Religious symbolism
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- See also: Gallery of religious symbols
Religious symbolism is the use of symbols, including archetypes, acts, artwork, events, or natural phenomena, by a religion. Religions view religious texts, rituals, and works of art as symbols of compelling ideas or ideals. The symbols helps create a reseonant mythos that expresses the moral values of the society, the teachings of the religion, creates a sense of solidarity between religious adherents, or functions as a way to bring an adherent closer to their god or gods.
The study of religious symbolism is either universalist, as a component of comparative religion and mythology, or in localized scope, within the confines of a religion's limits and boundaries.
| Religion or philosophy | Name | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| Ayyavazhi | Lotus Carrying Namam | |
| Bahá'í Faith | Nine Pointed Star | |
| Buddhism | Wheel of Dharma | |
| Lotus Flower | ||
| Christianity
|
Ichthys (fish) | |
| Christian cross | ||
| Patriarchal cross | ||
| Ethnic religions, Polytheistic reconstructionism Paganism, Neopaganism, Wicca |
Hands of God | |
| Mjolnir (Thor's Hammer) | ||
| Pentagram | ||
| Sun cross | ||
| Gnosticism | Sun cross (also a symbol of neopaganism) | |
| Ouroboros (also a symbol of Alchemy and Hermeticism) | ||
| Humanism | Happy Human | |
| Hinduism | Omkar (Aum) | |
| Lotus Flower | ||
| Swastika | ||
| Islam | Kalima/Shahadah | |
| Star and crescent (Ottoman symbol) | ||
| Jainism | Swastika | |
| Judaism | Star of David | |
| Menorah | ||
| Slavic neopaganism | Hands of God | |
| Sikhism | Khanda | |
| Ek Onkar | ||
| Shintō | Torii | |
| Southeastern Ceremonial Complex | Solar cross | |
| Taoism (Daoism) | Yin and yang (Taiji) | |
| Thelema | Unicursal Hexagram | |
| Universal Sufism | "Tughra Inayati" | |
| Unitarian Universalism | Flaming chalice | |
| Zoroastrianism | Faravahar |