(Having read them all recently I decided to sit for a few minutes and ponder what I have learned in order to choose a theology (religion) that I believe is true). *LIST OF THE TEXTS IS BELOW INTRODUCTION (THIS IS FROM WIKIPEDIA). Religious texts, also known as scripture, scriptures, holy writ, or holy books, are the texts which various religious traditions consider to be sacred, or central to their religious tradition. Many religions and spiritual movements believe that their sacred texts are divinely or supernaturally revealed or inspired. History of religious texts The oldest known religious texts are Pyramid texts of Ancient Egypt that date to 2400-2300 BCE. The earliest form of the Phoenician alphabet found to date is the inscription on the sarcophagus of King Ahiram of Byblos. ( The Sumerian Temple Hymns [1]). The Epic of Gilgamesh from Sumer, with origins as early as 2150-2000 BCE,[2]:41–42 is also one of the earliest literary works that includes various mythological figures.[2]:41–42 The Rigveda of Hinduism is proposed to have been composed between 1700–1100 BCE[3] making it possibly the world’s oldest religious text still in use. The oldest portions of the Zoroastrian Avesta are believed to have been transmitted orally for centuries before they found written form, and although widely differing dates for Gathic Avestan have been proposed, scholarly consensus floats at around 1000 – 600 BCE.[4][5] The majority of scholars agree that the Torah’s composition took place over centuries.[6] From the late 19th century there was a general consensus around the documentary hypothesis, which suggests that the five books were created c.450 BCE by combining four originally independent sources, known as the Jahwist, or J (about 900 BCE), the Elohist, or E (about 800 BCE), the Deuteronomist, or D, (about 600 BCE), and the Priestly source, or P (about 500 BC).[7] The first scripture printed for wide distribution to the masses was The Diamond Sutra, a Buddhist scripture, and is the earliest recorded example of a dated printed text, bearing the Chinese calendar date for 11 May 868 CE.[8] Views Attitudes to sacred texts differ. Some religions make written texts widely and freely available, while others hold that sacred secrets must remain hidden from all but the loyal and the initiate. Most religions promulgate policies defining the limits of the sacred texts and controlling or forbidding changes and additions. Some religions view their sacred texts as the “Word of God”, often contending that the texts are inspired by God and as such not open to alteration. Translations of texts may receive official blessing, but an original sacred language often has de facto, absolute or exclusive paramountcy. Some religions make texts available free or in subsidized form; others require payment and the strict observance of copyright. References to scriptures profit from standardisation: the Guru Granth Sahib (of Sikhism) always appears with standardised page numbering while many other religions (including the Abrahamic religions and their offshoots) favour chapter and verse pointers. Other terms Terms like “Holy Writ”, “Holy Scripture” or “Sacred Scripture” are often used by adherents to describe the canonical works of their religion to denote the text’s importance, its status as divine revelation, or, as in the case of many Christian groups, its complete inerrancy. Christianity is not alone in using this terminology to revere its sacred book; Islam holds the Qur’an in similar esteem, as does Hinduism the Vedas and Bhagavad Gita and Buddhism the sutras. Hierographology Sacred texts of various religions Adidam 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 Ásatrú Havamal Eddas Atenism Great Hymn to the Aten Ayyavazhi The Akilathirattu Ammanai The Arul Nool Aztec religion The Borgia Group codices Bahá’í Faith Main article: Bahá’í literature Books by Bahá’u'lláh The Four Valleys (1857 version) The Seven Valleys (1860 version) The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh (in Arabic 1857) The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh (in Persian 1857) Gems of Divine Mysteries (ca 1859) The Book of Certitude (partly in Persian and partly in Arabic 1861) Summons of the Lord of Hosts (ca 1868) Tabernacle of Unity (ca 1870) The Aqdas /The Most Holy Book (Completed 1873) Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (written until 1892) Epistle to the Son of the Wolf (ca 1890) Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh (compilation chosen by Shoghi Effendi of Bahá’u'lláh’s writings, 1853 to 1892) Bön Bon Kangyur and Tengyur Buddhism Ancient style of scripture used for the Pāli Canon