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Dictionary
of Compiled by Allon Maxwell “Big words come
rolling from their lips and they court favour to gain their ends.” (Jude 1:16 Good News Bible) August 2004 Foreword The
title of this booklet is taken from 2 Peter 2:18, and Jude
1:16, where the King James translation describes the
preaching of some 1st century teachers as “great swelling words”. In the Good News Bible, it is
rendered as “big empty words”. It comes from the Greek word huperogkos,
which means “over swollen”. It
is not my intention here to suggest that all who use the BIG words listed in
this dictionary are to be automatically listed amongst those teachers
described by Peter and Jude. As with many other things, it is a question of
motive. I
have a number of good friends who, with the best of motives, have carefully
learned the “swollen language” of the scholars, in the hope of being able to
communicate the Gospel to them, in a “dialect” they understand. I commend
them for their patience in “becoming
all things to all men”. (1 Corinthians 9:22) I
wrote this dictionary of BIG Theological Words for the Sunday School Scholars
who attend the “House Church” which meets in our home. Many times, when
trying to teach a Bible lesson at their level, it was noticeable that some of
the BIG words which their elders took for granted, simply did not register.
Faced with blank stares it was often necessary to ask whether they understood
the meaning of a particular word. It soon became standard practice to send
one of them to my office to get a Dictionary and look it up for the rest of
us. Of
course it isn’t only Sunday School students who have this problem. I confess
that I also have the same need. Quite often when reading theological works by
“scholars” I come across words which I have never heard before. Of course,
the real answer is to research the meaning of unfamiliar words. However, many
resolve the problem by developing the “skill” of hiding a blank look! Finding
a meaning for many of the BIG words used by theological “Scholars” is not
always easy. Many of them are not found in the dictionaries. It seems these
“Scholars” have dialect of their own, which you have to attend University or
Bible College to learn. For the average “man in the street”, it simply does
not communicate. It is unedifying and unfruitful. The Apostle Paul had
something to say about this when he wrote about: SPEAKING IN
TONGUES WITHOUT INTERPRETATION This
“scholars swollen language” should be easily recognized as a modern form of
what Paul calls an “unknown
tongue”. (1 Corinthians 14:2). His
expressive description of speaking “ten thousand words in an unknown tongue” (1 Corinthians
14:19) applies. If the words are not “easy to be understood, how shall it be
known what is spoken? For ye shall speak into the air”. (1 Corinthians
14:9) When
“scholars” use BIG words not understood by their audience, they do not edify
the Church. Instead, they speak “words
of Vanity”. And they become “Barbarians” to the rest
of us! (1 Corinthians 14:11) PRIDE OF LIFE “Pride
of Life” is another descriptive Biblical term that comes to mind in this
context! (1 John 2:16) It is all about looking important in the eyes of others -- convincing
them of your position as “top cat”! Have you ever done that? According to
John it is built into human nature! It is “of the world that passes away”. To prepare for rulership in the
Kingdom of God, we must all learn to recognize it within ourselves, repent of
it, and then learn how to take the lowest seat at the feast. (Luke
14:7-11) Of
course, you will understand that I am not judging any particular person. You
must be your own judge, honestly between you and Jesus, about whether this
applies to you. However, if you do feel a little personally aggravated and
“got at” about this, don’t defend yourself to me. Take it up with Jesus in
the secret place! Allon August
2004 Preface Have
you ever wondered what Peter and Jude meant by their term “Great Swelling Words”? Peter
adds the word “vanity”. (“emptiness” See KJV margin.) They were
writing about men in the 1st century Church, who were more concerned with
social status, personal advantage, saying whatever was necessary to attract
followers, and inevitably, keeping the collection plate as full as possible! (2
Peter 2:15) The
Translators used the English word “vanity” to convey the meaning of the Greek
word “mataiotes”.
You can check it out in a lexicon if you want to dig deeper. However, we
don’t really need Greek to understand this. According to the Concise Oxford
Dictionary, one of the English meanings of “Vanity” is “the quality of being worthless or futile”. It is in this sense
that Peter uses the Greek word from which it is translated. He is saying that
the words spoken by these men lack substance, and truth. They do not
communicate anything useful to the hearer. But
they are BIG words! Great Swelling words! (It rolls off the tongue, doesn’t
it?) Have you ever seen it in action? It is greatly loved by teachers who
never use a simple two or three syllable word if they can think of a pompous
ten syllable alternative that you can guarantee most laymen have never heard
of. It is one of the techniques used by ambitious and self-important
churchmen to grab the top seats at the feast for themselves! (Luke
14:7-11) In the 21st century we can look back on the 2000
year long history of many “famous” theologians and scholars in whose writings
these symptoms are readily visible. BIG WORDS and complicated rhetoric
are all too often a symptom of the strategy adopted by men who maintain their
position at the top of the pecking order by trying to appear to be smarter
and more educated, and therefore more expert, than the rest of us. (Hey!
