividualsectionsbelow.

AncientGreece
ClassicalAthenswasexclusiveinmattersofreligion.TheDecreeofDiopeithesmadetheintroduction
ofandbeliefinforeigngodsacriminaloffenceandonlyGreekswereallowedtoworshipinAthenian
templesandfestivalsasforeignerswereconsideredimpure.
Ontheotherhand,Athensimportedmanyforeigncults,includingthoseofCybeleandtheThracian
goddessBendis,andinsomecasesthisinvolvedamergingofidentities:forexample,Heracles,whohad
traditionallybeenregardedasamortalhero,beganhereandelsewhereintheAegeanworldtobe
identifiedasadivine(Olympian)figure,perhapsundertheinfluenceofEasterncounterpartslikethe
TyrianMelqart.
SyncretismfunctionedasafeatureofHellenisticAncientGreekreligion,althoughonlyoutsideof
Greece.Overall,HellenisticcultureintheagethatfollowedAlexandertheGreatitselfshowedsyncretist
features,essentiallyblendingofMesopotamian,Persian,Anatolian,Egyptian(andeventually
EtruscanRoman)elementswithinanHellenicformula.TheEgyptiangodAmundevelopedasthe
HellenizedZeusAmmonafterAlexandertheGreatwentintothedeserttoseekoutAmun'soracleat
Siwa.[2][3]
Suchidentificationsderivefrominterpretatiograeca,theHellenichabitofidentifyinggodsofdisparate
mythologieswiththeirown.WhentheprotoGreeks(peopleswhoselanguagewouldevolveintoGreek
proper)firstarrivedintheAegeanandonthemainlandofmoderndayGreeceearlyinthe2nd
millenniumBCE,theyfoundlocalizednymphsanddivinitiesalreadyconnectedwitheveryimportant
featureofthelandscape:mountain,cave,groveandspringallhadtheirownlocallyvenerateddeity.The
countlessepithetsoftheOlympiangodsreflecttheirsyncreticidentificationwiththesevariousfigures.
Onedefines"ZeusMolossos"(worshippedonlyatDodona)as"thegodidenticaltoZeusasworshipped
bytheMolossiansatDodona".Muchoftheapparentlyarbitraryandtrivialmythicfablingresultsfrom
latermythographers'attemptstoexplaintheseobscureepithets.

AncientRome

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TheRomans,identifyingthemselvesascommonheirstoaverysimilarcivilization,identifiedGreek
deitieswithsimilarfiguresintheEtruscanRomantradition,thoughwithoutusuallycopyingcult
practices.(Fordetails,seeInterpretatiograeca.)SyncreticgodsoftheHellenisticperiodfoundalsowide
favorinRome:Serapis,IsisandMithras,forexample.CybeleasworshippedinRomeessentially
representedasyncreticEastMediterraneangoddess.TheRomansimportedtheGreekgodDionysusinto
Rome,wherehemergedwiththeLatinmeadgodLiber,andconvertedtheAnatolianSabaziosintothe
RomanSabazius.
Thedegreeofcorrespondencevaried:JupitermakesperhapsabettermatchforZeusthantherural
huntressDianadoesforthefearedArtemis.AresdoesnotquitematchMars.TheRomansphysically
importedtheAnatoliangoddessCybeleintoRomefromherAnatoliancultcenterPessinosintheform
ofheroriginalaniconicarchaicstoneidoltheyidentifiedherasMagnaMaterandgaveheramatronly,
iconicimagedevelopedinHellenisticPergamum.
Likewise,whentheRomansencounteredCeltsandGermanicpeoples,theymingledthesepeoples'gods
withtheirown,creatingSulisMinerva,ApolloSucellos(ApollotheGoodSmiter)andMarsThingsus
(Marsofthewarassembly),amongmanyothers.IntheGermania,theRomanhistorianTacitusspeaks
ofGermanicworshippersofHerculesandMercurymostmodernscholarstentativelyidentifyHercules
asThorandMercuryasOdin.
Romanswerefamiliarwiththeconceptofsyncretismbecausefromtheirearliesttimestheyhad
experienceditwith,amongothers,theGreeks.TheRomansincorporatedtheoriginallyGreekApollo
andHerculesintotheirreligion.Theydidnotlookatthereligiousaspectsthattheyadoptedfromother
culturestobedifferentorlessmeaningfulfromreligiousaspectsthatwereRomaninorigin.Theearly
Romanacceptanceofotherculturesreligionsintotheirownmadeiteasyforthemtointegratethenewly
encounteredreligionstheyfoundasaresultoftheirexpansion.[4]

