Religious symbolism

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The cross of the war memorial and a menorah for Hanukkah coexist in Oxford.

Religious symbolism is the use of symbols, including archetypes, acts, artwork, events, or natural phenomena, by a religion. Religions view religious texts, rituals, and works of art as symbols of compelling ideas or ideals. The usage of symbols helps create a resonant mythos that expresses the moral values of the society, the teachings of the religion, creates a sense of solidarity between religious adherents, or functions as a way to bring an adherent closer to God.

The study of religious symbols is either universalist, as a component of comparative religion and mythology, or in localized scope, within the confines of a religion's limits and boundaries.

Religion or philosophy	Symbol
Ayyavazhi	Lotus Carrying Namam
Bahá'í Faith	Nine Pointed Star
Buddhism	Wheel of Dharma Lotus flower
Christianity	Ichthys (fish) Christian cross Patriarchal cross
Ethnic religions, Polytheistic reconstructionism Paganism, Neopaganism, Fetishism	Hands of God Mjølner (Thor's Hammer) Pentagram Sun cross
Gnosticism	Sun cross (also a symbol of neopaganism) Ouroboros (also a symbol of Alchemy and Hermeticism)
Humanism	Happy Human
Hinduism	Omkar (Aum) Lotus Flower Swastica
Islam	Kalima/Shahadah Star and crescent (Ottoman symbol)
Jainism	Swastica
Judaism	Star of David
Slavic neopaganism	Hands of God
Sikhism	Khanda
Shintō	Torii
Daoism	Yin and yang (Taiji)
Zoroastrianism	Faravahar