Independent educational reading about belief, conscience and coexistence
Religious Tolerance
Glossary · letter R

Religious terms, clearly explained.

Explore a contextual glossary of religious, spiritual, ethical and social vocabulary beginning with R. Definitions are presented as a reading aid, with links to related subjects across Religious Tolerance.

Open notebook and writing materials on a desk
Reference guide

Terms beginning with R

Meanings can vary between communities. These concise entries identify common uses and point toward further context.

Rabbi

A teacher or learned leader in Judaism; the word derives from a Hebrew expression meaning “my master.”

Racism

Ideas, actions or structures that treat people differently because of perceived race. The term is distinct from prejudice based on religion, although forms of discrimination can overlap.

Radical theologies

Theologies that question conventional ideas of a personal, intervening deity. Some reinterpret divine language symbolically or non-supernaturally.

Ramadan

The Islamic lunar month associated with daytime fasting, prayer, reflection, generosity and community. Practices and exemptions are understood within Islamic traditions.

Rapture

A Christian eschatological belief, especially associated with some Protestant traditions, concerning the gathering of believers at Christ’s appearance.

Rastafari

A religious and cultural movement with roots in Jamaica and a strong connection to African identity, justice, spirituality and the legacy of Haile Selassie.

Rationalism

An approach that gives reason and critical analysis an important role in examining religious claims, texts and doctrines.

Real Presence

A Christian theological term for beliefs that Christ is genuinely present in the Eucharist. Roman Catholic and Lutheran explanations use different theological frameworks.

Redaction criticism

A method of studying how editors or compilers shaped earlier sources into the form of a religious text, including the purposes suggested by those editorial choices.

Rede

An Old English word for counsel or rule. The Wiccan Rede is commonly associated with a principle of avoiding harm; interpretations vary.

Redemption

A general idea of release or restoration. In Christianity, it commonly concerns deliverance from sin through divine grace and salvation.

Reformation

The sixteenth-century Christian reform movements that challenged aspects of Western Catholic practice and contributed to the development of Protestant traditions.

Reformed theology

A family of Christian theological traditions influenced particularly by John Calvin and related Reformation thinkers.

Regeneration

A term used in Christian theology for spiritual renewal or becoming newly oriented toward God.

Reincarnation

The belief that a person, soul or stream of consciousness is born again in another life. Related ideas differ among Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, New Age and other traditions.

Relativism

The view that some truths or values depend on cultural, historical or personal context rather than applying identically in every setting.

Religion

A system of beliefs, practices, stories, values and community life concerning ultimate meaning, the sacred, deity or the nature of existence. Definitions differ among scholars and communities.

Religious liberty

The freedom to hold, change, express or decline religious beliefs and to practise peacefully, subject to the rights and safety of others.

Religious tolerance

The principle that people should receive equal freedom and respect despite differences in religion or non-theistic worldview. It does not require agreement with every belief.

Religism

A term sometimes used for prejudice, hostility or discrimination based on religious affiliation. Because usage varies, the surrounding context should always be made clear.

Repentance

A sincere turning away from wrongdoing and a commitment to change. Religious traditions differ in how repentance relates to forgiveness, restoration and salvation.

Restorationism

The belief that an original or authentic form of Christianity was lost and later restored. Several Christian movements use restorationist ideas in distinct ways.

Resurrection

The return of a dead person to life, or the anticipated raising of the dead. The concept has different meanings in Christian, Jewish, Islamic and other theological contexts.

Revelation

Knowledge understood as disclosed by God or a transcendent source. The term may also refer specifically to the final book of the Christian New Testament.

Righteousness

A quality associated with moral conduct, justice or alignment with divine standards. Traditions differ in how righteousness is recognized and attained.

Rite and ritual

Ordered words, actions, music or symbols used in a religious or cultural ceremony. Rituals can mark identity, transition, remembrance or communal commitment.

Roman Catholicism

A major Christian tradition organized worldwide in communion with the Bishop of Rome. Its theology, sacraments, history and forms of worship have developed across many centuries.

Rosary

A set of prayer beads and a form of devotional prayer used especially within Roman Catholic practice, with related bead traditions elsewhere.

Rosh Hashanah

The Jewish New Year, observed in the autumn according to the Hebrew calendar and associated with reflection, prayer and renewal.

Ruach

A Hebrew word whose range of meaning includes wind, breath and spirit. Its interpretation depends on the textual and theological context.

Rune

A character from historical Germanic writing systems. In contemporary spiritual settings, rune symbols may also be used for reflection or divination.

Reading note

Definitions are not declarations.

A glossary condenses complex histories into short entries. A term may be used differently by scholars, institutions and practitioners, so follow the related links when a subject needs fuller context.

Descriptions on Religious Tolerance are intended for education and comparison, not to tell readers which worldview they must adopt.