Religious text

Religious texts are texts related to a religious tradition. They differ from literary texts by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual practices, commandments or laws, ethical conduct, spiritual aspirations, and for creating or fostering a religious community.^[1][2][3] The relative authority of religious texts develops over time and is derived from the ratification, enforcement, and its use across generations. Some religious texts are accepted or categorized as canonical, some non-canonical, and others extracanonical, semi-canonical, deutero-canonical, pre-canonical or post-canonical.^[4]

A scripture is a subset of religious texts considered to be "especially authoritative",^[5][6] revered and "holy writ",^[7] "sacred, canonical", or of "supreme authority, special status" to a religious community.^[8][9] The terms sacred text and religious text are not necessarily interchangeable in that some religious texts are believed to be sacred because of the belief in some theistic religions such as the Abrahamic religions that the text is divinely or supernaturally revealed or divinely inspired, or in non-theistic religions such as some Indian religions they are considered to be the central tenets of their eternal Dharma. Many religious texts, in contrast, are simply narratives or discussions pertaining to the general themes, interpretations, practices, or important figures of the specific religion. In others (Christianity), the canonical texts include a particular text (Bible) but is "an unsettled question", according to Eugene Nida. In yet others (Hinduism, Buddhism), there "has never been a definitive canon".^[10][11] While the term scripture is derived from the Latin scriptura, meaning "writing", most sacred scriptures of the world's major religions were originally a part of their oral tradition, and were "passed down through memorization from generation to generation until they were finally committed to writing", according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica.^[7][12][13]

Religious texts also serve a ceremonial and liturgical role, particularly in relation to sacred time, the liturgical year, the divine efficacy and subsequent holy service; in a more general sense, its performance.^{[citation needed]}

Etymology and nomenclature[]

According to Peter Beal, the term scripture – derived from "scriptura" (Latin) – meant "writings [manuscripts] in general" prior to the medieval era, then became "reserved to denote the texts of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible".^[14] Beyond Christianity, according to the Oxford World Encyclopedia, the term "scripture" has referred to a text accepted to contain the "sacred writings of a religion",^[15] while The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions states it refers to a text "having [religious] authority and often collected into an accepted canon".^[16] In modern times, this equation of the written word with religious texts is particular to the English language, and is not retained in most other languages, which usually add an adjective like "sacred" to denote religious texts.

Some religious texts are categorized as canonical, some non-canonical, and others extracanonical, semi-canonical, deutero-canonical, pre-canonical or post-canonical.^[4] The term "canon" is derived from the Greek word "κανών", "a cane used as a measuring instrument". It connotes the sense of "measure, standard, norm, rule". In the modern usage, a religious canon refers to a "catalogue of sacred scriptures" that is broadly accepted to "contain and agree with the rule or canon of a particular faith", states Juan Widow.^[17] The related terms such as "non-canonical", "extracanonical", "deuterocanonical" and others presume and are derived from "canon". These derived terms differentiate a corpus of religious texts from the "canonical" literature. At its root, this differentiation reflects the sects and conflicts that developed and branched off over time, the competitive "acceptance" of a common minimum over time and the "rejection" of interpretations, beliefs, rules or practices by one group of another related socio-religious group.^[18] The earliest reference to the term "canon" in the context of "a collection of sacred Scripture" is traceable to the 4th-century CE. The early references, such as the Synod of Laodicea, mention both the terms "canonical" and "non-canonical" in the context of religious texts.^[19]

History of religious texts[]

One of the oldest known religious texts is the Kesh Temple Hymn of ancient Sumer,^[20][21] a set of inscribed clay tablets which scholars typically date around 2600 BCE.^[22] The Epic of Gilgamesh from Sumer, although only considered by some scholars as a religious text, has origins as early as 2150 BCE,^[23] and stands as one of the earliest literary works that includes various mythological figures and themes of interaction with the divine.^[24] The ‘’Rigveda’’ – a scripture of Hinduism – is dated to between 1500–1200 BCE. It is one of the oldest known complete religious texts that has survived into the modern age.^[25]

There are many possible dates given to the first writings which can be connected to Talmudic and Biblical traditions, the earliest of which is found in scribal documentation of the 8th century BCE,^[26] followed by administrative documentation from temples of the 5th and 6th centuries BCE,^[27] with another common date being the 2nd century BCE.^[27] Although a significant text in the history of religious text because of its widespread use among religious denominations and its continued use throughout history, the texts of the Abrahamic traditions are a good example of the lack of certainty surrounding dates and definitions of religious texts.