Bah'
TheBah'sfollowBah'u'llh,aprophetwhomtheyconsiderasuccessortoMuhammad,Jesus,Moses,
Buddha,Zoroaster,KrishnaandAbraham.Thisacceptanceofotherreligiousfoundershasencouraged
sometoregardtheBah'religionasasyncreticfaith.However,Bah'sandtheBah'writings
explicitlyrejectthisview.Bah'sconsiderBah'u'llh'srevelationanindependent,thoughrelated,
revelationfromGod.Itsrelationshiptopreviousdispensationsisseenasanalogoustotherelationshipof
ChristianitytoJudaism.Theyregardbeliefsheldincommonasevidenceoftruth,progressivelyrevealed
byGodthroughouthumanhistory,andculminatingin(atpresent)theBah'revelation.Bah'shave
theirownsacredscripture,interpretations,lawsandpracticesthat,forBah's,supersedethoseofother
faiths.[5][6]

Barghawata
TheBarghawatakingdomofMoroccofollowedasyncreticreligioninspiredbyIslam(perhaps
influencedbyJudaism)withelementsofSunni,Shi'iteandKharijiteIslam,mixedwithastrologicaland
heathentraditions.Supposedly,theyhadtheirownQur'anintheBerberlanguagecomprising80suras
undertheleadershipofthesecondrulerofthedynastySalihibnTarifwhohadtakenpartintheMaysara
uprising.Heproclaimedhimselfaprophet.HealsoclaimedtobethefinalMahdiofIslamictradition,
andthatIsa(Jesus)wouldbehiscompanionandpraybehindhim.

Buddhism

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BuddhismhassyncretizedwithmanytraditionalbeliefsinEastAsiansocietiesasitwasseenas
compatiblewithlocalreligions.ThemostnotablesyncretizationofBuddhismwithlocalbeliefsisthe
ThreeTeachings,orTripleReligion,thatharmonizesMahayanaBuddhismwithConfucianphilosophy
andelementsofTaoism.[7]Thereligiousbeliefs,practices,andidentitiesofEastAsians(whocomprise
themajorityoftheworld'sBuddhistsbyanymeasure)oftenblendBuddhismwithothertraditions
includingConfucianism,theChinesefolkreligion,Taoism,Shinto,andKorean
shamanism.[8][9][10][11][12][13]BeforeandduringWorldWarII,aNichirenShshpriestnamedJimon
OgasawaraproposedtheblendingofNichirenBuddhismwithShinto.[14]

Caribbeanreligionsandcultures
TheprocessofsyncretismintheCaribbeanregionoftenformsapartofculturalcreolization.(The
technicalterm"Creole"mayapplytoanyonebornandraisedintheregion,regardlessofethnicity.)The
sharedhistoriesoftheCaribbeanislandsincludelongperiodsofEuropeanImperialism(mainlyby
Spain,France,andGreatBritain)andtheimportationofAfricanslaves(primarilyfromCentraland
WesternAfrica).Theinfluencesofeachoftheaboveinteractedinvaryingdegreesontheislands,
producingthefabricofsocietythatexiststodayintheCaribbean.
TheRastafarimovement,foundedinJamaica,syncretizesvigorously,mixingelementsfromtheBible,
MarcusGarvey'sPanAfricanismmovement,atextfromtheEuropeangrimoiretraditiontheSixthand
SeventhBooksofMoses,Hinduism,andCaribbeanculture.
Anotherhighlysyncreticreligionofthearea,vodou,combineselementsofWesternAfrican,native
Caribbean,andChristian(especiallyRomanCatholic)beliefs.
SeethemodernsectionforotherCaribbeansyncretisms.