See also: Buddhist texts Theravada Buddhism The Tipitaka or Pāli Canon Vinaya Pitaka Sutta Pitaka Digha Nikaya, the “long” discourses. Majjhima Nikaya, the “middle-length” discourses. Samyutta Nikaya, the “connected” discourses. Anguttara Nikaya, the “numerical” discourses. Khuddaka Nikaya, the “minor collection”. Abhidhamma Pitaka East Asian Mahayana The Chinese Diamond Sutra, the oldest known dated printed book in the world, printed in the 9th year of Xiantong Era of the Tang Dynasty, or 868 CE. British Library. The Chinese Buddhist Tripiṭaka, including Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra Shurangama Sutra and its Shurangama 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 Cheondoism The Donghak Scripture The Songs of Yongdam The Sermons of Master Haeweol The Sermons of Revered Teacher Euiam[9] Christianity Further information: Biblical canon, Christian biblical canons and Books of the Bible Christian Bible, 1407 handwritten copy Traditional Christendom The Bible (the Old Testament and New Testament) For Protestantism, this is the 66-book canon – the Jewish Tanakh of 24 books divided differently (into 39 books) and the universal 27-book New Testament. For Catholicism, this includes seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament for a total of 73 books, called the Canon of Trent (in versions of the Latin Vulgate, 3 Esdras and 4 Esdras are included in an appendix, but considered non-canonical). For the Eastern Orthodox Church, this includes the anagignoskomena, which consist of the Catholic deuterocanon, plus 3 Maccabees, Psalm 151, the Prayer of Manasseh, and 3 Esdras. 4 Maccabees is considered to be canonical by the Georgian Orthodox Church.[10] The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (and its offspring, the Eritrean Orthodox Church) adds various additional books depending on the specific enumeration of the canon (see Ethiopian Biblical canon), but always includes 4 Esdras, the Book of Jubilees, 1 Enoch, 4 Baruch, and 1, 2, and 3 Meqabyan (no relation to the Books of Maccabees). Some Syriac churches accept the Letter of Baruch as scripture. The Bible (left) and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (right) serve as the pastor of the Christian Science church. Christian Scientists The Bible Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. This textbook, along with the Bible, serves as the permanent “impersonal pastor” of the church. Gnosticism Nag Hammadi library and other Gnostic texts (not from the Bible) Some books of the Old Testament and New Testament Cerdonianism and Marcionism Only the Gospel of Marcion and selected Pauline epistles accepted Cover page of The Book of Mormon from an original 1830 edition, by Joseph Smith, Jr. (Image from the U.S. Library of Congress Rare Book and Special Collections Division.) Jehovah’s Witnesses The Bible (The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures is their preferred translation.) Latter Day Saint movement Further information: Standard Works and Biblical canon § Latter Day Saint canons 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 Pearl of Great Price 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. 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) or The Word of the Lord used by Fettingite branches. Native American Church (Christian-leaning factions) See below. Rastafari movement See below. Seventh-day Adventists The Bible 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 See below. Unification Church See below. Confucianism The Five Classics The Four Books The Thirteen Classics Discordianism The Principia Discordia Druidism The Mabinogion Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of Invasions) Druze Rasa’il al-hikmah (Epistles of Wisdom) Ancient Egyptian religion Pyramid texts from Teti I’s pyramid. Old Kingdom Pyramid Texts First Intermediate Period and Middle Kingdom Coffin Texts Second Intermediate Period The Book of the Dead Book of Caverns Book of Gates Amduat Book of the Heavenly Cow Litany of Re Etruscan religion The Cippus of Perugia, 3rd or 2nd century BCE Liber Linteus Pyrgi Tablets Ancient Greece Homeric Hymns Theogony Golden Verses of Pythagoras Hermeticism Hermetica, Kybalion, Emerald Tablet and associated writings Hinduism Main article: Hindu texts Śruti Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Brahmanas Aranyakas Upanishads The Bhagavad Gita is Lord Krishna’s counsel to Arjuna on the battlefield of the Kurukshetra. 