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A

Adonai

Biblical name of God meaning Lord, Master, Ruler

Atheism

Belief that there is no God

Augustine

Bishop of Hippo (354-430 A.D.). He believed in the Scriptures as our final authority in doctrine, and considered the creeds of the Church as helpful summaries of Scriptural teaching. He wrote regarding the Nicene Creed, "These words which you have heard are in the divine Scriptures scattered up and down: but thence gathered and reduced into one, that the memory of slow persons might not be distressed; that every person may be able to say, able to hold, what he believes."

B

Basil

Elected bishop of Caesarea in A.D. 370. In Letter 189, written to Eustathius, he defended the Scriptures as our final authority in doctrine.

C

Catholic

Term which originally meant "universal," and was used in the Apostles' Creed to describe the Church as including all believers from all places and  throughout all of history. The term later came to be used in reference to the Roman Church as an organization, but this was not the original meaning as it was used in the creed.

Cessationist

Name given to those who hold the view that the supernatural gifts that were manifest in the time of the New Testament, such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, and miraculous healing, have ceased. They consider that these gifts were given only for the special spread of the gospel and the establishment of the Church at the time of the apostles.

Chalcedon

City in Asia Minor where church council was held in 451 A.D. This creed stated that Jesus was "truly God and truly man."

Christos

Greek word (transliteration) for Christ. It is used in the Septuagint to translate "Meshiach," which means "Messiah," "The Anointed One."

Common Grace

The forbearance that God shows and the benefits he gives to all humanity, regardless of their faith

Communicable

Term used to describe attributes of God that can be communicated to man, at least in some degree, such as reason and love

Continuationist

Name given to those who hold the view that the supernatural gifts that were manifest in the time of the New Testament, such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, and miraculous healing, continue even today.

Covenant Grace

The forbearance and benefits that God gives to everyone that is part of his covenant people, even if they are not true believers

Cyprian

Bishop of Carthage in the third century. In Epistle 73, he wrote that traditional teachings of the Church should not have more authority than the Scriptures, because the Church can make theological mistakes. In this letter he wrote, "...custom without truth is the antiquity of error."

E

Economic

Term used when speaking theologically of the Trinity in the sense of the particular role that each person has.  In the economic perspective of the Trinity, each person has a unique and distinct role.

El Elyon

Biblical name of God meaning God Most High

El Shaddai

Biblical name of God meaning Almighty God

Ex nihilo

Latin phrase meaning "out of nothing," used to explain that God created everything out of nothing

G

General Revelation

God’s use of the natural world and its workings to make his existence, nature, presence, actions and will known to all humanity

Gnosticism

Early heresy from the first centuries after Christ. Among other things, they believed that material things were evil, including the human body, which was a prison of the human soul. They consequently believed that God would never take on the form of human flesh, and therefore denied that Jesus was both God and man.

H

Hades

Greek term used in the New Testament, usually meaning the abode of wicked souls, but sometimes referring to the place of both the righteous and the wicked.

Henotheism

Belief in the existence of many gods, but offering special dedication on one primary god

Hippolytus

Theologian from Rome (c 170 – c 236 A.D.). Wrote Against the Heresy of One Noetus, in which he defended the Scriptures as our final authority in doctrine.

Hypostasis

Means "person." The term was used in the early centuries after Christ to express the doctrine that the divine nature and the human nature of Christ are united in one "person."

Hypostatic union

Phrase used in early theology to express the doctrine that the divine and human natures of Christ are united in one person

I

Illumination

A divine gift of knowledge or understanding that is primarily cognitive. It refers to the work of the Holy Spirit as he helps people understand God's revelation.

Incommunicable

Term used to describe attributes of God that can NOT be communicated to man, such as His omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, and eternality

Inward Leading

A divine gift of knowledge or understanding that is primarily emotive or intuitive. It refers to one way the Holy Spirit guides people.

Islam

Religion that teaches that Jesus was a true prophet of God, but that He was not crucified or resurrected

K

Kurios

Greek word (English transliteration) for ruler, master, Sir

M

Monotheism

Belief in one true God

N

Nicene Creed

Creed written by a council held in the city of the same name, in 325 A.D. This creed was basically an expansion of the Apostles' Creed.

O

Ontological

Related to being. Term used when speaking theologically of the Trinity in the sense of their attributes and essence. In the ontological perspective of the Trinity, they share the same attributes and essence.

Origen

Early Christian theologian (185-254 A.D.) who taught in Alexandria, Egypt. Wrote commentaries on the Bible and On First Principles, in which he defended the Scriptures as our final authority for Christian doctrine. He produced the Hexapla, a  comparative study of various translations of the Old Testament.

P

Passion

Comes from the Greek word "pasco" (transliteration) meaning to "suffer."

Polytheism

Belief in multiple gods

R

Roman Creed

A creed used in Rome in the early centuries after Christ, almost identical to the Apostles' Creed

Rufinus

Monk and historian (340/345 – 410 A.D.), who proposed (in 390 A.D.) the idea that the Apostles' Creed was written by the twelve apostles, each one contributing a phrase

S

Sanctification

The act of making people and things holy

Saving Grace

The application of the eternal benefits of Christ’s perfect life, death, resurrection, ascension and glorious return to those who receive him as Lord and savior

Septuagint

Greek translation of the Old Testament.

Session

Theological term used to refer to Jesus' ministry of intercession, while seated at the right hand of God the Father.

Sheol

Hebrew term used in the Old Testament to refer to the place of the departed spirits, both the righteous and the wicked

Simplicity

When used in theology in reference to God, it means that God's essence consists of only one substance.

Singularity

When used in theology in reference to God, it means that He is the only true God.

Sola Scriptura

Latin phrase meaning "Scripture alone," one of the basic principles of the Reformation

Soul

All the inner, non-physical aspects of our being

Special Revelation

God’s direct involvement, or his use of messengers, to make his existence, nature, presence, actions and will known to limited portions of humanity

T

Tertullian

Early Christian writer (160-220 A.D.) from Carthage. (His name is written in several different ways, sometimes ending in "-us.") He referred to the "Roman Creed" by this name around 200 A.D.

U

Undifferentiated monad

Term used to describe the belief that god is absolutely one, with no distinction between persons

Y

Yahweh

Biblical name of God meaning Lord. Derives from "I AM" in Hebrew. It is the most intimate name of God, a proper name, used as early as the time of Seth.


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