Salvation and Soteriology

The word “soteriology” refers to religious doctrines about salvation, especially the means of salvation.1 The word “salvation” implies deliverance or release from an undesirable state of being to one that is qualitatively better—usually from the historical empirical world to another world beyond history. Many religions are not particularly concerned about notions of salvation, but it is central to all of the great world religions, including Hinduism.2 Typically, salvation religions see the present world as at best flawed and imperfect and at worst inherently sinful and evil. In the Hindu view, the essence of human existence is suffering (duhkha).

Epistemology · Hinduism · Imperfect · Linguistics · Soteriology · State (computer science) · Computer Science · Indian and Buddhist Studies · Philosophy · Religion and Society Interactions · Religious studies · Theology and Philosophy of Evil