High rates of mass production and distribution of religious texts did not begin until the invention of the printing press in 1440,^[28] before which all religious texts were hand written copies, of which there were relatively limited quantities in circulation.

Sacred texts of various religions[]

It has been suggested that this section be split out into another article. (Discuss) (May 2019)

The following is a non-exhaustive list of links to specific religious texts which may be used for further, more in-depth study.

Bronze Age[]

Ancient Egyptian religion[]

• Pyramid Texts
• Coffin Texts
• Book of the Dead
• Book of Caverns
• Book of Gates
• Amduat
• Book of the Heavenly Cow
• Litany of Re
• Atenism: Great Hymn to the Aten

Sumerian religion[]

• Hymn to Enlil
• Kesh Temple Hymn
• Song of the hoe
• Innana Descent to the Underworld
• Epic of Gilgamesh
• Epic of Enmerkar
  • Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta
  • Enmerkar and En-suhgir-ana
• Epic of Lugalbanda
  • Lugalbanda in the Mountain Cave
  • Lugalbanda and the Anzud Bird

Classical antiquity[]

Etruscan religion[]

• Liber Linteus
• Pyrgi Tablets

Ancient Greek religion[]

• Aretalogy
• Argonautica
• Bibliotheca
• Derveni papyrus
• Ehoiai
• Homeric Hymns
• Iliad
• Odyssey
• Telegony
• The golden verses of Pythagoras
• Delphic maxims
• Theogony
• Works and Days
• Epic Cycle
• Theban Cycle

Hermeticism[]

• Hermetica
• Kybalion
• Emerald Tablet

Mandaeanism[]

• The Ginza Rba
• Qolusta
• Book of John the Baptizer
• Baptism of Hibil Ziwa
• Haran Gawaita

Manichaeism[]

• Gospel of Mani
• Treasure of Life
• Pragmateia (Greek: πραγματεία)
• The Book of Giants
• Fundamental Epistle
• Manichaean Psalter
• Shabuhragan
• Arzhang
• Kephalaia (Greek: Κεφάλαια), found in Coptic translation.

Orphism[]

• Orphic Poems

East Asian religions[]

Confucianism[]

The Four Books and Five Classics

• The Five Classics (I Ching, Book of Documents, Classic of Poetry, Book of Rites, Spring and Autumn Annals)
• The Four Books (Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Analects, Mencius)

The Thirteen Classics (I Ching, Book of Documents, Classic of Poetry, Rites of Zhou, Etiquette and Ceremonial, Book of Rites, The Commentary of Zuo, The Commentary of Gongyang, The Commentary of Guliang, The Analects, Classic of Filial Piety, Erya, Mencius)

Taoism[]

• Daozang, meaning "Taoist Canon", consists of around 1,400 texts that were collected to bring together all of the teachings of Taoism.
• Tao Te Ching
• Zhuangzi (book)
• Liezi
• Qingjing Jing
• Taiping Jing
• Sanhuangjing
• Huangdi Yinfujing
• Xishengjing
• Huahujing
• Baopuzi
• List of Lingbao texts
• Xiang'er
• Zuowanglun
• Yunji Qiqian
• Wuzhen pian

Shinto[]

• The Kojiki
• The Rikkokushi, which includes the Nihon Shoki and the Shoku Nihongi
• The Fudoki
• The Jinnō Shōtōki
• The Kujiki

Iranian religions[]

Zoroastrianism[]

