syncretists..................

This word for the day is brought to us by Mr. Webster and the
Third Edition of his New World College Dictionary.   Actually,
to give credit where credit is due, the word for today comes from
the reigning wordsmith par excellence at Sippican Cottage who
used it recently in a post and made me go look it up.

syncretism   n.    a combination, reconciliation, or coalescence
                          of varying, often mutually opposed, beliefs
                          principles, or practices, etc., etc., etc.
                          syncretist   n, adj.

as in:

"Visionaries deserve credit. I hope I just gave Harry J. some. But practical syncretists are just as important. They generally don't require any extra credit, as they are sitting on piles of money and hate to reach down to receive their praise."