Read The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions Online

Authors: John Bowker

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (8 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
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Abbess
.
Feminine form of
abbot
, dating back to 6th cent. An abbess is elected by a community of
nuns
as its superior.
Abbey
.
Building or buildings used (or once used) by a religious order of
monks
or
nuns
.
Abbot
(Aram., Syr.,
abba
, ‘father’). The head of a Christian monastic community, especially in the
Benedictine
or
Cistercian
traditions. The term is used in translation for the head of communities in other religions: e.g.
roshi
, the Tibetan
mkhan-po
(also, following the pronunciation,
khenpo
).
‘Abd
(Arab., ‘servant’ (pl.
‘ib
d
) or ‘slave’ (pl.
‘ab
d
). In the religious sense, a ‘servant’ or ‘worshipper’ of
All
h
. In the secular sense, the
Qur‘
n
speaks of
slaves
, of ‘a slave possessed (by a master)’ (
‘abd maml
k
, 16. 75). The Qur’
n accepts slavery as a fact, but encourages kind treatment of slaves, and to free them is an act of piety (2. 177). Women slaves could be taken as concubines, but could also become legal wives.
BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
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