Christianity
GnosticismisidentifiedasanearlyformofsyncretismthatchallengedthebeliefsofearlyChristians.
Gnosticdualismpositedthatonlyspiritualorinvisiblethingsweregood,andthatmaterialorvisible
thingswereevil.OrthodoxChristianshavealwaysinsistedthatmatterisessentiallygood,since,asthey
believe,Godcreatedallthings,bothspiritualandmaterial,[15]andsaidthatitwas"verygood".[16]
SimonMagusappearsasoneoftheearlyproponentsofGnosticism,andisconsideredbysomeasoneof
itsfounders.HewasdenouncedbymanyChurchauthorities,includingPeterhimself,andisregardedby
someasthesourceofallheresies.
InthefirstfewcenturiesafterthedeathandresurrectionofJesus,therewerevariouscompeting"Jesus
movements".TheRomanemperorsusedsyncretismtohelpunitetheexpandingempire.[17]Social
conversiontoChristianityhappenedalloverEurope.Itbecameevenmoreeffectivewhenmissionaries
concurredwithestablishedculturaltraditionsandinterlacedthemintoafundamentallyChristian
synthesis.[18]
Syncretismmustbedistinguishedfromassimilation,thelatterofwhichreferstheChurch'sabilityto
incorporateintoherselfallthatistrue,good,andbeautifulintheworld.Thisideawaspresentinthe
earlyChurch,aswereadintheSecondApologyofJustinMartyr:"Whateverthingswererightlysaid
amongallmen,"saysJustin,"arethepropertyofusChristians".[19]TheChurchhasassimilatedmany
(thoughnotall)oftheideasofPlatoandAristotle.AugustineofHippoisrememberedforassimilating
theideasofPlato,whileThomasAquinasisknownfordoingsowiththeideasofAristotle.Inhisessay
onthedevelopmentofChristiandoctrine,[20]JohnHenryNewmanclarifiedtheideaofassimilation.[21]
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OnecancontrastChristiansyncretismwithcontextualizationorinculturation,thepracticeofmaking
Christianityrelevanttoaculture:Contextualisationdoesnotaddressthedoctrinebutaffectsachangein
thestylesorexpressionofworship.AlthoughChristiansoftentooktheirEuropeanmusicandbuilding
stylesintochurchesinotherpartsoftheworld,inacontextualizationapproach,theywouldbuild
churches,singsongs,andprayinalocalethnicstyle.SomeJesuitmissionariesadaptedlocalsystems
andimagestoteachChristianity,asdidthePortugueseinChina,thepracticeofwhichwasopposedby
theDominicans,leadingtotheChineseritescontroversy.
SyncretismdidnotplayarolewhenChristianitysplitintoeasternandwesternritesduringtheGreat
Schism.Itbecameinvolved,however,withtheriftsoftheProtestantReformation,withDesiderius
Erasmus'sreadingsofPlutarch.Evenearlier,syncretismwasafundamentalaspectoftheeffortsof
NeoplatonistssuchasMarsilioFicinotoreformtheteachingsoftheRomanCatholicChurch.[22]In
1615,DavidPareusofHeidelbergurgedChristianstoa"pioussyncretism"inopposingtheAntichrist,
butfew17thcenturyProtestantsdiscussedthecompromisesthatmightaffectareconciliationwiththe
CatholicChurch:JohannHlsemann,JohannGeorgDorscheandAbrahamCalovius(161285)opposed
theLutheranGeorgCalisen"Calixtus"(15861656)oftheUniversityofHelmstedtforhis
"syncretism".[23](See:Syncretisticcontroversy.)
CatholicisminCentralandSouthAmericahasbeenintegratedwithanumberofelementsderivedfrom
indigenousandslaveculturesinthoseareas(seetheCaribbeanandmodernsections)whilemany
AfricanInitiatedChurchesdemonstrateanintegrationofProtestantandtraditionalAfricanbeliefs.In
AsiatherevolutionarymovementsofTaiping(19thcenturyChina)andGod'sArmy(Kareninthe
1990s)haveblendedChristianityandtraditionalbeliefs.TheCatholicChurchallowssomesymbolsand
traditionstobecarriedoverfromolderbeliefsystems,solongastheyareremadetofitintoaChristian
worldviewsyncretismofotherreligionswithCatholicism,suchasVoudunorSantera,iscondemned
bytheRomanCatholicChurch.
CatholicisminSouthKoreahasbeensyncretizedwithtraditionalMahayanaBuddhistandConfucian
customsthatformanintegralpartoftraditionalKoreanculture.Asaresult,SouthKoreanCatholics
continuetopracticeancestralritesandobservemanyBuddhistandConfuciancustomsand
philosophies.[24][25]TheimageofOurLadyofGuadalupeandthesubsequentdevotiontoherareseenas
assimilatingsomeelementsofnativeMexicancultureintoChristianity.
TheLutheranChurchMissouriSynodhascreatedcontroversybydiscipliningpastorsforsyncretism
whentheyparticipatedinmultifaithservicesinresponsetothe9/11attacksandtotheshootingsat
Newtown,Connecticut,onthegroundsthatmerelysharingaworshipsettingwithotherfaithswasin
error.[26]

