Samaritanism
| Samaritanism | |
|---|---|
| Family | Abrahamic / Israelite |
| Origin region | Ancient Israel and Samaria |
| Founding period | Ancient Israelite roots; living community to the present |
| Estimated adherents | A small Samaritan community centered mainly in Israel and the West Bank. |
Samaritanism is samaritanism is an ancient Israelite religious tradition centered on the God of Israel, the Samaritan Torah, Mount Gerizim, priestly continuity, and distinctive communal practice.
Overview
[edit | edit source]Samaritanism shares ancient Israelite roots with Judaism but developed as a separate religious community with its own priesthood, textual tradition, sacred geography, and calendar. Mount Gerizim, not Jerusalem, is the central sacred site in Samaritan religious identity.
Key beliefs
[edit | edit source]- One God, the God of Israel
- The Torah as sacred scripture, preserved in the Samaritan Pentateuch
- Mount Gerizim as the chosen holy place
- Moses as the supreme prophet
- Resurrection and final judgment in Samaritan teaching
Practices
[edit | edit source]- Sabbath observance
- Passover sacrifice on Mount Gerizim
- Torah reading and liturgy
- Purity laws and festival observances
- Endogamous communal traditions
Places of worship
[edit | edit source]- Synagogue
- Mount Gerizim
- Community ritual space
Sacred texts
[edit | edit source]- Samaritan Pentateuch
- Samaritan liturgical texts
- Chronicles and theological writings
Holidays and observances
[edit | edit source]- Passover
- Festival of Unleavened Bread
- Shavuot
- Sukkot
- Yom Kippur according to the Samaritan calendar
Branches and related traditions
[edit | edit source]- Judaism - A related Israelite tradition with separate textual and religious development.
- Abrahamic religions - A wider family of traditions connected to Abrahamic and Israelite heritage.