Syncretism

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Syncretism (/ˈsɪŋkrətɪzəm, ˈsɪn-/)^[1] is the practice of combining different beliefs and various schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thus asserting an underlying unity and allowing for an inclusive approach to other faiths. While syncretism in art and culture is sometimes likened to eclecticism, in the realm of religion, it specifically denotes a more integrated merging of beliefs into a unified system, distinct from eclecticism, which implies a selective adoption of elements from different traditions without necessarily blending them into a new, cohesive belief system. Syncretism also manifests in politics, known as syncretic politics.

The English word is first attested in the early 17th century ^[2]. It is from Modern Latin syncretismus, drawing on the συγκρητισμός (synkretismos), supposedly meaning "Cretan federation." However, this is a spurious etymology derived from the naive idea in Plutarch's 1st-century AD essay on "Fraternal Love (Peri Philadelphias)" in his collection Moralia. He cites the example of the Cretans, who compromised and reconciled their differences and came together in alliance when faced with external dangers. "And that is their so-called Syncretism [Union of Cretans]." A more likely etymology is from sun- ("with") plus kerannumi ("mix") and its related noun, krasis ("mixture").