Glossary

This very small glossary is best regarded as disambiguation – there are many misunderstanding on Facebook, for example, where well meaning people each have different dictionaries in their pockets when it comes to spirituality. So, this is how I use the terms:

Quaker – this is a United Kingdom based site, so the majority of our local readers will probably attend unprogrammed meetings, and will come under the thirty-plus year old umbrella of “We welcome those of all faiths and none”. So these Quakers may well also be buggkists, non-theists, universalists etc etc.
Pantheist – There are variations, but most pantheists believe that the entire universe as we experience it is the creation of one indivisible cansciousness, with concentrations of that consciousness in various entities, many of which are unaware that they are fully involved with the universal cosciousness. For shorthand, many Pantheists use the word God for the whole of creation – matter, energy, consciousness, intelligence – it is all ‘God’.
Panentheist – These individuals believe much the same as Pantheists – the evidence is very strong. However, by contrast, they believe that there is a God as a separate, distinct entity managing the whole show.
Theist – anyone who believes in superhuman/supernatural God or Gods.
Non-theist anyone who does not believe in superhuman/supernatural God or Gods.
Atheist – anyone who is absolutely certain that there is nothing resembling a superhuman/supernatural God or Gods.
Agnostic – anyone who simply does not know what to believe, or if any belief is even required.

Clearly, there are many ‘soft edges’ between different belief systems, and many local and world-wide variations. Please don’t even begin to bring other languages into it!

More terms will be added as and when it seems confusion is being caused.