syncretism

Syncretism is the blending or reconciliation of different belief systems, practices, or cultural traditions into a new, synthesized whole. The term comes from the Latin syncretismus, itself from the Greek sun-kretizein, meaning "to bring together." In religious contexts, syncretism refers to the merging or harmonization of distinct religious or spiritual traditions into a cohesive system that preserves elements of each.

In religious history, syncretism has produced hybrid cults, rituals, and calendar practices. It often results from contact between cultures, migration, or colonization. Examples include Greco-Roman incorporation of foreign deities, the blending of Catholicism with Indigenous or Afro-descendant beliefs in the Americas (as seen in Santería and Candomblé), and Cao Dai in Vietnam, which fuses Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam. In East Asia, Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian elements frequently intermingle in practice and devotion. Critics may view syncretism as dilution, while supporters see it as adaptive resilience.

Linguistic and cultural syncretism also occur when languages and arts absorb features from unrelated traditions. Creole languages emerge from long contact between speakers of different languages; loanwords, calques, and stylistic hybrids spread across communities. In music and cuisine, fusion forms blend motifs, instruments, and techniques from diverse origins to create new genres and dishes.

Scholars emphasize syncretism as a dynamic process shaped by power, identity, and historical change. It raises questions about authenticity and tradition, but is widely recognized as a common response to cross-cultural contact that can yield coherent, meaningful systems rather than mere eclecticism.