I think “rhetoric” might be a big word! Check it out in the Dictionary
section!) Alas it all ignores the Apostle Paul’s assessment
of the real
qualifications for understanding spiritual things: “Where
is the wise? Where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath
not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (1 Corinthians
1:20) For consider your call, brethren; not many of you
were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many
were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the
wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what
is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to
nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence
of God. (1 Corinthians
1:26-29) As for
methods of Scripture study -- The Apostles James does not even
mention a university education as a prerequisite! Nor does he insist on the
use of BIG words like “exegesis” and “hermeneutics”. (See dictionary entries
for both) Instead he left on record his own guaranteed “method”. It begins
with a relationship with God that includes a confident prayer life. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who
gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given
him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a
wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must
not suppose that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive
anything from the Lord.” (James 1:5-7 RSV) Learn
the “swollen language” if you must -- but NEVER forget to stay on speaking
terms with God! DICTIONARY OF BIG AND SWOLLEN THEOLOGICAL WORDS Some
of the words listed here are just plain “BIG”. Others
are recognizably “SWOLLEN”! And
some are included because they are part of the “religious jargon” which
is a foreign language to this current generation. Many of them have other secular meanings which
have been ignored. The definitions below
apply specifically to the Church scene. The definitions given have been compiled from a wide variety of
sources. In the interest of “translation” to terms better understood by my
grandchildren (and the rest of us laymen), an attempt has been made to
simplify and paraphrase the more complicated definitions often found in the
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias. Sources include the Concise Oxford
Dictionary, Webster’s English Dictionary, The Pocket Macquarie Dictionary,
several Encyclopedias, and many articles found on the Web. If sometimes
the definitions given here manage to make it harder by using other BIG words
that aren’t in your personal vocabulary -- please be patient with me! If you
find the definitions given in this Dictionary are not simple enough don’t
remain amongst the “Babylonian Barbarians”! USE A DICTIONARY TO CHECK IT OUT! Alchemy An ancient branch of pseudoscience, in which
practitioners sought to change base metals, such as lead, into silver or
gold. Others tried to discover an “elixir of life” -- a potion to make them
immortal. Practical alchemists tried to use chemical methods. The famous
Christian scientist, Sir Isaac Newton, was one of these. However, in the
hands of many others it was often combined with elements of magic, astrology,
or similar occult practices. ALLEGORY A story which can be interpreted to reveal a
hidden meaning. anagogICS This is one of those words which seems to be used
by lots of “scholars” who can’t define it in terms understood by “ordinary”
people! It is a so called “mystical” (See “mysticism” below) method of
interpreting Scripture to reveal deep hidden “spiritual” meanings beyond the
understanding of “ordinary” people. It is usually so “profound” that it
manages to find hidden meanings where none were ever intended to be found! Anthropomorphism The belief that God has human form. (such as
hands or eyes or ears or arms) Apocalyptic A type of Jewish writing or religious outlook,
which concentrates on prophecy about the end of the world. It often takes the
form of visions containing complicated symbols. The books of Daniel and
Revelation are examples of this type of writing, which are believed to be
inspired by God, and have been included in the Bible. However, many more
books of this type exist, which are NOT recognized as inspired by God, and
were not included in the Bible. Apologetics An area of Christian theology which concentrates
on defense of the Christian faith. ARIANISM A theory of the nature and relationship between
God and Jesus, attributed to Arius
(256-336) a scholar from Alexandria in Egypt. Arius rejected the doctrine
of the Trinity taught by his principal adversary Athanasius. (See entry below) Instead Arius taught that
Jesus was a pre-existent being created by God, and less than God. This
developed into a huge theological warfare in the time of the Roman Emperor
Constantine, in which the contestants on both sides displayed little of the
fruit of the Spirit, and regularly used persecution, slander, torture, and
murder, as weapons to “defend the faith”. (You
can read more about this in BIBLE DIGEST No 12) Although correct in his rejection of the
completely illogical doctrine of the Trinity, the Jesus of Arian theology
could never have been a REAL man. Think about it. Has any other man ever pre-existed
his birth as a “spirit being” in heaven? ARMINIANISM A theological system attributed to Jacobus
Arminius. (1560-1609). Arminius was a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church.
