The Virgin of Guadalupe is considered by Roman Catholics to be Mary, mother of Christ in the form of an Aztec woman.

Religious and Spiritual Organizations in Davis hold discussions, worship services and other activities. Following each section is a very brief and general statement to help visitors understand the basis of belief for each grouping. Please visit each individual page for a more specific description of each organization's views and practices.

Also please keep in mind that Davis is a small but diverse community; though we may have no Sikh temples or places of congregation for Rastafari, we do enjoy the diversity offered by people who follow these and other beliefs. We would encourage you to use the information on this page to borrow facilities in which you might meet to share fellowship with others who hold your beliefs — the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis actively embraces and encourages other religions and would probably be a good starting point.

See also: Student Organizations, under Spiritual, for student organizations that may meet on campus and are approved by SPAC. You may also be interested in Recovering From Spiritual Abuse. If you're looking for a religious organization in your neighborhood, skip down to the "By Location" section.

Buddhist

Buddhism is based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, and is typically divided into two main branches: Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. The goal of Buddhist practice is to end the cycle of rebirth through realization of true reality and thereby achieve nirvana. Some describe Buddhism as a philosophy rather than a religion because it holds forth neither a single or multiple god-like beings.

Christian

Christianity is based on a belief in one God and Jesus of Nazareth as Christ, the son of God, or at least that he is to be followed.

Anglican

Davis’ new and growing Anglican Church is part of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

Assemblies of God

  • Davis Christian Assembly - meets Saturday's 6:30pm, Sundays 10:10am, and Wednesday's 6:30pm @ 3030 Sycamore Lane. There are services available for all ages. Come worship with us.

Baptist

Pole Line Road Baptist Church, picture credit: Bill Clark

Catholic

There are no Eastern Rite Catholic churches in Davis, so those observing the Eastern traditions must go to Sacramento. Roman Catholics may receive communion here, as the Byzantine Catholic churches are in full communion with Rome. Generally services (called Divine Liturgy) are in English, yet their liturgical traditions are based in traditions of the Ancient near-east. The church liturgy is virtually indentical to corresponding Orthodox tradition, and while most are considered 'autonomous' self-governing churches, they recognize the Bishop of Rome (Pope of Rome) as the head of the Universal Church.

The Church of Christ, Scientist

Christian Scientists believe in one, infinite God who is All and all-good. They believe that God is not distant and unknowable, but that God is all-encompassing and always present, and that each individual is loved by God, cared for by Him, and made in God’s image — spiritual, not material. Christian Scientists believe in the Bible and in Christ Jesus as the Son of God, or promised Messiah. And they believe that Jesus’ teachings and healing work expressed scientific Christianity, or the application of the laws of God—laws which are still practical and provable today, by anyone, anywhere. Christian Scientists consider the Commandments, as well as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, to be central to their lives and practice of Christianity.

Episcopal

Jehovah's Witnesses

Lutheran

Methodist

Mormon

Nondenominational & Evangelical Christians

Davis Korean Church, located on L Street

Eastern Orthodox

Orthodox Christianity is one of most practiced forms of Christianity in the world. Although there are many different ethnic Orthodox in America, all practice the same religion and Traditions handed down from the Apostles nearly unabridged and unchanged. There are no Orthodox Christian Churches in Davis, so the nearest churches for those observing the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Traditions are in Sacramento and surrounding areas. However, there is an Eastern Orthodox student community which meets at The Belfry (a center for campus ministry) in Davis. It is called the Orthodox Christian Fellowship or OCF. Fellowship starts with prayer (in English), followed by a discussion led by a priest or a guest, and a meal. It regularly meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. 

Oriental Orthodox

While there is a Coptic Orthodox Club that meets on campus, there are no Oriental Orthodox parishes in Davis.

Presbyterian (USA)

Quaker

Davis Friends Meeting House

Reformed

Seventh-Day Adventist

Discordian

Discordianism is a syncretic religion that combines respect for the Greek goddess Eris with some of the more absurd aspects of Zen Buddhism, a lightweight and less mystical version of Crowleyan Thelema, and a heaping helping of Postmodernism. The end result is a more Eastern-style philosophical religion. The primary belief is that order and chaos are different aspects of the same thing, and that solely depends on the perspective of the human nervous system. Their dietary restriction prohibits eating of hot dog buns, and their sacrament involves eating a hot dog on Friday. The holy book is the Principia Discordia, which encourages schisms and cabals in the church.

fnord

Hinduism

In the formal sense, it is generally agreed that no Hindu temples exist in Davis. However, there are places in Davis where yoga, one of the six major philosophical schools of Hinduism, is practiced within at least somewhat of a Hindu spiritual context. Yoga means to unite or yoke the individual consciousness with cosmic consciousness. It is traditionally concerned with spiritual, mental and physical aspects. However, yoga instruction in the United States often underplays the Hindu spiritual elements in order to attract a more diverse following. Many Western students are primarily interested in the practical health and mental benefits of yoga while ignoring the spiritual, a position which is almost unthinkable in its country of origin.

