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syncretism

thumb|The gods Persephone-[[Isis and Hades-Serapis, an example of Greco-Egyptian syncretism|285x285px]]

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Syncretism is the blending of religious beliefs, practices, or deities from different traditions into a single system, such as when Greek and Egyptian cultures combined their gods together. It matters because it shows how religions adapt and influence each other when cultures meet, and it helps us understand how many of the world's religious traditions actually developed historically.

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Image: Pluto Serapis and Persephone Isis Heraklion museum.jpg

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Commons category: Syncretism

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~12 min read

Article

11 sections

Contents

Etymology
Religious syncretism
Criticism of the term
Cultures and societies
Din-i Ilahi
Enlightenment
Examples
See also
Notes
Further reading
External links

thumb|The gods Persephone-[[Isis and Hades-Serapis, an example of Greco-Egyptian syncretism|285x285px]]

Syncretism () is the combining or merging of various distinct beliefs or schools of thought, particularly religious ones. For instance, features and components of one religion are incorporated and absorbed into another. It can include assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in theology and mythology, thus asserting an underlying unity and allowing for an inclusive approach to multiple faiths. While syncretism in art and culture is sometimes likened to eclecticism, in the realm of religion, it specifically denotes a more integrated merging of beliefs into a unified system, distinct from eclecticism, which implies a selective adoption of elements from different traditions without necessarily blending them into a new, cohesive belief system.