He came to reject Calvinist teaching on predestination, which says that men
are born unconditionally predestinated for either salvation or condemnation
to eternal torment. Arminius taught instead that salvation is conditional on
man’s personal free will response to the Gospel. Arminius was condemned by the Dutch Reformed
Church as a heretic in 1619. They were wrong! Calvinist teaching that God
creates men totally unable to obey Him, and
predestinated unconditionally to everlasting torment for the sins they
commit, accuses God of the worst sort of injustice. Asceticism The practice of harsh and severe self-discipline
in an endeavor to attain to a higher degree of spirituality. It often
includes deliberate poverty, fasting, ignoring personal hygiene, (refraining
from washing body and clothes), celibacy, and rejection of normal creature
comforts. (such as sleeping in a bed or keeping warm) In its worst forms it
can include physical abuse, such as self-flagellation. (See flagellation
entry below) ATHANASIUS (298-373) A priest of Alexandria in Egypt whose oversized
ambition eventually resulted in appointment to the “throne” of Bishop of
Alexandria. He is best known for his violent opposition to Arianism. (See
above) He is credited with the doubtful distinction of being the champion of
Trinitarianism. (See below) However, although his personal violent
anti-Arianism forced the Church to official rejection of the theory as
heresy, he was unsuccessful in eradicating it. It survived for hundreds of
years as the majority religion in parts of Germany. It can still be found
today in the theology of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and in many individual
members of mainstream Churches, who usually stay carefully hidden, lest they
attract persecution. Athanasius is often mistakenly credited with
producing the Athanasian Creed. However, whilst this document incorporates
his teaching, it is actually of unknown origin. Some historians think it
first appeared in Gaul, possibly in the 5th century. Atonement Christian teaching about how the sacrificial
death of Jesus can reconcile sinners to God. Over the centuries, “Scholars”
have invented many confusing and complicated theories about how it works,
using language NOT found in the Scriptures. Beware anything which reduces it
to a mere commercial transaction or portrays God as angry and demanding
“satisfaction” for offended dignity. Such theories reflect little of the love
of God. Look instead to Jesus’ own words which say it happened because God
loved us and wanted to save us from the death penalty otherwise due for our
own personal sins! CALVINISM A system of theology attributed to John Calvin.
(1509-1564) Calvin was born in France, where he became a Roman Catholic
chaplain at the age of 12! Somewhere about 1532-3 he accepted Luther’s
teaching about “salvation by faith alone” and was finally compelled to leave
France to escape persecution. He eventually settled in Geneva, where he
became the founder of a branch of the protestant religion which today we call
“Reformed”. (See below) Although he followed Luther on many points, he taught
a doctrine of Predestination which says that men are born unconditionally
predestined to either salvation, or condemnation and eternal torment. This
denies the place of human “free will” to respond to the Gospel in order to be
saved. Some Calvinists try to draw a distinction between
“ordinary” Calvinism and “Hyper-Calvinism”. Frankly, the practical
differences seem to be so technical in nature that they mean little to any
but a Calvinist looking for a theological argument! In its most extreme form,
it denies the need for Evangelism on the basis that God will save his chosen,
without any human help. It is unfortunate that modern “disciples” of
Calvin are unfamiliar or even willfully ignorant of unsavory aspects of his
history. Much of it casts a huge cloud over the credibility of his personal “Christianity”.