Please list yoga organizations that prominently feature Hindu (as opposed to Buddhist, Jain or secular) characteristics:

  • Barefoot Yoga Studio offers a "Power Flow" class series following the Ashtanga "eight limbed" yogic model based upon the ancient Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The ultimate goal of such exercises is to attain a deep-seated awareness of universal consciousness and achieve spiritual liberation. Each Power Flow class ends with a guided meditation while in the "corpse pose" savasana.
  • Kaya Yoga teaches Anusara yoga, a Hatha school which features a Shiva-Shakti Tantric philosophy. Each class meeting is preceded by a meditative chant dedicated to Lord Shiva.
  • Yoga Davis follows a system called TriYoga; it offers a wide variety of yoga styles from the Hatha school, and its official website claims the teachings to be "kundalini-inspired." Kundalini is believed to be a sacred energy source coiled up at the base of the spine until awakened through various yogic or meditational techniques. Kundalini yoga adherents often claim that their discipline provides a particularly accelerated pathway to divine union and/or supreme bliss.

Interfaith

Islamic

Islam is a monotheistic religion that believes in the total submission to God of one's self and that Muhammad is the chief and last prophet sent by God.

Jewish

Judaism is a monotheistic religion that has its roots in Israel and is mostly practiced by Jews. Jews believe Abraham to be the patriarch of their religion and uphold the moral principles of the Hebrew Scriptures and the prophets.

Pagan

There are various types of pagans, wiccans, and witches in Davis and the surrounding areas. Pagans aren't Satanists, they believe the divine is present in all creation and tend to be polytheistic (worshiping multiple deities), including both masculine and feminine aspects. Pagans generally don't proselytize, although occasionally they may hold events that are open to the public.

Pagans typically worship singularly as solitary practitioners or as groups in Covens. As Davis is a college town the covens in the area tend to fluctuate. Covens generally require an interviewing and sometimes even apprentice-ship before interested parties are allowed to join. Other covens are considered to be open or teaching covens and they welcome interested parties to join and learn.

Some Local Covens:

  • Cauldron of the Valley holds seasonal rituals semi-regularly and teaches classes in the Reclaiming Tradition.
  • Casadh an Gealach located in Davis proper, this coven contains licensed clergy and offers teaching and other services.
  • Ordo Aggie is a UC Davis club for occultists and pagans on campus to meet, make friends, share ideas, and plan activities with like-minded individuals.

Some Local Resources:

- they are currently offering 2 classes Wicca, Witchcraft, and Magick and Gods and Goddesses on Wednesday nights starting Oct 3rd in 1128 Hart Hall 7pm- 8pm, 8pm- 9:30pm

  • Yolo pagans is a Yahoo Group for area pagans, which often announces local events.
  • WitchVox, an online pagan magazine and networking site with extensive listings of individuals and groups all around the world. It is also the easiest way to find local pagan clergy and ministers. There are currently 5 in Davis proper some of whom are hospital and prison chaplains, offer legal handfastings and weddings, memorial and funeral rites, and pastoral counseling.
  • Aquarius was a store that sold many items and supplies for Pagan/Wiccan practice.
  • The Co-op is a store that offers many herbs, salts, Tarot cards, candles and incenses.
  • Borders offers a wide selections of pagan books and Tarot cards
  • Sweet Briar Books carries out of print pagan and Tarot books
  • Logos Books carries often out of print and hard to find Occult books.

Scientologist

Scientology is a religion created by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, based on the principles of a practice called Dianetics.

Sikh

Universalist

Universalism is a tradition that has grown out of many of the world's religions. It rejects dogmatic approaches and seeks universal philosophies of religion. Some remnant of the originating religion tends to be carried through to modern practitioners, but adherents to universalist beliefs tend to be diverse in background and accept a wide range of beliefs within their members.