Mormonism
IntheLatterDaySaintmovement,doctrinefrompreviousdispensationsasrecordedintheLDScanon
areconsideredofficial,thoughitisacceptedthatancientteachingscanbewarped,misunderstood,orlost
asaresultofapostasy.[27]Whileitdoesnotofficiallyrecognizedoctrinefromotherreligions,itis
believedthattruthinothersourcescanbeidentifiedviapersonalrevelation.[28]

Druzereligion
TheDruzesintegratedelementsofIsmailiIslamwithGnosticismandPlatonism.
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Indianreligions
Hinduism,BuddhismandJainisminancientIndiahavemademanyadaptationsoverthemillennia,
assimilatingelementsofvariousdiversereligioustraditions.OneexampleofthisistheYoga
Vasistha.[29]
TheMughalemperorAkbar,whowantedtoconsolidatethediversereligiouscommunitiesinhisempire,
propoundedDiniIlahi,asyncreticreligionintendedtomergethebestelementsofthereligionsofhis
empire
Meivazhi(Tamil:)isasyncreticmonotheisticminorityreligionbasedinTamilNadu,India.
Itsfocusisspiritualenlightenmentandtheconqueringofdeath,throughtheteachings.Mevaizhi
preachestheOnenessofessencemessageofallthepreviousmajorscripturesparticularlyHinduism,
Buddhism,Islam,JudaismandChristianityallowingmembershipregardlessofcreed.Meivazhi's
disciplesarethousandsofpeoplebelongingonceto69differentcastesofdifferentreligionsbeingunited
asonefamilyofMeivazhiReligion.

Islam
TheIslamicmysticaltraditionknownasSufismappearssomewhatsyncreticinnatureinitsorigins.A
commonmisconceptionespousedbywesternwriterswithpoorunderstandingoftheArabiclanguage
andSufitraditionisthatitispantheisticormonist.Abetterexplanationisthat,
"OnenessofbeingdoesnotmeanthatthecreateduniverseisGod,forGod'sBeingis
necessarywhiletheuniverse'sbeingismerelypossible,thatis,subjecttononbeing,
beginning,andending,anditisimpossiblethatoneofthesetwoordersofbeingcouldin
anysensebetheotherbutrather,thecreateduniverse'sactofbeingisderivedfromand
subsumedbythedivineactofcreation,fromwhichithasnoonticindependenceandhence
isonlythroughthebeingofitsCreator,theonetruebeing.SoWahdatalWujudorOneness
ofBeingentailsthatnothingexistsexceptAllah,Hisattributes,Hisactions,andHisrulings,
whilecreatedbeing,asmanifesttous,cannotbeidentifiedwithHisentityorattributesbut
onlywithHisactionsandrulings:theworld,asitwere,ispureact,whileAllahispure
Being.Inshort[WahdatalWujud]isnotpantheism,becausetheworldisnotAllah.
Spinoza'sdefinitionintheEthicaofGodas"simplesubstance"(pantheismproperly
speaking),hasnothingtodowiththeexperienceofthosewhopossessma'rifa[gnosis].
Rather,theworld'sexistenceisthroughAllah,inArabicbiLlah,thepointundertheArabic
letterba'beingbothapointofonticconnectionandapointofdemarcation...Thematteris
betweenLord(Rabb),andslavewhoisthroughLord('abdbiRabb)".[30]
AuthoritarianistbranchesofIslamictheology,suchasSalafismandWahhabismrejectthese
understandingsalongsidetraditionalIslamicprinciplesofbelieforAqeedahandstress
anthropomorphismastaughtbyIbnTaymiyya.[31]Abeliefwhichiscompletelycontraryandincorrect
accordingtothetraditionalbeliefs.
MainstreamTasawwufdoesnotpresentitselfasaseparatesetofbeliefsfromthemainstreamSunni
traditionwellestablishedtraditionslikeNaqshbandi,Qadiri,Shadhili,andmostothershavealways
beenpartandparcelofnormativeIslamiclife.NodoubtsomegroupsinthenameofSufism,justlikein
anyreligion,doespousetheologicallyunorthodoxpositions.