• Primary religious texts, that is, the Avesta collection:
  • The Yasna, the primary liturgical collection, includes the Gathas.
  • The Visperad, a collection of supplements to the Yasna.
  • The Yashts, hymns in honor of the divinities.
  • The Vendidad, describes the various forms of evil spirits and ways to confound them.
  • shorter texts and prayers, the Yashts the five ("worship, praise"), the and the (blessings).
• There are some 60 secondary religious texts, none of which are considered scripture. The most important of these are:
  • The Denkard (middle Persian, 'Acts of Religion'),
  • The Bundahishn, (middle Persian, 'Primordial Creation')
  • The Menog-i Khrad, (middle Persian, 'Spirit of Wisdom')
  • The Arda Viraf Namak (middle Persian, 'The Book of Arda Viraf')
  • The Sad-dar (modern Persian, 'Hundred Doors', or 'Hundred Chapters')
  • The Rivayats, 15th-18th century correspondence on religious issues
• For general use by the laity:
  • The Zend (lit. commentaries), various commentaries on and translations of the Avesta.
  • The Khordeh Avesta, Zoroastrian prayer book for lay people from the Avesta.

Yarsanism[]

• Kalâm-e Saranjâm

Yazidi[]

• The true core texts of the Yazidi religion that exist today are the hymns, known as qawls. Spurious examples of so-called "Yazidi religious texts" include the Yazidi Black Book and the Yazidi Book of Revelation, which were forged in the early 20th century

Indian religions[]

Ayyavazhi[]

Akilattirattu Ammanai

• Akilam one
• Akilam two
• Akilam three
• Akilam four
• Akilam five
• Akilam fifteen
• Akilam seventeen
• Akilam sixteen
• Akilam six
• Akilam seven
• Akilam eight
• Akilam nine
• Akilam ten
• Akilam eleven
• Akilam twelve
• Akilam thirteen
• Akilam fourteen
• Akilam fifteen
• Akilam sixteen
• Akilam seventeen

Arul Nool

• Ukappadippu
• Pothippu
• Ucchippadippu
• Saattu Neettolai
• Nadutheervai Ula
• Panchadevar Urppatthi
• Patthiram
• Sivakanta Athikarappatthiram
• Thingal patham
• Saptha Kannimar Padal
• Kalyana Vazhthu

Buddhism[]

Theravada Buddhism

• The Tipitaka or Pāli Canon
  • Vinaya Pitaka
    • Suttavibhaṅga: Pāṭimokkha and commentary
      • Mahāvibhaṅga: rules for monks
      • Bhikkhunīvibhaṅga: rules for nuns
    • Khandhaka: 22 chapters on various topics
    • Parivāra: analyses of rules from various points of view
  • Sutta Pitaka
    • Digha Nikaya, the "long" discourses (including Brahmajāla Sutta, Samaññaphala Sutta, Sigālovāda Sutta & Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta)
    • Majjhima Nikaya, the "middle-length" discourses (including Ānāpānasati Sutta & Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta)
    • Samyutta Nikaya, the "connected" discourses (including Ādittapariyāya Sutta, Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta & Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta)
    • Anguttara Nikaya, the "numerical" discourses (including Dīghajāṇu Sutta)
    • Khuddaka Nikaya, the "minor collection" (including Dhammapada, Udāna, Itivuttaka, Sutta Nipāta, Theragatha & Therīgāthā)
  • Abhidhamma Pitaka
    • Dhammasaṅganī (-saṅgaṇi or -saṅgaṇī)
    • Vibhaṅga (vibhaṅga)
    • Dhātukathā (dhātukathā)
    • Puggalapaññatti (-paññatti)
    • Kathāvatthu (kathā-)
    • Yamaka
    • Paṭṭhāna (paţţhāna)

East Asian Mahayana

• The Chinese Buddhist Mahayana sutras, including
  • Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra
  • Shurangama Sutra and its Shurangama Mantra
  • Great Compassion Mantra
  • Pure Land Buddhism
    • Infinite Life Sutra
    • Amitabha Sutra
    • Contemplation Sutra
    • other Pure Land Sutras
  • Tiantai, Tendai, and Nichiren
    • Lotus Sutra
  • Shingon
    • Mahavairocana Sutra
    • Vajrasekhara Sutra

