Topics Archives - indyencyclopedia.org

Buddhism

Buddhism has had a visible presence in Indianapolis since at least the 1980s, with the number of temples and meditation centers increasing significantly after the late 1990s. As a result… Read More »Buddhism

Catholics

As of 2020, Catholics comprised approximately 10 percent of Marion County’s population and almost one-quarter of county church membership—the largest of any Christian denomination. Early History The city’s first Catholics… Read More »Catholics

Freethought

Freethought aims to approach all matters objectively and rationally, although this definition oversimplifies. Principally antireligious, thus its atheistic and humanistic cast, the movement encompasses a wide range of thinkers and… Read More »Freethought

Hinduism

Growing quietly in Indianapolis since the 1960s, Hinduism became a far more visible religion in Indianapolis in the first decades of the 21st century through the establishment of two temples… Read More »Hinduism

Independent Christian Churches and Culture

Mainline Protestantism often defines American religious culture, including its story in Indianapolis. However, not every denomination fits under that umbrella. Such is the case with the Independent Christian Churches. Despite… Read More »Independent Christian Churches and Culture

Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act

Indiana Senate Bill 101, Religious Freedom Restoration Act, 2015, prohibits state and local governments from “substantially” burdening a person’s free exercise of religion unless that burden “is in furtherance of… Read More »Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act

Judaism

Jewish faith and tradition have developed and adapted to changing circumstances over its long history. Although Jewish religion is not monolithic, it includes belief in one God, the centrality of… Read More »Judaism

Muslims

The Muslim community of Indianapolis is a small but integral part of the city’s population. Muslim residents may account for less than 1 percent of the Indianapolis population, but their… Read More »Muslims

Philanthropy and Religion

Since the city’s founding, religious bodies have been active in philanthropy and voluntary service. Philanthropy and religion have always been interconnected. Religion is the core of the nonprofit sector and… Read More »Philanthropy and Religion

Presbyterians

Presbyterians have been present in Indianapolis since the city’s creation. The Protestant denomination developed from the reformed movement led by 16th-century French theologian John Calvin. Named for its form of… Read More »Presbyterians

A product of the Indianapolis Bicentennial effort (2020–21), the digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis integrates and accesses the explosion and fragmentation of knowledge created both as born-digital information and as a large new digital archive.

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