NaveedSeveral major religions, Christian denominations and philosophical belief systems begin with the letter P. Here is a complete list with short, plain explanations.
World religions and traditions starting with P
- Paganism – an umbrella term for nature-based and pre-Christian religions; modern Paganism includes Wicca, Druidry and Heathenry.
- Pantheism – the belief that God and the universe are identical; associated with Spinoza and some strands of Hinduism and Stoicism.
- Panentheism – the belief that the divine both includes and extends beyond the universe.
- Parsiism (Zoroastrianism) – the faith of the Parsi community, descended from Persian Zoroastrians; one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions.
- Polytheism – not a single religion but the worship of many gods, found in ancient Greek, Roman, Norse and many Indigenous traditions and in Hinduism.
Christian denominations starting with P
- Protestantism – the branch of Christianity that broke from Rome in the 16th-century Reformation; today the largest Christian grouping after Catholicism.
- Presbyterianism – a Reformed (Calvinist) Protestant tradition governed by elders (presbyters); strong in Scotland and the United States.
- Pentecostalism – a fast-growing Protestant movement emphasising the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including speaking in tongues and divine healing.
- Plymouth Brethren – a conservative evangelical movement founded in 19th-century Britain and Ireland.
- Puritanism – a 16th–17th century English Reformed movement that shaped early New England.
Other belief systems starting with P
- Pastafarianism – a parody religion (the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster) used to argue for the separation of church and state.
- Perennialism – the view that all major religions share a single universal truth at their core.
FAQ
What is the largest religion that starts with P?
Protestantism, if counted as one grouping – roughly 900 million to 1 billion Christians worldwide.
Is Paganism one religion?
No. It is an umbrella term covering many distinct nature-based and reconstructionist traditions.
Is Zoroastrianism the same as Parsiism?
Parsis are the Zoroastrian community of the Indian subcontinent; the religion itself is Zoroastrianism.
Related reading
- Pete Hegseth follows a strict Reformed (Presbyterian-adjacent) tradition.
- Compare traditions in our world religions comparison chart.