Tibetan Buddhism

• Tibetan Kangyur and Tengyur

Hinduism[]

Śruti

• The Four Vedas
  • Rig Veda
  • Sama Veda
  • Yajur Veda
  • Atharva Veda
• Samhitas (Mantras, Prayers)
• Brahmanas (Commentaries, Instructions)
• Aranyakas (Meditation, Rituals)
• Upanishads (Essence, Wisdom)

Smriti

• Itihāsas
  • Mahābhārata (including the Bhagavad Gita)
    • Bhagavad Gita
  • Ramayana
• Puranas (List)
  • Bhagavata Purana
• Tantras
• Sutras (List)
• Stotras
• Ashtavakra Gita
• Gherand Samhita
• Gita Govinda
• Hatha Yoga Pradipika
• Yoga Vasistha

In Purva Mimamsa

• Purva Mimamsa Sutras

In Vedanta (Uttar Mimamsa)

• Brahma Sutras of Vyasa

In Yoga

• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

In Samkhya

• Samkhya Sutras of Kapila

In Nyaya

• Nyāya Sūtras of Gautama

In Vaisheshika

• Vaisheshika Sutras of Kanada

In Vaishnavism

• Vaikhanasa Samhitas
• Pancaratra Samhitas
• Divyaprabandha

In Saktism

• Sakta Tantras

In Kashmir Saivism

• 64 Bhairavagamas
• 28 Shaiva Agamas
• Shiva Sutras of Vasugupta
• Vijnana Bhairava Tantra

In Pashupata Shaivism

• Pashupata Sutras of Lakulish
• Panchartha-bhashya of Kaundinya (a commentary on the Pashupata Sutras)
• Ganakarika
• Ratnatika of Bhasarvajna

In Shaiva Siddhanta

• 28 Saiva Agamas
• Tirumurai (canon of 12 works)
• Meykandar Shastras (canon of 14 works)

In Gaudiya Vaishnavism

• Brahma Samhita
• Jayadeva's Gita Govinda

Krishna-karnamrita

• Chaitanya Bhagavata
• Chaitanya Charitamrita
• Prema-bhakti-candrika
• Hari-bhakti-vilasa

In Lingayatism

• Siddhanta Shikhamani
• Vachana sahitya
• Mantra Gopya
• Shoonya Sampadane
• 28 Agamas
• Karana Hasuge
• Basava purana

In Kabir Panth

• poems of Kabir

In Dadu Panth

• poems of Dadu

Jainism[]

Svetambara

• 11 Angas
  • Secondary
    • 12 Upangas, 4 Mula-sutras, 6 Cheda-sutras, 2 Culika-sutras, 10 Prakirnakas

Digambara

• Samaysara
• Pravachanasara
• Niyamsara
• Pancastikayasara
• Karmaprabhrita, also called Satkhandagama
• Kashayaprabhrita

Nonsectarian/Nonspecific

• Jina Vijaya
• Tattvartha Sutra
• GandhaHasti Mahabhashya (authoritative and oldest commentary on the Tattvartha Sutra)
• Four Anuyogas (they call them, the four vedas of jainism)

Ravidassia[]

Amritbani Guru Ravidass Ji, the holy book contains the following hymns: Raga – Siri (1), Gauri (5), Asa (6), Gujari (1), Sorath (7), Dhanasari (3), Jaitsari (1), Suhi (3), Bilaval (2), Gaund (2), Ramkali (1), Maru (2), Kedara (1), Bhairau (1), Basant (1), and Malhar (3). The book contains 140 shabads, 40 pade, and 231 salok.^[29] There are 177 pages in all of the book.