Calvin initiated a reign of enforced religion in Geneva, with severe
penalties for those who did not conform. He became a persecutor of the
Anabaptists and condoned the murder of those he called “heretics”. For those
familiar with the history, he is especially remembered for his part in the
murder of the unitarian Michael Servetus. How could we possibly trust such a
man to be led by the Spirit of God in formulating his theology? Catechism A list of questions and answers designed to teach
Christian doctrine. Usually, each denomination has its own form of catechism
designed to emphasize its own teaching. Charisma, charismatic Charisma is a Greek word meaning “gift”. In the New Testament it usually
refers to “Gifts of the Holy Spirit”. “Charismatic”
has become a term which describes individuals and Churches emphasizing
“gifts” in Christian worship and daily experience. Used especially to
describe Pentecostals with their unbiblical emphasis on the so called “gift”
of speaking in tongues. Christology A section of Christian theology which deals with
the nature and identity of Jesus. CONSPECTUS A summary or overview of a subject. Consubstantial Derived from a Latin term meaning "of the
same substance". Used by Trinitarians to say that God and Jesus are both
equally part of one God. Creed A brief summary of what the authors think is
ESSENTIAL Christian belief to qualify for salvation. Each denomination has
its own creed, but there a few which are almost universally held by
mainstream Churches. These include the "Apostles" Creed", the
"Nicene Creed" and the “Athanasian Creed”. DEATH BED REPENTANCE The theory that it is possible for sinners who
are about to die, to “repent” at the last moment, receive forgiveness and be
saved, instead of entering eternal torment. It is based on a mistaken
understanding of the Gospel story of the “Thief on the Cross”. Properly
understood this story does not support this theory. Nor is it taught anywhere
else in the Scriptures. (For more information, see Bible Digest No 57) DOCTRINE In the Greek text of the Bible, it is a word (didache) which simply means “teaching”, or “what is
taught”. Thus “the doctrine
of Christ” in 2 John
1:9, means “the things that
Jesus taught”. In the Church scene it has come to mean “the beliefs taught by a Church”.
However, many people fail to draw a careful distinction between “doctrine” and the more
restrictive word “dogma”.
This latter word means “a set of
principles laid down by an authority, which may not be denied or disputed”. Doxology A formal written form of praise to God. Often
recited or sung during worship services. Two of the best known are the
Catholic and Anglican greater doxology,
“Gloria in Excelsis” and the lesser
doxology “Gloria Patri”. Ecclesiology A section of Christian theology dealing with the
nature and organization of the church. EISEGESIS A word not found in the popular dictionaries! It
seems to be mainly in the exclusive domain of the “Scholars. It is defined as “the personal interpretation of
a text (especially of the Bible) using your own ideas”. It is what happens
when someone interprets Scripture according to impressions that were born
outside of Scripture. Personal hard experience indicates that this
would be a more honest name for much that is called "exegesis" And
that includes many of the Scripture commentaries I have been confronted with
by people trying to drop a BIG NAME to win a debate! The honest reality is that all too often, what is
offered as "exegesis" (bringing out the meaning) should really be
called "eisegesis' (reading a preconceived meaning into the text). Eschatology A section of Christian theology dealing with
prophecy about "end things", especially the ideas of resurrection,
judgement, hell, and eternal life. Eucharist The term used by Catholics to refer to the
“sacrament” (see below) of "the mass", "the Lord's
supper" and "holy communion". Evangelical A term used to refer to the stream of
Christianity which places major emphasis upon the supreme authority of
Scripture and the atoning death of Christ. Used especially of those
Protestant Churches which place particular emphasis on “salvation by faith alone”, personal conversion experience, and
evangelism. The term is often used to distinguish between the significant
differences found in the teachings of Luther (evangelical) and Calvin.
(Reformed) EVANGELISM The preaching of the Gospel. Exegesis The so called “science” of interpreting the
Bible. In practice, it is often far less than “scientific” and is used to
disguise the fact that individuals often speculate without clear Biblical
proof. Amongst those who play games with the word, the specific techniques
are often referred to as "hermeneutics". (See below) EXEGETE A person who claims to interpret the text of the
Bible by “scientific” methods. FLAGELLATION The practice of voluntary self-scourging to atone
for sin. It was common amongst both clergy and laity in the 4th century and
onwards. Amongst those who practiced it, it was taught as the only way to
salvation. It was widely practiced in public in the Middle Ages during
outbreaks of the Plague. Today it is outlawed by most denominations. However,
is reported to be still practiced by some orders of monks and nuns. Fundamentalism A form of American Protestant Christianity, which
lays especial emphasis upon the literal interpretation and absolute authority
of an inerrant Bible. It includes: *
Opposition to all forms
of “Modernism”. (See below) *
The near physical second
coming of Jesus, *
The virgin birth, and the
Atonement. *
The literal bodily
resurrection of Jesus and his Millennial reign. *
The substitutionary and
expiatory atonement. *
Rejection of the Theory
of Evolution. Hermeneutics The study of the principles of interpretation or
“exegesis”. (See definition above) of the Bible. It
comes into our language from a Greek word hermuneuein, which means
“interpret”. Those who are prone to use it, often remind the
rest of us that certain interpretations of the Bible are not “good
hermeneutics”. Alas there is often disagreement about what the principles are
and how they should be applied. And sadly, for many it is a “science” which
is often visibly influenced by the preconceived beliefs of the interpreter.