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DuringSufipresenceinBengal,MuslimHindusyncretismwasageneraltrend,andNabibangshaby
SyedSultanisanexampleofit.ThebooktellsthelineageoftheprophetsofIslam.ApartfromAdam,
Noah,Abraham,Moses,andJesusChrist,thepoetalsodescribesIndiandeitiessuchasBrahma,Vishnu,
RamaandKrishna.

Judaism
InMosesandMonotheism,SigmundFreudmadeacaseforJudaismarisingoutofthepreexisting
monotheismthatwasbrieflyimposeduponEgyptduringtheruleofAkhenaten.TheCodeof
HammurabiisalsocitedasalikelystartingpointfortheJewishTenCommandments.Somescholars
holdthatJudaismrefineditsconceptofmonotheismandadoptedfeaturessuchasitseschatology,
angelologyanddemonologythroughcontactswithZoroastrianism.[32][33][34]
InspiteoftheJewishhalakhicprohibitionsonpolytheism,idolatry,andassociatedpractices(Avodah
Zarah),severalcombinationsofJudaismwithotherreligionshavesprungup:MessianicJudaism,
JewishBuddhism,NazarenismandJudeoPaganism.SeveralJewishMessiahclaimants(suchasJacob
Frank)andtheSabbateanscametomixKabbalisticJudaismwithChristianityandIslam.Untilrelatively
recently,ChinahadaJewishcommunitywhichhadadoptedsomeConfucianpractices.[35]