Amrit Bani containing 240 hymns of Guru Ravidas

Sikhism[]

• The Guru Granth Sahib

• The Dasam Granth

Satpanth[]

• Ginans (the scriptures which contains the inner knowledge of Quran and Atharva veda which had lost in the original form of the two scriptures which had been corrupted too)
• Dua (prayers)

Abrahamic religions[]

Baháʼí Faith[]

• Writings of the Báb
  • Persian Bayán
  • Arabic Bayán
  • Writings of the Báb
• Writings of Bahá’u’lláh,
  Further information: List of writings of Baháʼu'lláh
  • Kitáb-i-Aqdas – The Most Holy Book
  • Kitáb-i-Íqán – The Book of Certitude
  • The Hidden Words
  • Days of Remembrance
  • Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
  • The Four Valleys
  • Gems of Divine Mysteries
  • Gleanings
  • Kitáb-i-Badíʻ
  • The Seven Valleys
  • Summons of the Lord of Hosts
  • Tabernacle of Unity
  • Tablets of Baháʼu'lláh
• Writings and Talks of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá
  • Some Answered Questions
  • Tablets of the Divine Plan
  • The Secret of Divine Civilization
  • Paris Talks
  • Will and Testament
• Writings of Shoghi Effendi
  • Advent of Divine Justice
  • Baháʼí Administration
  • God Passes By
  • World Order of Baháʼu'lláh
• Messages and writings of the Universal House of Justice
• The scripture of previous world religions

Christianity[]

The Bible[]

The contents of Christian Bibles differ by denomination.

• The Canon of Trent defines a canonical list of books of the Catholic Bible that includes the whole 73-book canon recognized by the Catholic Church, including the deuterocanonical books. (In versions of the Latin Vulgate, 3 Esdras, 4 Esdras, and the Prayer of Manasseh are included in an appendix, but considered non-canonical).
• Most Protestant Bibles include the Hebrew Bible's 24 books (the protocanonical books) divided differently (into 39 books) and the 27-book New Testament for a total of 66 books. Some denominations (e.g. Anglicanism) also include the 15 books of the biblical apocrypha between the Old Testament and the New Testament, for a total of 81 books.
• Greek and Eastern Orthodox Bibles include the anagignoskomena, which consist of the Catholic deuterocanon, plus 3 Maccabees, Psalm 151, the Prayer of Manasseh, and 3 Esdras; The Fourth Book of Maccabees is considered to be canonical by the Georgian Orthodox Church.^[30] The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, is authoritative.
• The Church of the East includes most of the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament which are found in the Peshitta (The Syriac Version of the Bible). The New Testament in modern versions contains the 5 disputed books (2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, and Revelation) that were originally excluded.
• In Oriental Orthodoxy, the biblical canon differs in each Patriarchate.
  • The Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church has at various times included a variety of books in the New Testament which are not included in the canons of other traditions.
  • The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (and its daughter, the Eritrean Orthodox Church) accept various books according to either of the Narrower or the Broader Canons but always include the entire Catholic deuterocanon, the Prayer of Manasseh, 3 Ezra, 4 Ezra, and The Book of Josippon. They may also include the Book of Jubilees, Book of Enoch, 1 Baruch, 4 Baruch, as well as 1, 2, and 3 Meqabyan (no relation to the Books of Maccabees). The New Testament contains the Sinodos, the , Clement, and the Didascalia.
• Some Syrian Churches, regardless of whether they are Eastern Catholic, Nestorian, Oriental or Eastern Orthodox, accept the Letter of Baruch as scripture.
• Some early Quakers also included the Epistle to the Laodiceans.^[31]

Latter Day Saint movement[]

• The Bible
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) uses the LDS edition of the King James Bible for English-speaking members; other versions are used in non-English speaking countries. The Community of Christ (RLDS) uses the Joseph Smith Translation, which it calls the Inspired Version, as well as updated modern translations.
• The Book of Mormon
• The Doctrine and Covenants. There are significant differences in content and section numbering between the Doctrine and Covenants used by the Community of Christ (RLDS) and the LDS Church.
• The Pearl of Great Price is authoritative in the LDS Church, rejected by Community of Christ.
  • Other, smaller branches of Latter Day Saints include other scriptures such as:
    • The Book of the Law of the Lord used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
    • The Word of the Lord and The Word of the Lord Brought to Mankind by an Angel used by (Fettingite) branches.