“Good hermeneutics” often turns out to be what agrees with the practitioner
of the art! In practice there are major differences between
different theologians about the principles to be used! The four major schools
of Hermeneutics are called:
The Literal method is to interpret according to the “plain meaning”
of the authors words. The Moral method seeks to draw moral and ethical lessons from the
text. The Allegorical
method seeks to draw hidden
meanings, using complicated “symbols”, “types” and “antitypes”. (An allegory
is a form of expression which has a different meaning to what would normally
be understood from the words used!) The Anagogical method is a “mystical” form of interpretation, often
bordering on the occult, which seeks to extract hidden meanings which
transcend normal human understanding. HERMETICS The practice of magic! The word comes into
English from a Latin word which means “sealed”, implying that practitioners
use magical arts hidden from ordinary people. The term owes its origin to Hermes Trismegistos,
("Thrice-Great Hermes") a somewhat obscure magician of ancient
times. Information about him is very contradictory.
One source says that he was an Egyptian king who lived about 1900BC. Another
equates him with the Egyptian God THOTH. (better known as the Greek god
Hermes) Yet another puts him at 5000 years ago! Who do we believe? Although we cannot be certain of his identity,
there are several very ancient writings on magic which have survived and are
attributed to him. However, even there we have contradictory information. One
source says that Alexander the Great copied some of it from engraving on his
tomb in Egypt. Another dates it to the 3rd or 4th century AD. It
teaches that humans can access hidden spiritual dimensions through
meditation, breathing techniques, ritual, astrology and practice of magic.
Much of it is about occult forms of alchemy. Humanism Humanism takes many different forms. It attaches
major importance to human beings and human effort, usually to the exclusion
of important Bible teaching about God, and the supernatural events of the
Bible. Hypostatic union The doctrine of the union of divine and human
natures in Jesus. In effect it denies the real humanity of Jesus. (No other
man has ever had TWO natures, or existed before he
was born!) INCARNATION The doctrine that a pre-existent Jesus somehow
laid aside His divine glory to become a human child in the womb of Mary.
According to the Creeds of the Mainstream Church this meant that although
outwardly a flesh and blood man, he actually combined both Divine and human
nature into one, without affecting either! Don’t ask them how this could
happen. All you will get is that it is a “mystery” to be accepted by “faith”.
(Sounds more like blind credulity and scrambled brains to this writer!) KABBALAH A system of largely occult Jewish mysticism,
dating back at least to the 12th century, and possibly long before that. The
Encyclopedia Britannica traces its origins back to the 1st century AD. It is
used by many religious Jews as a form of “Divination”, which is claimed to
give guidance, tell the future, or open “spiritual doorways” to power.
Amongst other things it uses numerology and so called “hidden codes” in the
OT. KenoSIS The process by which Trinitarians claim that
Jesus “laid aside" at least some of His divine attributes to assume human
form. Koine GREEK Our English word “koine” comes from a Greek word
which means “common”. Koine Greek
was a virtually universal Greek dialect used in the time of Jesus. It enabled
people all over the Roman Empire to communicate with each other. The New
Testament is written in “Koine Greek”. This made it easily understood by both
Jews and Gentiles everywhere. Liturgy The written forms of “worship” which are spoken
in public Church services, especially of the “eucharist”. (See definition)
Churches which use these written forms of worship are often called
“liturgical Churches”. METAPHYSICS The branch of philosophy concerned with the first
principles of things. These “principles” are often about highly pretentious
theoretical “abstract concepts” related to “being” and “knowing”. This gives
rise to such absurd and meaningless terms as “abstract realities”! Modalism An illogical variation of Trinitarianism, which
treats all three “persons” of the Trinity as actually only ONE person,
appearing in different "modes" to suit the needs of the occasion.
