Page 164 - English Reader - 7

4 Vocabulary Time

4.1. Know the following words related to religion.

a. agnosticism : The philosophical position that the existence

or non-existence of God is unknowable
b. atheism : Disbelief in god, deity or any supernatural

power.
c. animism : the belief that material form of reality (plants,

animals, rivers, fire etc.) has an indwelling
spirit in it

d. eucharist : the sacrament of the god’s supper, a rite
in which bread and wine are consumed in

symbolic union with Christ.
e. gnoticism : the belief that salvation is obtained from secret

knowledge and that the material world is evil
f. Jihad : a holy war on behalf of Islam

g. monotheism : the doctrine or belief that there is only one god
h. nihilism : the viewpoint that all traditional beliefs are

unfounded and that human life has no meaning
i. orthodox : very strict to the official doctrine of the given

religion
j. polytheism : belief in more than one god.

k. profane : anything not related to religion and spirituality,
not holy

l. Secular : something that is not specifically religious,
worldly

m. heterodox : not orthodox, believing in progressive logic
about religion

n. blasphemy : indignity offered to god, disrespecting a god or
religion

164 Dolphin English Reader Book 7