Inkolo uhlelo lwezenhlalo namasiko lokuziphatha nemikhuba ebekiwe, isimilo, izinkolelo, ukubukwa komhlaba, imibhalo, izindawo ezingcwelisiwe, iziphrofetho, izimiso zokuziphatha, noma izinhlangano, ezihlobanisa ubuntu nezinto ezingaphezulu kwemvelo, ezedlulele, nezingokomoya; kepha-ke, akukho ukuvumelana kwezazi phezu kwalokho okuyinkolo ngqo.
Izinkolo ezahlukahlukene zingaqukatha noma zingaqukathi izinto ezahlukahlukene ezisukela kokungcwele, izinto ezingcwele, ukholo, isidalwa esingaphezu kwemvelo noma izidalwa ezingaphezu kwemvelo noma "uhlobo oluthile lokugcina nolwedlulele oluzohlinzeka ngezinkambiso namandla impilo yonke". [] Imikhuba yezenkolo ingafaka amasiko, izintshumayelo, isikhumbuzo noma ukuhlonishwa (konkulunkulu kanye / noma abangcwele), imihlatshelo, imikhosi, amadili, imikhuba, ukuthwasa, izinkonzo zomngcwabo, izinsizakalo zomshado, ukuzindla, umkhuleko, umculo, ubuciko, umdanso, inkonzo yomphakathi, noma ezinye izici zesiko lomuntu. Izinkolo zinemilando nokulandisa okungcwele, okungagcinwa emibhalweni engcwele, nezimpawu nezindawo ezingcwele, ezihlose kakhulu ukunikeza injongo empilweni. Izinkolo zingaqukatha izindaba ezingokomfanekiso, kwesinye isikhathi okushiwo abalandeli ukuthi ziyiqiniso, ezingazama nokuchaza ngemvelaphi yokuphila, indawo yonke, nezinye izinto. Ngokwesiko, ukukholwa, ngaphezu kokucabanga, kubhekwe njengomthombo wezinkolelo zenkolo.
Kunezinkolo ezilinganiselwa ku-10 000 emhlabeni wonke. Cishe ama-84% wabantu emhlabeni ahlobene nobuKrestu, amaSulumane, amaHindu, amaBuddha, noma uhlobo oluthile lwenkolo yabantu. Ngenkathi labo abangazihlanganisi ngokwenkolo bekhule emhlabeni wonke, iningi labangahlangene nenkolo lisenezinkolelo ezahlukahlukene zenkolo.
Ukutadisha inkolo kuqukethe imikhakha eyahlukahlukene yezemfundo, kufaka phakathi imfundiso yenkolo, inkolo yokuqhathanisa kanye nezifundo zesayensi yezenhlalo. Imibono yenkolo inikeza izincazelo ezahlukahlukene ngemvelaphi nokusebenza kwenkolo, kufaka phakathi izisekelo zenkolo yenkolelo nenkolelo.