This person is Jesus! It results in such absurdities as Jesus praying to
Himself and worshipping Himself. Often referred to by its detractors as the
“Jesus only” Churches. For practical purposes, it is virtually the same as Sabellianism. (See below) MODERNISM A religious philosophy which seeks to reinterpret
traditional Bible teaching to accommodate modern cultural values, attitudes,
and philosophy. MONERGISM The
“reformed theology” teaching that God’s action alone produces
salvation and righteousness for those who are sovereignly and unconditionally
predestined for grace and salvation. According to this teaching, it is God
who initiates salvation by making men willing and able to believe. It says
that men can do nothing to affect the outcome. It is opposed to synergism (see below) which
teaches that God and man work together in salvation. Monophysitism The belief that Jesus had only ONE nature, which
was divine, not human. This differs from the mainstream orthodox view that
Jesus had TWO natures combined, one divine and one human. MYSTICISM The art of deep “spiritual” study of the
Scriptures to find vague “hidden” or “symbolic” meanings beyond ordinary
human understanding. OntologY A term meaning virtually the same as “Metaphysics”. (You know --
that’s the one we described above that uses brain scrambling concepts such as
“Abstract Reality”!) “The
Ontological Argument” is the name given to a metaphysical concept
“proving” the existence of God. It was worked out by a famous English
theologian called Anselm of Canterbury, in the 11th century. As might be
expected from the title, it is full of “metaphysical” logic and big swollen
words! If you really must, you can read it in Anselm’s book Proslogian. In summary it says that: God is “that
than which no greater can be conceived”. It also says that He is perfect.
Since nothing can be perfect without first existing, then for Anselm it is
evident that God must exist! QED! (And of course that is Circular Logic of
the worst sort.) (This
is the same Anselm who “invented” what is known as the “Commercial Theory” of
the Atonement -- the one that says God inflicted an “infinite punishment --
whatever that is! -- on an “infinite” Jesus. Of course, this theory is in
effect, a denial of the true humanity of Jesus! No other man has ever been
“infinite”. How could Anselm’s Jesus possibly have been a real man? Sounds
about as unconvincing and useless as most of the other “ontological abstract realities” from the famous “scholars” you
will encounter from time to time.) ORIGINAL SIN It is very hard to find a concise definition of
this term. It takes several forms in different Churches. However, most
versions say that:
The Catholic version says that it can be removed
from infants when they are “christened”. They further say that the Virgin
Mary was miraculously born free from “original sin”, so that Jesus could also
be born without it. Of course, this effectively says that Jesus was NOT of
the same nature as other men. One of the most objectionable variations is
called “sin-in-the-flesh.” This is
taught by a significant number amongst the denomination in which I grew up. (Thankfully not all of them! Thanks be
to God that there were some who taught me the errors of this view) It
says that Jesus was born with exactly the same nature as the rest of the
human race, (which of course is true) and that therefore he had the same
inherited condemnation as all of Adam’s descendants -- which is NOT true! In fact, the Bible nowhere says that Adam’s
nature was changed as a result of his sin. Nor does it say that anyone
receives a corrupt or defiled nature from Adam by genetic descent. It is also
clear that God puts no man to death for the sins of his father. All will be
judged for their own sins. (Ezekiel 18) Each man is his own “Adam”. (Romans 5:12) The worst feature of this teaching is its low
concept of the justice of God. To imply that God gives us laws which we are
unable to keep because of the nature we are born with, and then punishes us
on account of what we are unable to do, accuses God of the worst kind of
injustice! Orthodoxy A term used to describe "right belief",
as opposed to heresy. Some Churches use the word “Orthodox” in their name as
a way of claiming that they are the “correct” Church. i.e. The Greek Orthodox
Church. It is most unfortunate that much of what goes under the name of
“orthodox” today actually contradicts the Bible and the teaching of Jesus,
especially in the Sermon on the Mount. Parousia A Greek term, which literally means
"coming" or "arrival", used to refer to the second coming
of Christ. The “Parousia” is
an important aspect of how we understand prophecies about the "last
things". Pelagianism Teaching attributed to the British monk Pelagius.
(c. 354-418) Pelagius opposed popular teaching about original sin,
predestination, and salvation without conformity to moral conditions. He also
denied the need for infant baptism. For these beliefs he was eventually
excommunicated by his enemies. Pelagius vigorously rejected the doctrine of
Original Sin which says that as a result of Adam’s sin, men are born with an
inherent inability which causes them to sin. Instead, he taught that men are
born essentially good, with a free will and the ability to choose between
doing good or evil. PENANCE Penance is a task of “self-punishment” assigned
by Roman Catholic priests following confession of sin, which is undertaken to
complete the process of absolution (forgiveness) from God) In former times the task could be quite severe.