Othermodernsyncreticreligions
RecentlydevelopedreligioussystemsthatexhibitmarkedsyncretismincludetheAfricandiasporic
religionsCandombl,VodouandSantera,whichanalogizevariousYorbandotherAfricandeitiesto
theRomanCatholicsaints.SomesectsofCandomblhavealsoincorporatedNativeAmericandeities,
andUmbandacombinedAfricandeitieswithKardecistspiritualism.
HoodooisasimilarlyderivedformoffolkmagicpracticedbysomeAfricanAmericancommunitiesin
theSouthernUnitedStates.OthertraditionsofsyncreticfolkreligioninNorthAmericainclude
LouisianaVoodooaswellasPennsylvaniaDutchPowwow,inwhichpractitionersinvokepower
throughtheChristianGod.
ManyhistoricalNativeAmericanreligiousmovementshaveincorporatedChristianEuropeaninfluence,
liketheNativeAmericanChurch,theGhostDance,andthereligionofHandsomeLake.
UnitarianUniversalismalsoprovidesanexampleofamodernsyncreticreligion.Ittracesitsrootsto
UniversalistandUnitarianChristiancongregations.However,modernUnitarianUniversalismfreely
incorporateselementsfromotherreligiousandnonreligioustraditions,sothatitnolongeridentifiesas
"Christian."
TheTheosophicalSociety,asopposedtoTheosophy,professestogobeyondbeingasyncretic
movementthatcombinesdeitiesintoanelaborateSpiritualHierarchy,andassemblesevidencethat
pointstoanunderlying(oroccult)realityofBeingthatisuniversalandinterconnected,commontoall
spiritmatterdualities.Itismaintainedthatthisisthesourceofreligiousbelief,eachreligionsimply
castingthatonerealitythroughtheprismofthatparticulartimeandinawaythatismeaningfultotheir
circumstances.
UniversalSufismseekstheunityofallpeopleandreligions.UniversalSufisstriveto"realizeandspread
theknowledgeofUnity,thereligionofLove,andWisdom,sothatthebiasesandprejudicesoffaiths
andbeliefsmay,ofthemselves,fallaway,thehumanheartoverflowwithlove,andallhatredcausedby
distinctionsanddifferencesberootedout."[36]
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InVietnam,CaodaismblendselementsofBuddhism,CatholicismandTaoism.
SeveralJapanesenewreligions,suchasKonkokyoandSeichoNoIe,aresyncretistic.
TheNigerianreligionChrislamcombinesChristianandIslamicdoctrines.
Thelemaisamixtureofmanydifferentschoolsofbeliefandpractice,includingHermeticism,Eastern
Mysticism,Yoga,19thcenturylibertarianphilosophies(i.e.Nietzsche),occultism,andtheKabbalah,as
wellasancientEgyptianandGreekreligion.
ExamplesofstronglysyncretistRomanticandmodernmovementswithsomereligiouselementsinclude
mysticism,occultism,TheosophicalSociety,modernastrology,Neopaganism,andtheNewAge
movement.
InChina,mostofthepopulationfollowssyncretistreligionscombiningMahayanaBuddhism,Taoism
andelementsofConfucianism.OutofallChinesebelievers,approximately85.7%adheretoChinese
traditionalreligion,asmanyprofesstobebothMahayanaBuddhistandTaoistatthesametime.Many
ofthepagodasinChinaarededicatedtobothBuddhistandTaoistdeities.
InRunion,theMalbarscombineelementsofHinduismandChristianity.
TheUnificationChurch,foundedbyreligiousleaderSunMyungMooninSouthKoreain1954.Its
teachingsarebasedontheBible,butincludenewinterpretationsnotfoundinmainstreamJudaismand
ChristianityandincorporatesAsiantraditions.[37][38]
ThetraditionalMunfaithoftheLepchapeoplepredatestheirseventhcenturyconversiontoLamaistic
Buddhism.Sincethattime,theLepchahavepracticedittogetherwithBuddhism.Sincethearrivalof
Christianmissionariesinthenineteenthcentury,Muntraditionshavebeenfollowedalongsidethatfaith
aswell.ThetraditionalreligionpermitsincorporationofBuddhaandJesusChristasadeities,depending
onhouseholdbeliefs.[39][40][41]

Culturesandsocieties
Syncretismhelpedcreatepossibleculturalcompromise.Itcontributedforachancetoestablishbeliefs,
values,andcustomsinaplacewithdifferentculturaltraditions.Thisalsoallowedexpansivetraditionsto
winpopularsupportinforeignlands.[42]
"Syncretismisoftenusedtodescribetheproductofthelargescaleimpositionofonealienculture,
religion,orbodyofpracticesoveranotherthatisalreadypresent."[43]

DuringtheEnlightenment
Themodern,rationalnonpejorativeconnotationsofsyncretismdatefromDenisDiderot'sEncyclopdie
articles:EclecticismeandSyncrtistes,Hnotiques,ouConciliateurs.Diderotportrayedsyncretismas
theconcordanceofeclecticsources.

Seealso
Folkreligion
Hermeneutics
Ietsism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretism

Wikisourcehasthetextof
the1911Encyclopdia
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Inclusivism
Interfaithdialogue
Multifaithspace
Newreligiousmovement
Religiouspluralism
Sheilaism

Britannicaarticle
Syncretism.