Additional and alternative scriptures[]

Some Christian denominations have additional or alternate holy scriptures, some with authoritativeness similar to the Old Testament and New Testament.

• The Unification Church includes the Divine Principle in its holy scriptures.
• Gnostic Christianity rejected the narrative in Pauline Christianity that the arrival of Jesus had to do with the forgiveness of sins, and instead were concerned with illusion and enlightenment. Gnostic texts include Gnostic gospels about the life of Jesus, books attributed to various apostles, apocalyptic writings, and philosophical works. Though there is some overlap with some New Testament works, the rest were eventually considered heretical by Christian orthodoxy. Gnostics generally did not include the Old Testament as canon. They believed in two gods, one of which was Yahweh (generally considered evil), the author of the Hebrew Bible and god of the Jews, separate from a Supreme God who sent Jesus.
  • Marcion's canon included only the Gospel of Marcion and a set of Pauline epistles which overlap with the canon of orthodox Pauline Christianity. His gospel was a version of the Gospel of Luke that did not contain any references to the Old Testament.
  • The Cainites apparently used the Gospel of Judas.

Liturgical books[]

Liturgical books are used to guide or script worship, and many are specific to a denomination.

• Catholic liturgical books
  • Books of the clergy
    • The Roman Missal (The pope, archbishops, bishops, priests and deacons editions)
    • The Book of the Gospels (evangeliary/evangelion)
    • The Lectionary
    • Sacramentary (for bishops and priests)
    • Pontifical (for bishops)
    • Cæremoniale Episcoporum (for bishops)
    • Breviary (Hours/Divine Office)
    • Gradual (Roman gradual, antiphonal, cantatory)
    • Liber Usualis (Book of Common Use/Gregorian chants)
    • Roman Ritual (baptism, benedictions, blessings, burials, exorcisms, etc.)
    • Roman Martyrology (saints/The blessed)
  • Books of church attendants:
    • Missal (pew cyclical editions)
    • Missalette (pew seasonal editions)
    • Hymnal (pew hymnbook editions)
• Protestant liturgical books
  • Anglicanism
    • Book of Common Prayer (BCP) 1549
  • Lutheranism
    • Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book (ELHB) 1912
    • The Lutheran Hymnal (TLH) 1941
    • Lutheran Book of Prayer (LBP) 1941
    • Lutheran Service Book and Hymnal (SBH) 1958
    • Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW) 1978
    • Lutheran Worship (LW) 1982
    • Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) 2006
    • Lutheran Service Book (LSB) 2006
    • Numerous hymn, service and guide books (varies by church)
  • Methodism
    • The Sunday Service of the Methodists
    • Book of Worship for Church and Home (1965)
    • The Book of Hymns
    • The United Methodist Hymnal (United Methodist Church)
    • The United Methodist Book of Worship (1992) (United Methodist Church)
    • Book of Discipline (United Methodist) (John Wesley-1784, United Methodist Church-2016)
    • Numerous hymn, service and guide books (varies by church)
  • Southern Baptists
    • Baptist Hymnal
    • Numerous hymn, service and guide books (varies by church)

Doctrines and laws[]

Various Christian denominations have texts which define the doctrines of the group or set out laws which are considered binding. The groups consider these to range in permanence from unquestionable interpretations of divine revelations to human decisions made for convenience or elucidation which are subject to reconsideration.

