All Indigenous groups had distinct cosmologies and belief systems. The Powhatan worshiped multiple gods and spirits. They believed in two major gods: Ahone, the creator and giver of good things, and Oke, the evil spirit. They tried to appease Oke with offerings of tobacco, beads, furs and foods.

Powhatan Quioquisock (priests) communicated with the supernatural and interpreted their messages. Quioquisock worked closely with rulers to make decisions about tribal leadership, presided over religious rituals, and maintained temples. Another rank of religious leaders, called conjurors, worked as healers by curing ailments through natural and spiritual methods.

In Powhatan society, everywhere was considered sacred in its own way, but the Quioccassan (private temples) were considered the most holy. Private rituals for communicating with the gods and funerary preparation took place here. No one other than leaders and Quioquisock could enter the Quioccassan.

Rituals were a part of people’s daily routine, as most activities were infused with a great deal of respect and reverence for the supernatural. Rituals included giving thanks, making offerings, marking key life events, having community wide celebrations or commemorations, and feasting. Most tribes had feasts and ceremonies to celebrate special occasions throughout the year, such as new seasons or important life phases of community members.

Belief systems, rituals and cosmologies were passed down orally in Powhatan society. 

Traditional religion in West Central Africa usually recognized a high god who they saw as the creator but who was not active in the world. In Kongo, for example, this creator was Nzambi a Mpungu. The active supernatural beings in their lives were  ancestral spirits, local deities and lesser spirits that could maliciously bother the living. 

Ngangas (priests) were highly esteemed, and served as conduits between the natural and supernatural realms. They officiated public ceremonies, communicated premonitions, and assisted in problem solving and physical and spiritual healing. As conduits for the supernatural, ngangas could be possessed by ancestors or deities, and also used these powers to locate witches and others who meant their community harm.

Worship of ancestral spirits was a part of everyday life, and therefore cemeteries and tombs were inherently sacred places of worship. Tombs were the locations used for daily offerings and prayers. Local supernatural deities were worshiped frequently at their respective shrines with prayers, offerings, and statuary. 

Daily life was imbued with religious practices and rituals, from large-scale ceremonies to what was worn on the body. Iteke (fetishes or charms) were created by manipulating the lesser spirits and capturing nkisi (a transcendent force), forcing it into physical objects. These charms were worn on the body or kept in houses, and could be intended to attract fortune, honor, protection, or any number of things.

Religious leaders passed down knowledge and communicated with ancestors and deities according to their cultural beliefs.

In the 17th-century, Christian religions like the Anglican church, or Church of England, were monothestic, meaning they believed in one God. Anglicans believed that there were three elements of the one God: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ, a man who walked the Earth and showed people how to live by God), and the Holy Spirit.

Stuart monarchs until the Glorious Revolution of 1688-89 believed that they were divinely given the right to reign, and the monarch also served as the head of the Church of England. Priests and the parish vestry governed the Church and exercised control over the affairs of their religious community. Parish taxes were imposed to support daily operations, build churches, and recruit and pay ministers.

In the 17th century, churches hosted the majority of worship and religious activities, where people met for organized religious services or for general guidance from religious officials. Many larger-scale religious ceremonies and sacraments were also hosted here.

Holy sacraments such as baptism, weddings and Holy Communion (Eucharist) that highlighted one’s commitment to Christ were incredibly important ceremonies. Prayers were part of daily life, and the community regularly attended worship together, where ceremonies incorporated rituals and sacred items.

Knowledge was passed through a written holy text called the Bible.