Notes
1.http://www.missiology.org.uk/pdf/cotterellfs/15_ferdinando.pdf
2."Ammon(Siwa)".Livius.Org.Retrieved9August2014.
3."TempleofAmun,SiwaOasis,Egypt".SacredSites.com.Retrieved9August2014.
4.Scheid,John.GraecoRitu:ATypicallyRomanWayofHonoringtheGods.HarvardStudiesinClassical
Philology,Vol.97,GreeceinRome:Influence,Integration,Resistance(1995),1531.
5.Smith,P.(1999).AConciseEncyclopediaoftheBah'Faith.Oxford,UK:OneworldPublications.pp.276
277&p.291.ISBN1851681841.
6.Stockman,Robert(1997).TheBaha'iFaithandSyncretism(http://bahai
library.com/articles/rg.syncretism.html).
7.Sanjiao:TheThreeTeachings.ColumbiaUniversity(http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/cosmos/ort/teachings.htm)
8."ChineseCulturalStudies:TheSpiritsofChineseReligion".Academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu.Retrieved
20November2011.
9.WindowsonAsiaChineseReligions(http://asia.msu.edu/eastasia/China/religion.html)
10."ReligionsandBeliefsinChina".Travelchinaguide.com.Retrieved20November2011.
11."SACUReligioninChina".Sacu.org.Retrieved20November2011.
12."BuddhisminChina".AskAsia.Retrieved20November2011.
13."BuddhismAndItsSpreadAlongTheSilkRoad".Globaled.org.Retrieved20November2011.
14.Dumoulin,HeinrichMaraldo,JohnC.(1976).BuddhismintheModernWorld.TheUniversityofVirginia:
Macmillan.p.258.
15.TheApostlesCreedandTheNiceneCreed
16.Genesis1:31
17.Freke,TimothyGandy,Peter(1999).TheJesusMysteries.UnitedKingdom:Harmony.ISBN0609807986.
18.JerryBentley,OldWorldEncounters:CrossCulturalContactsandExchangesinPreModernTimes(New
York:OxfordUniversityPress,1993).
19.tienneGilson,HistoryofChristianPhilosophyintheMiddleAges,JustinMartyr,page13
20.AnEssayontheDevelopmentofChristianDoctrine
21."Chapter8.ApplicationoftheThirdNoteofaTrueDevelopmentAssimilativePower",AnEssayonthe
DevelopmentofChristianDoctrine
22.Heiser,JamesD.,PrisciTheologiandtheHermeticReformationintheFifteenthCentury,Repristination
Press,2011.ISBN9781461093824
23."Syncretism",Cyclopedia,LCMS
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PublishingGroup.pp.1213.ISBN9781441117496.
25.[1](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/19/world/asia/19ihtfeud.2238466.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0)
26.PastorApologizestoHisDenominationforRoleinSandyHookInterfaithService
(http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/08/nyregion/lutheranpastorexplainsroleinsandyhookinterfaith
service.html?_r=1&),TheNewYorkTimes,7February2013
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93,archivedfromtheoriginalon20141112
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LDSChurch,2007,pp.26170,archivedfromtheoriginalon20141112
29.ChristopherChapple,TheconciseYogaVsihaByVenkatesananda(https://books.google.com/books?
id=fe_5bUKSaUEC&pg=PR12),1985,pp.xii
30.SeaWithoutShore:NuhHaMimKeller
31.noreference
32.Boyce,Mary(1987).Zoroastrianism:AShadowybutPowerfulPresenceintheJudaeoChristianWorld.
London:William'sTrust.
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33.Black,MatthewandRowley,H.H.(eds.)(1982).Peake'sCommentaryontheBible.NewYork:Nelson.
ISBN0415051479.
34.DuchesneGuillemin,Jacques(1988)."Zoroastrianism".EncyclopediaAmericana29.Danbury:Grolier.
pp.813815.
35.www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/israel/losttribes3.html#chiang
(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/israel/losttribes3.html#chiang)
36.HazratPiroMurshidInayatKhan,The3ObjectsoftheSufiMovement
(https://web.archive.org/web/20071227021948/http://www.ruhaniat.org/readings/3Objects.php)atthe
WaybackMachine(archivedDecember27,2007),SufiRuhaniatInternational(19562006).
37.GeorgeD.Chryssides,"Unificationism:Astudyinreligioussyncretism",Chapter14inReligion:empirical
studies,Editor:StevenSutcliffe,AshgatePublishing,Ltd.,2004,ISBN0754641589,ISBN97807546
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898756074,page142.Googlebookslisting(https://books.google.com/books?id=6gDQfnMUI6gC)
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7.MittalPublications:28486.ISBN8170997879.
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FabrizioFerrari.HealthandReligiousRitualsinSouthAsia.Taylor&Francis.pp.149156.
ISBN1136846298.
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Furtherreading
Cotter,John(1990).TheNewAgeandSyncretism,intheWorldandintheChurch.LongPrairie,
Minn.:NeumannPress.38p.N.B.:TheapproachtotheissueisfromaconservativeRoman
Catholicposition.ISBN0911845208

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