The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (44 page)

Acquisition, doctrine of
(Muslim)
:

see
QADAR
.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Action Française
,

a political group, with a journal (from 1908 a daily newspaper) of the same name, having strong
Roman Catholic
connections. It was founded in 1898, after the
Dreyfus affair
. It sought the restoration of French national unity and pride, under a restored monarchy.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Acts of the Apostles, The
.

Fifth book of the New Testament. It recounts the history of the earliest church. It is almost the only source for Christian history in the period 30–64 CE. Acts is generally accepted as the work of the same author as the third gospel. Dates from as early as 64 CE (before Paul's death) up to the 2nd cent. have been suggested.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Acupuncture
.

One of the nine branches of Chinese traditional medicine. Since the body acts as a channel, especially for
ch’i
, the points of insertion of the needles of acupuncture do not have to be proximate to the place of pain and disorder: they stimulate and promote the body's own ability to treat itself; thus the carefully mapped points of insertion (the numbers vary from 350 to 450) are related to the body's internal system of communication and control.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

‘
d
(pre-Islamic people)
:

see
H
D
.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

(
c.
956–97).
Christian
bishop
and martyr. His name was Voytech, but he adopted the name of Adalbert, the bishop of Magdeburg. Although young, he was made bishop of Prague in 982, but the political conflict and opposition made him withdraw to Rome in 990. Pope John XV sent him back to his diocese, where he founded the
abbey
of Brevnor, but continuing opposition forced him once more to return to Rome. This time he was sent to the unconverted Pomeranians, by whom he and his fellow-missionaries were killed. His influence remained extensive. He was canonized in 999. Feast day, 23 April.