Patchwork

Religious studies see the concept of "syncretism" as a general process of emergence, development and diversification of religions. Basically, on the one hand, one can speak of the mixing of two or more religious systems, so that a new religious system emerges, or on the other hand, it is simply the adaptation of various foreign elements into an existing religious system. Both forms of syncretism are analytically distinguishable, but in practice their boundaries often prove to be blurred. All areas of human life are affected. Universal religions as well as local religions are equally subject to this process.