• Doctrines such as the Trinity, the virgin birth and atonement
• The Ten Commandments (Hebrew: עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, Aseret ha'Dibrot), also known in Christianity as the Decalogue, are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship.
• The Christian Science textbook Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, along with the Bible, serves as the permanent "impersonal pastor" of the Church of Christ, Scientist.
• Seventh-day Adventists hold the writings of Ellen White are held to an elevated status, though not equal with the Bible, as she is considered to have been an inspired prophetess.
• Swedenborgianism is defined by the Biblical interpretations of Emanuel Swedenborg starting with Arcana Cœlestia
• H. Emilie Cady's 1896 Lessons in Truth, A Course of Twelve Lessons in Practical Christianity is considered a core text of the Unity Church.
• In Catholicism, the concept of Magisterium reserves matters of religious interpretation to the church, with various levels of infallibility expressed in various documents.
• Infallibility of the Church is applied to:
  • In the Catholic Church, Papal infallibility of a very small number of papal decrees. Most documents produced by the Pope, including the Catechism of the Catholic Church are considered subject to revision.
• To the decisions of ecumenical councils in Catholic, some Orthodox, and some Protestant denominations, though the non-Catholic denominations only accept certain councils as genuinely ecumenical.
• The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine^[32]
• Transubstantiation and Marian teachings in Roman Catholic theology. The department of the Roman Curia which deals with questions of doctrine is called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.^[33][34]
• The distinctive Calvinist doctrine of "double" predestination
• The Methodist Church of Great Britain refers to the "doctrines to which the preachers of the Methodist Church are pledged" as doctrinal standards ^[35]

Druze[]

• Rasa'il al-hikmah (Epistles of Wisdom)

Islam[]

Five universally acknowledged messengers (rasul) are Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus and Muhammad,^[36] each believed to have been sent with a scripture. Muslims believe David (Dāwūd) received Psalms^[37] (cf. Q38:28); Jesus (Īsā) the Gospel; Muhammad received the Qur'an; Abraham (Ibrahim) the Scrolls of Abraham; and Moses (Mūsā) the Torah.^[38]

Tawrat (revealed to Musa), the Zabur (revealed to Dawud) and the Injil (revealed to Isa)

Sunni Islam[]

• Quran
• Hadith books (Kutub al-Sittah):

• Other Hadith books

Shia Islam[]

• Quran
• Hadith books (The Four Books): Kitab al-Kafi, Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih Tahdhib al-Ahkam, Al-Istibsar.
• Other Hadith books (discourses of Prophet Muhammad and his household), like Bihar al-Anwar, Awalim al-Ulum; and Tafsirs, such as Tafsir al-Burhan
  • Prayer books and Ziyarat such as Mafateh al Jinan and Kamel al Ziyarat.
• Books on biography of Prophet Muhammad. There are thousands of biographies written, though unlike the Hadith collections, they are usually not accepted as canonical religious texts. Some of the more authentic and famous of them are:

Alawites[]

• Quran
• Kitab al Majmu
• Other 114 canonical scriptures such as (Kitab ul Asus by an ancient prophet) and the other 113 scriptures were authored by imam Ali, imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, the 11th Bab Ibn Nusayr and the medieval sages of the sect such as Al-Khasibi.

Ahmadiyya[]

• Quran
• Avesta
• Vedas

Alevism[]

• Quran
• Nahj al-Balagha
• Buyruks
• Makalat
• Vilayetname
• Akhiratnama

Mevlevi Order[]

• Quran
• Masnavi
• Fihi Ma Fihi
• Diwan-e Shams-e Tabrizi

Judaism[]

Rabbinic Judaism[]

• The Tanakh i.e. Hebrew Bible
  • Torah (teachings)
  • Nevi'im (prophets)
  • Ketuvim (writings)
• The Talmud
  • Mishnah
  • Gemara
• The Midrash

Hasidic Judaism[]

Early texts:

• Noam Elimelech (Elimelech of Lizhensk)
• Kedushat Levi (Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev)

Foundational texts of various Hasidic sects:

• Likutei Moharan (Breslov)
• Me'or Einayim (Chernobyl)
• Mei Hashiloach (Izhbitza – Radzin)
• Tanya (Chabad)
• Vayoel Moshe (Satmar)

Haymanot[]

• The Tanakh with several Jewish apocrypha

Kabbalism[]

• Kabbalah: Primary texts
• Zohar

Non-rabbinic Judaism[]

Karaite Judaism[]

• The Tanakh

Jewish Science[]

• The Tanakh
• Jewish Science: Divine Healing in Judaism

Rastafari movement[]

• The Bible (Ethiopian Orthodox canon)
• the Holy Piby
• the Kebra Nagast
• The speeches and writings of Haile Selassie I (including his autobiography My Life and Ethiopia's Progress)
• Royal Parchment Scroll of Black Supremacy

