Editing Syncretism (section)

{{Short description|Combination of beliefs and traditions}}
{{About|the general term|the linguistic term|Syncretism (linguistics)|the political term|Political syncretism|the religious term|Religious syncretism}}{{More citations needed|date=July 2015}}

[[File:Pluto Serapis and Persephone Isis Heraklion museum.jpg|thumb|The gods [[Persephone]]-[[Isis]] and [[Hades (mythology)|Hades]]-[[Serapis]], an example of [[Ancient Greek religion|Greco]]-[[Ancient Egyptian religion|Egyptian]] syncretism|285x285px]]

'''Syncretism''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɪ|ŋ|k|ɹ|ə|t|ɪ|z|əm|,_|ˈ|s|ɪ|n|-}})<ref>{{cite Dictionary.com|syncretism}}</ref> is the practice of combining different beliefs and various [[school of thought|schools of thought]]. Syncretism involves the merging or [[religious assimilation|assimilation]] of several originally discrete [[tradition]]s, especially in the [[theology]] and [[mythology]] of [[religion]], thus asserting an underlying unity and allowing for an [[Inclusivism|inclusive]] approach to other faiths. While syncretism in [[art]] and [[culture]] is sometimes likened to [[eclecticism]], in the realm of religion, it specifically denotes a more integrated merging of beliefs into a unified system, distinct from eclecticism, which implies a selective adoption of elements from different traditions without necessarily blending them into a new, cohesive belief system.