Jump to content

Scripture: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Undid revision 407503887 by 75.15.199.89 (talk)it's a redirect
 
(51 intermediate revisions by 31 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
#REDIRECT [[Religious text]]
'''Scripture''' is that corpus of literature deemed authoritative for establishing doctrine ''within'' any of a number of specific religious traditions, especially the [[Abrahamic religions]].<ref>
John Miller and Aaron Kenedi, ''God's Breath: Sacred Scriptures of the World'', (New York: [[Marlowe & Company]], 2000).</ref>
Such bodies of writings are also sometimes known as the [[Biblical canon|canon]] of scripture. They are often associated with the belief that they were either given directly, or otherwise [[Divine inspiration|inspired]], by God, or associated with other kinds of [[Epistemology|direct access]] to [[absolute truth]]. As such, the term ''scripture'' is more specific than ''[[religious text]]'', which scholars apply even to [[Mythology|mythological]] and [[Cult (religious practice)|ritual]] texts from ancient religions, where records of their authority (or [[heresy]]) have not survived.<ref>
Paul Dundas expresses the opinion that,
"In recent years there has been a welcome attempt on the part of historians of religion to dissociate sacred texts from the concept of 'scripture' in its literal sense, so common in conventional accounts of the great west Asian monotheistic traditions, of 'written word' enshrined in some kind of totally fixed canon."
''The Jains'', ([[Routledge]], 1992), p. 53.</ref>

==Comparisons==

Investigations by [[scholars]] of [[comparative religion]] determine the different reasoning that lies behind why various [[traditions]] determine some writings to be scripture and others not.<ref>William P. Lazarus and Mark Sullivan. ''Comparative Religion for Dummies.'' John Wiley and Sons Ltd, United States, 2008</ref><ref>[http://www.religionfacts.com/religion/quotes.htm What is religion?]</ref>

This can be illustrated by the documentation of the [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] cult of [[Aten]],<ref>[http://www.philae.nu/akhet/history6.html A history of "The Short-lived Cult of Aten"]</ref> which lasted less than a generation (ca 1350–1335 BC), having been suppressed as heresy.<ref>[http://www.creeds.net/ancient/nicene.htm The Nicene Creed]</ref> is an early Christian description of their beliefs. However, although this is clearly a religious text and is still highly valued by Christians today, it is not considered scripture<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/scripture Definition of "scripture"]</ref> because it is not among the sacred writings of either the Old or New Testaments. Scriptures are religious texts, the [[truth]] of which is received by believers based on [[faith]] or [[belief]], in that faith is belief in the trustworthiness of a written/spoken [[idea]] that has not been proven.<ref>[http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/faith Definition of faith]</ref>

==Examples==
===Among Islam===
* The [[Qur'an]] (also spelled, Koran)

===Among Jewish sects===
* The [[Tanakh]]
===Among Catholic sects===
* The Holy Bible (sometimes the Apocrypha is also included)
===Among protestant Christian sects at large===
* [[The Holy Bible]] (various versions)
===Among Latter-day saints (Mormon) and some derived sects===
====Books====
* The Holy Bible ([[King James version]]), both testaments.
**There is a [[Joseph Smith translation]], and though it is also counted as scripture, it is not officially used.
* [[The Book of Mormon]]
* [[The Doctrine and Covenants]]
* [[The Pearl of Great Price]]
====Documents====
* [[The Family: A Proclamation to the World]]
* [[The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles]]
====Music====
* Occasionally, some of the hymns (including at least one found in ''Hymns'', 1985—no. 292) are deemed as scripture, teaching doctrines not necessarily taught elsewhere first<ref>''Hymns'', 1985, no. 292, verse 3</ref>.

====Living scripture====
* Latter-day saints believe in continuing scripture that may manifest itself in numerous ways, including directly from the Holy Ghost to ordained servants of God<ref>See [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/68/2-4#2 Doctrine and Covenants 68:2–4]</ref>.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.adherents.com/adh_influbooks.html Major Scriptures, Religious Texts and Influential Books]
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/index.htm Sacred Texts]
* [http://www.unification.net/ws/ World Scriptures]

[[Category:Religious texts]]

[[de:Liste Heiliger Schriften]]
[[es:Escritura sagrada]]
[[fr:Saintes Écritures]]
[[it:Sacra Scrittura]]

Latest revision as of 00:23, 13 January 2011

Redirect to: