What Is the Definition of Syncretism

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His mysticism and syncretism were things that Christianity cannot reproach him with. Religious syncretism is the fusion of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation of beliefs from unrelated traditions into a religious tradition. This can happen for many reasons, and the latter scenario often occurs in areas where multiple religious traditions exist nearby and actively function in a culture, or when a culture is conquered and conquerors bring their religious beliefs with them, but they fail to completely eradicate the old beliefs or (mostly) practices. Those considered Christian in Western Europe today are the result of a syncretism of two thousand years. There seems to be a very early example of syncretism on page 49 Australia. The modern, rational and non-pejorative connotations of syncretism probably come from the articles in Denis Diderot`s Encyclopedia: Eclecticism and Syncretists, Henotics, or Conciliators. Diderot presented syncretism as the concordance of eclectic sources. Scientific or legalistic approaches aimed at subjecting all claims to critical thinking led much of the literature in Europe and America at the time to study non-European religions such as Edward Moor`s The Hindu Pantheon of 1810,[13] many of which were almost evangelically grateful, embraced spirituality and created space and tolerance. especially the unestablishment of religion (or its strongest form). official secularization as in France), which has allowed believers of spiritualism, agnosticism, atheists and, in many cases, more innovative or pre-Abrahamic religions to promote and disseminate their belief system, whether within the family or beyond. “Syncretism Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/syncretism. Retrieved 1 December 2022. Syncretic has its roots in an old alliance.

It is a descendant of the Greek word synkrÄtismos, which means “Federation of Cretan Cities” means “together” and Krät- means “Cretan”. The adjective first appeared in English in the mid-19th century, and the related noun “syncretism” debuted more than 200 years earlier. “Syncretistic” retains the idea of coalition and appears in contexts such as “syncretic religions,” “syncretic societies,” and even “syncretic music,” all of which describe things influenced by two or more styles or traditions. The word also has a specific application in linguistics, where it refers to a fusion of grammatical forms. Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article on syncretism And it is precisely here that we notice the syncretism that is peculiar to it. New Latin syncretism, from Greek synkrÄtismos Federation of Cretan Cities, from syn- + Krät-, Cretan Kräs Open syncretism in popular belief may show cultural acceptance of a foreign or earlier tradition, but the “other” cult can survive or infiltrate without permitted syncresis. For example, some conversos developed a kind of cult for the martyred victims of the Spanish Inquisition by incorporating elements of Catholicism while opposing it. The ancient Greeks used the term syncrätismos primarily to describe the union of the Greeks against a common enemy. In the early 17th century, English speakers adopted the term in the anglicized form syncretism to refer to the union of different religious beliefs. Three centuries later, lexicographers added a new definition of syncretism to the 1909 edition of Webster`s New International Dictionary of the English Language (“the union or fusion into one or two or more originally different forms of inflection, from two cases”), but this specialized meaning is rarely found outside the field of linguistics. Some related terms you might encounter are syncretize (“trying to unite and harmonize”), syncretist (“someone who advocates syncretism”), and syncretist and syncretistic (“characterized or caused by syncretism”).

According to some authors, “syncretism is often used to describe the product of the large-scale imposition of one culture, religion, or foreign exercise body on another that already exists.” [7] Others like Jerry H. However, Bentley argued that syncretism also helped create cultural compromises. It offers the opportunity to connect and deal with the beliefs, values and customs of a cultural tradition with different cultural traditions. Such a migration of ideas is usually only successful if there is a resonance between the two traditions. Although, as Bentley argued, there are many instances where expansive traditions in foreign countries have gained popular support, this is not always the case. [8] These sample phrases are automatically selected from various online information sources to reflect the current use of the word “syncretism.” The views expressed in the examples do not represent the views of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us your feedback. The English word first appeared in the early 17th century. 2] of modern Latin syncretism based on ancient Greek: συγκρητισμός, romanized: syncretismos, supposed “Cretan federation”, but this is a false etymology of the naïve idea of Plutarch`s 1st century AD essay on “brotherly love (Peri of Philadelphia)” in his collection Moralia.