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 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 Islam 11th Century North African Qur’an in the British Museum Main article: Islamic holy books Quran (also referred to as Kuran, Koran, Qur’ān, Coran or al-Qur’ān) – Four books considered to be revealed and mentioned by name in the Qur’an are the Quran (revealed to Muhammad), Tawrat (revealed to Moses), the Zabur (revealed to David) and the Injil (Gospel) (revealed to Jesus). Hadith, reports of the deeds and sayings of Muhammad. Jainism Main article: Jain Agamas Svetambara 11 Angas Secondary 12 Upangas, 4 Mula-sutras, 6 Cheda-sutras, 2 Culika-sutras, 10 Prakirnakas Digambara Karmaprabhrita, also called Satkhandagama Kashayaprabhrita Nonsectarian/Nonspecific Jina Vijaya Tattvartha Sutra GandhaHasti Mahabhashya (authoritative and oldest commentary on the Tattvartha Sutra) Judaism A Sefer Torah opened for liturgical use in a synagogue service Rabbinic Judaism See also: Rabbinic literature The Tanakh i.e. Hebrew Bible Torah (teachings) Nevi’im (prophets) Ketuvim (writings) The Talmud Mishnah Gemara Kabbalism Kabbalah Zohar Karaite Judaism The Tanakh Beta Israel The Tanakh with several Jewish apocrypha LaVeyan Satanism The Satanic Bible (primary text) The Satanic Rituals (contains additional rituals) Mandaeanism The Ginza Rba Book of the Zodiac Qolusta, Canonical Prayerbook Book of John the Baptizer Diwan Abatur, Purgatories 1012 Questions Coronation of Shislam Rba Baptism of Hibil Ziwa Haran Gawaita Manichaeism The Evangelion (Greek: Εὐαγγέλιον, meaning roughly “good news”). Also known as the Gospel of Mani and The Living Gospel the Treasure of Life the Pragmateia (Greek: πραγματεία) the Book of Mysteries the Book of Giants the Epistles the Psalms and Prayers. A Coptic Manichaean Psalter, discovered in Egypt in the early 1900s, was edited and published by Charles Allberry from Manichaean manuscripts in the Chester Beatty collection and in the Berlin Academy, 1938–9. The Shabuhragan The Arzhang The Kephalaia (Greek: Κεφάλαια), “Discourses”, found in Coptic translation. Maya religion The Popol Vuh the Dresden Codex the Madrid Codex the Paris Codex countless destroyed codices Meher Baba Cover of God Speaks God Speaks Discourses (Meher Baba) Native American Church The Bible (among Christian-leaning factions only) New Age religions Various New Age religions may regard any of the following texts as inspired: A Course in Miracles Conversations with God Oahspe The Urantia Book Isis Unveiled Orphism Orphic Poems Raëlism The writings of Raël aka Claude Vorilhon Geniocracy Intelligent Design: Message from the Designers Sensual Meditation Yes to Human Cloning Rastafari movement The Bible (Ethiopian Orthodox canon) the Holy Piby the Kebra Negast The speeches and writings of Haile Selassie I (including his autobiography My Life and Ethiopia’s Progress) Royal Parchment Scroll of Black Supremacy Ravidassia Amritbani Satguru Ravidass Ji Ki-Holy Book of Ravidassia Religion The Amritbani Guru Ravidass Ji Samaritanism See also: Samaritan religious texts The Samaritan Torah Science of Mind The Science of Mind by Ernest Holmes Scientology Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health List of Scientology texts Shinto The Kojiki The Rikkokushi, which includes the Nihon Shoki and the Shoku Nihongi The Fudoki The Jinnō Shōtōki The Kujiki Sikhism Illuminated Guru Granth folio with Mul Mantar(basic religion mantra) with signature of Guru Gobind Singh. Main article: Sikh scriptures The Guru Granth Sahib The Dasven Padshah Da Granth Spiritism The Spirits Book The Book on Mediums The Gospel According to Spiritism Heaven and Hell The Genesis According to Spiritism Sumerian The Barton Cylinder Swedenborgianism The New Church The Bible (several books omitted) The works of Emanuel Swedenborg (not considered equal to the Bible) The General Church The Bible (several books omitted) The works of Emanuel Swedenborg (considered equal to the Bible) Taoism Tao Te Ching Zhuangzi (book) Daozang Tenrikyo The Ofudesaki The Mikagura-uta The Osashizu Thelema Holy Books of Thelema especially The Book of the Law Unification Church Divine Principle The Bible as illuminated by more recent revelation Urantianism Urantia Book Wicca Book of Shadows Charge of the Goddess Threefold Law Wiccan Rede Yârsân Kalâm-e Saranjâm Yazidi Yazidi Black Book Yazidi Book of Revelation The true core texts of the Yazidi religion that exist today are the hymns, known as qawls. Yorùbá Odù Ifá Jaap Verduijn’s Odu Ifa Collection Zoroastrianism Yasna 28.1 (Bodleian MS J2) 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 Nyaishes (“worship, praise”), the Sirozeh and the Afringans (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. …………………….. (OK, THIS MAKE TAKE LONGER THAN I THOUGHT). nem
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