Baha'i Faith

Bahá'ís believe in a single God, and embrace prophets of other major religions, such as Jesus, Buddha, and Krishna. Bahá'ís believe that Bahá’u’lláh is our current prophet and his teachings are the basis of the Bahá’í Faith, whose primary aim is the unity of mankind.

New Thought

New Thought is a late 19th century universalist movement. Common to most New Thought spiritual groups are a belief in metaphysical powers such as healing and positive thought.

Unity

Unity honors the many spiritual paths, teaches universal spiritual principles taught and demonstrated by Jesus, Buddha, and other enlightened master teachers of other faiths.

Religious Science

Unitarian Universalist

Unitarian Universalism is a non-creedal religion with members from a variety of religious and non-religious traditions.

Yoga

Yoga (from Sanskrit योग “yoking, union”) is a spiritual-mental-physical philosophy and practice.

Other

(one source) (listing of student organizations)

By Location

West Davis

Comments:

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2005-12-24 01:36:44   I think this page should be split into On-Campus organizations and those off campus like churches. Or a seperate page created altogether for on campus organizations. —CarlosOverstreet

2006-02-12 14:23:45   Should we re-evaluate our definition of religion? For starters, the bike church is not really a "church" in the religious sense, and scientology is hotly contested right now. Many claim that its a cult, including the producers of South Park. —PaulAmnuaypayoat

  • Bike Church and a couple other entries, definitely strike me as a silly, but it doesn't really seem necessary to define religion for the sake of this page. What would be the purpose of eliminating Scientologists? Including them is the "Christian" thing to do and excluding groups really serves little apparent purpose.

2006-03-10 12:44:58   The Mormon link on the top needs to be moved out from under the Christian link. This is more than hair-splitting, as they have beliefs essential contradictory with Christianity's, can it be made its own category? —DannyHouk As someone who comes from a Mormon family, I can say definitively that they are NOT Christians, although they may call themselves that. The Mormons have their own scripture which they take much more seriously than the new or old testament. ~~

2006-07-23 16:15:16   While Mormons may have practices that most christians deem odd or funny, I believe them to be quasi-christian and not really applicable to another section. What do you all think? —CarlosOverstreet

2006-07-23 16:49:24   I think they should be put in the Christian section. The mormon religion fits perfectly into the definition of christianity. —GeorgeLewis

2006-07-23 17:34:14   LDS is generally lumped under "Christian" in the "big three" Judaic split. I see no reason to defy the common categorization. —JabberWokky

2006-07-25 23:45:44   Under the current description Christian on this page, LDS are not excluded as Christians. Add something as basic as the Trinity to the description, and they would not fit where they are.... Oh and just for Mr. Wokky: Irish Orthodox :) —AntoniaTsobanoudis

2008-01-25 20:20:27   Mormons have a "trinity" but that "trinity" is not the Trinity of The Scriptures. The "trinity" within Mormonism is the doctrine that proposes there are a Father, Son and Holy Ghost who exist as three separate persons, three separate gods, and three separate natures, yet united in one purpose. Unlike historic Christianity, which teaches that there is The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, Who is of one substance, and He is God. In other words The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit are one God by nature. —JackkiCox

2006-07-26 00:01:31   Who are the discordians and how do they differ from the AGSA? —CarlosOverstreet

2006-10-05 15:33:38   How is it that "Lutheran Episcopal Christian Fellowship" is listed as non-denominational when their name clearly indicates a denomination? Most churches welcome people of any denomination, but that doesn't make them non-denominational. Perhaps somebody who's affiliated with this group can explain. —AlphaDog

2006-10-13 09:34:00   A better question is how on earth can Lutherans who don't recognize the episcopate can join in FULL communion with the Episcopal Church. Nevertheless I agree with Alpha Dog, the group is geared toward two denominations however they welcome any one. Including non-christians... —CarlosOverstreet

2008-12-02 13:27:29   Where was that picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe taken? It looks familiar.... —JoePomidor

2009-07-03 21:12:36   Davis Christian Assembly no longer meets at 6:30pm on Saturdays. However they still meet at 10:10am on Sundays and have a midweek dinner and electives (split bible studies based on age groups) on Wednesdays. However, from time to time there are breaks in wednesday service. Contact DCA for more info. I don't work or volunteer there, but I go there on Sundays. —BryceH

2010-08-13 03:15:32   "Christian Scientists" has to be the most misleading title ever... —TheShah

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