Samaritanism[]

• Samaritan Torah

Pre-Columbian Americas[]

Aztec religion[]

• The Borgia Group codices

Maya religion[]

• The Popol Vuh
• the Dresden Codex
• the Madrid Codex
• the Paris Codex

Ethnic religions[]

Bon (autochthonous religious tradition of Tibet)[]

• Bön Kangyur and Tengyur

Old Norse religion[]

• Poetic Edda

Kiratism[]

• The Mundhum of the Limbu ethnic group

Shabakism[]

• Buyruk (Shabak)

Qizilbash[]

• Buyruks of Qizilbash
• Fetevatnameh

Yorùbá[]

• Odù Ifá

New religious movements[]

Ayyavazhi[]

• The Akilathirattu Ammanai
• The Arul Nool

The ACIM Movement[]

• A Course in Miracles

The writings of Franklin Albert Jones a.k.a. Adi Da Love-Ananda Samraj[]

• Aletheon
• The Companions of the True Dawn Horse
• The Dawn Horse Testament
• Gnosticon
• The Heart of the Adi Dam Revelation
• Not-Two IS Peace
• Pneumaton
• Transcendental Realism

Aetherius Society[]

• The Nine Freedoms

Ásatrú[]

• Eddur

Caodaism[]

• Kinh Thiên Đạo Và Thế Đạo (Prayers of the Heavenly and the Earthly Way)
• Pháp Chánh Truyền (The Religious Constitution of Caodaism)
• Tân Luật (The Canonical Codes)
• Thánh Ngôn Hiệp Tuyển (Compilation of Divine Messages)^[39]

Cheondoism[]

• The Donghak Scripture
• The Songs of Yongdam
• The Sermons of Master Haeweol
• The Sermons of Revered Teacher Euiam^[40]

Creativity Movement[]

The writings of Ben Klassen:

• Nature's Eternal Religion
• White Man's Bible
• Salubrious Living

Discordianism[]

• The Principia Discordia

Dudeism[]

• Duderonomy

Jediism[]

• Aionomica
• Rammahgon

Konkokyo[]

• Oshirase-Goto Obobe-Chō
• Konko Daijin Oboegaki
• Gorikai I
• Gorikai II
• Gorikai III^[41]

Meher Baba[]

• God Speaks
• Discourses

Meivazhi[]

• The four vedas of Meivazhi
  • Āti mey utaya pūrana veētāntam
  • Āntavarkal mānmiyam
  • Eman pātar atipatu tiru meyññanak koral
  • Eman pātar atipatu kotāyūtak kūr

Oahspe Faithism[]

• Oahspe: A New Bible

Pastafarianism[]

• The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

Raëlism[]

The writings of Raël aka Claude Vorilhon:

• Intelligent Design: Message from the Designers
• Sensual Meditation
• Yes to Human Cloning

Ravidassia[]

• The Amritbani Guru Ravidass Ji

Religious Science[]

• The Science of Mind by Ernest Holmes

Scientology[]

• Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health
• List of Scientology texts

Spiritism[]

• The Spirits Book
• The Book on Mediums
• The Gospel According to Spiritism
• Heaven and Hell
• The Genesis According to Spiritism

Tenrikyo[]

• The Ofudesaki
• The Mikagura-uta
• The Osashizu

Thelema[]

• The Holy Books of Thelema, especially The Book of the Law

Unarius Academy of Science[]

• The Pulse of Creation Series
• The Infinite Concept of Cosmic Creation

Urantianism[]

• The Urantia Book

Wicca[]

• Book of Shadows
• Charge of the Goddess
• Threefold Law
• Wiccan Rede

References[]

External links[]

Wikiquote has quotations related to: religious text

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Religious texts.

• The British Library: Discovering Sacred Texts
• Religious full text online library
• Messianic bibles
• Ancient texts library
• Internet Sacred Text Archive
• The Buddhist Scriptures Compared with the Bible Archived 2007-11-29 at the Wayback Machine by Robert H. Krueger.