Orthopraxis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Orthopraxy is a term derived from Greek (ορθοπραξισ?) meaning "correct practice". It refers to accepted religious practices and may include both ritual practices as well as interpersonal acts. Some religions, notably Islam and Animism, are more concerned with orthopraxis than orthodoxy (though the latter may also be considered important). Thus some argue that equating the term "faith" with "religion" presents a Christian-biased notion of what the primary characteristic of religion is.
An example of the primacy of orthopraxy in Islam: of the Five Pillars of Islam fundamental to Sunnis, only Shahadah (profession of faith) deals with belief, the four others deal with practice. However, Shahadah is also considered to naturally precede the other four.
