PANTHEISM - the toleration and worship of all gods of all peoples and creeds.

PATRIARCHS - the founding fathers of Israel, specifically Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and, to a lesser extent, the 12 sons of Jacob. The term itself is a combination of the Latin word pater ("father") with the Greek word archo ("to rule"). Thus the word refers to the ruling fathers or ruling ancestors. While these individuals never ruled a nation or kingdom, they did rule sizeable clans and the name is appropriate.

PESHITTA - the name (meaning "simple") that refers to the translation of the Hebrew Bible made from Hebrew into Classical Syriac. The translation was probably made book by book in the 1st and 2nd centuries C.E. Although most books seemed to have been translated from the Hebrew, some parts of the translation show the influence of the Targums. The Peshitta also includes the Apocrypha which was translated from the Septuagint.

POLYTHEISM - the belief in and worship of many gods.