Axis Mundi - The "center of the world / universe." Like the spoke of a wheel, the axis mundi is the point around which a given cosmos is understood to find its center, rooting, meaning. A given culture's axis mundi tends to be the center of their living environment.
Bauopfer - German term, literally "construction drama," the sacrifice or effort one makes in building something. Pronounced "BOW-op-fur"
Cosmos - From the Greek, kosmoon, meaning "world," as in, the whole of human experience and existence, creation, everything.
Cosmogony - a narrative account or explanation for the existence of a cosmos or "world space." Example: the book of Genesis includes a cosmogony in its first chapters, as does the book of John.
"Crypto-religious behavior" - Actions that have a similar appearance to religious behavior without being attached to a specific faith or faith-practice.
Existential value - Concerning the state of one's being and/or the "ultimate questions" of a human life.
Ganz Andere - German term, meaning "completely other / wholly alien." Pronounced "Gahntsz AN-d'-rah"
Heterogeneity - Cultural, social, or other differences within a group; being made up of different parts.
Hierophany - Think "hier-" as in "hierarchy," "-phany" as in "Epiphany." Literally, the revelation of divine order, or the inbreaking of the divine into normal life. A manifestation of the sacred. Pronounced "hi-RAH-fan-ee"
Homogeneity / Homogeneous - The opposite of heterogeneity. Something made up of uniform or very similar parts, uniformity.
Homologue - an exact or very similar copy of something, a twin.
"Homo Religiosus" - a variant on the Latin term for human, Homo Sapiens. Means "religious human being"
Hypaethral - means "it has a hole in its roof." Example, a Native American teepee, built with a hole so smoke can rise up out of it like a chimney. Pronounced "Hi-PAY-thrall"
Imago mundi - image or model of the cosmos / world
Incipit vita nova - Latin, means "promoting new life" or "here new life begins." Pronounced "Een-CHEE-peet VEE-tah NO-vah"
In principio - Latin, means "at the beginning. Pronounced "Een preen-CHEE-pee-oh"
Ontology - Of or concerning the question of the essence of "being" itself. Example: a question such as "Could you have an omlet without eggs?" is an ontological question, as it analyzes what is essential to the "being" of an omlet.
Primordial - at the very beginning, generative, part of the origin of something.
Sacrament - Act of communion or joining with the sacred.
Soteriology / Soteriological - Concerning the salvation or existential safety of a group or an individual. Example: Christ's action on the cross is soteriological for believers, bringing salvation.
Summer solstice - Usually falling around June 21st, the point when the Earth's northern hemisphere is closest to the Sun, the longest day of the year.
Tabus - Alternate spelling of "taboos," which are things a culture defines as bad or evil. Example: incest is a tabu in our culture.
Weltanschauung - German term, meaning literally world view. A fancy way of referring to one's personal perspective. Pronounced "VELT - on - SHAWng"
Ziggurat - A multi-levelled pyramid (like stair-steps) built by the Zoarastrian religion in ancient Babylon.