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Scripture is that portion of literature deemed authoritative for establishing instructions within any of a number of specific religious traditions, especially the Abrahamic religions.^[1]^{[need quotation to verify]} Such bodies of writings are also sometimes known as the canon of scripture. They are often associated with the belief that they were either given directly, or otherwise inspired, by God, or associated with other kinds of direct access to absolute truth. As such, the term scripture is more specific than religious text, which scholars apply even to mythological and ritual texts from ancient religions, where records of their authority (or heresy) have not survived.^[2]

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.^[3]^[4]

This can be illustrated by the documentation of the Egyptian cult of Aten,^[5] which lasted less than a generation (ca 1350–1335 BC), having been suppressed as heresy. The Nicene Creed^[6] 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^[7] 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 in some traditions based only faith or belief, in that faith is belief in the trustworthiness of a written/spoken idea that has not been proven.^[8] However, in the Abrahamic traditions especially, but also in others, the scriptures include documentation of events, and reasoned arguments, so the concept of faith is understood to be based on objective and verifiable facts, not merely "blind trust".

The Bahá'í Faith

The Aqdas

Christianity

Catholicism

The Bible (including the Deuterocanonical books)

Protestantism

The Bible (various versions, most exclude Deuterocanonical books)

Latter-day saints (Mormons) and some derived sects

Books

The Bible (King James version), both testaments.
- There is a Joseph Smith translation, counted as scripture, but not officially used.
The Book of Mormon
The Doctrine and Covenants
The Pearl of Great Price

Documents

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

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^[9].

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^[10].

Hinduism

File:Vyasa.jpg

Vyasadeva wrote down Vedas around 5 thousand years (when this Kali-Yuga began)

The Vedas
108 Upanishads
Vedanta (essence of Vedas)
Puranas, including Srimad Bhagavatam (commentary on Vedanta by Vyasadeva)
Mahabharata, including Bhagavad Gita
Ramayana (by Valmiki)

Sikhism

The Guru Granth Sahib

Islam

The Qur'an (also spelled, Koran)

Judaism

The Tanakh

The Torah, Neviim and the Ketuvim.

References

^ John Miller and Aaron Kenedi, God's Breath: Sacred Scriptures of the World, (New York: Marlowe & Company, 2000).
^ 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.
^ William P. Lazarus and Mark Sullivan. Comparative Religion for Dummies. John Wiley and Sons Ltd, United States, 2008
^ What is religion?
^ A history of "The Short-lived Cult of Aten"
^ The Nicene Creed
^ Definition of "scripture"
^ Definition of faith
^ Hymns, 1985, no. 292, verse 3
^ See Doctrine and Covenants 68:2–4

External links

[1] John Miller and Aaron Kenedi, God's Breath: Sacred Scriptures of the World, (New York: Marlowe & Company, 2000).

[2] 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.

[3] William P. Lazarus and Mark Sullivan. Comparative Religion for Dummies. John Wiley and Sons Ltd, United States, 2008

[4] What is religion?

[5] A history of "The Short-lived Cult of Aten"

[6] The Nicene Creed

[7] Definition of "scripture"

[8] Definition of faith

[9] Hymns, 1985, no. 292, verse 3

[10] See Doctrine and Covenants 68:2–4

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 {{Mergeto|Religious text|date=December 2010}}
 '''Scripture''' is that portion of literature deemed authoritative for establishing instructions ''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>{{Request quote}}
+John Miller and Aaron Kenedi, ''God's Breath: Sacred Scriptures of the World'', (New York: [[Marlowe & Company]], 2000).</ref>{{Request quote|date=December 2010}}
 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,