It could include fasting, public humiliation, wearing sackcloth, and even
flagellation. In recent times it has come to be much less severe and is often
no more than saying a few prayers. Protestantism A term used to describe religion which
"protests" against the practices and beliefs of the Roman Catholic
church. QED An acronym for the Latin phrase “quod erat demonstrandum.” In
our first year of secondary school our Geometry teacher started the lesson by
telling us that this acronym did NOT mean “Quite Easily Done”! We learned that was an old joke from
way back in time! Then he told us that the real meaning is “which
was to be proved”. REFORMED THEOLOGY A system of theology attributed to John Calvin.
(See entry) It finds expression in several well-known Church Creeds, such as
“The Canons of Dort” and “The Westminster Confession of Faith”. Amongst non-Calvinists, its best known features
are to do with Calvin’s teachings about unconditional predestination of only
some men to salvation, and the vast majority to unconditional condemnation
and eternal torment. RHETORIC The art of persuasive and exaggerated speaking, concerned more with style and effect than with
meaningful and sincere content. Sabellianism An early variation of Trinitarianism, attributed
to a scholar named Sabellius. The theory regards all three “persons” of the
Trinity as different historical manifestations of the same one God. For
practical purposes, it is virtually the same as Modalism. (See above) Sacrament A church service or rite which is held to have
been instituted by Jesus Christ himself. Roman Catholic theology and church
practice recognizes seven sacraments (baptism, confirmation, eucharist,
marriage, ordination, penance, and unction), Protestants usually recognize
only two. (baptism and the Lord’s supper) SECULAR About things in the world outside the Church, not
connected with religion. Soteriology The section of Christian theology dealing with
the doctrine of salvation (Greek: soteria). SYNERGISM The teaching that salvation requires interaction
between human will and divine grace and that men must cooperate with God in
their efforts to receive salvation. It says that salvation is not by
(unconditional) “grace alone”. Instead, God’s grace is conditional on belief which results in genuine life
changing repentance. This is opposed to monergism (See above) which is
the teaching that God is the sole agent involved in salvation, and that men
have no free will to do anything which can change their “unconditional
predestination” to salvation or condemnation. Synoptic Gospels A term used to refer to the first three gospels
(Matthew, Mark and Luke). The term is derived from the Greek word synopsis. ("Summary") It
refers to the way in which the three gospels can be seen to contain similar
"summaries" of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. THEOLOGY - THEOLOGICAL In the language of the man in the street, it has
the general meaning of “all Christian doctrine”. However, amongst “scholars”
it often has the narrower meaning of “doctrine specifically about God”. (“Theos” is the Greek word for God) It
is then distinguished from other teaching about subjects such as:
THEURGY The “art” of working alleged miracles by invoking
supernatural powers. It comes from the
Greek word “theorgia”
meaning “sorcery”. The term has been applied to a system of “white magic” practiced
by some 3rd or 4th century Greek philosophers. TRANsubstantiation A Catholic term referring to their theory that
the communion bread and wine are miraculously turned into the REAL flesh and
blood of Jesus by the prayer of the priest. Even though they still retain the
APPEARANCE of bread and wine, “faith” is supposed to know that they are
really flesh and blood! Trinity The illogical Mainstream Church doctrine that God
is actually three divine persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The
traditional Creeds say that each is a separate person, each is eternal, each
is infinite in power, and glory, but nevertheless still only ONE God of one
common substance! I
won’t attempt to explain it further here, lest I scramble your brains with
its illogical complexities. [Hey! those guys can
wheel their own barrow!] However, I have written a number of articles which
reject the Trinity and support “Biblical Unitarianism”. If you want to read
some of them, send an E-mail. I can also put you in touch with the author of
an excellent book on the subject. Ask for details. TULIP An ACRONYM for the “Five Points of Calvinism”.
(See entry for Calvinism above)
1. Total Depravity This
says that every part of man is affected by the Fall in Eden. By genetic
transmission from Adam, men inherit a condition which renders them totally
morally depraved, and spiritually dead in sin. Because of this men have no
power to resist temptation and cannot help sinning. 2. Unconditional Election This
says that because of this inherited condition men can do nothing to change
their sinful nature. Salvation is therefore only for those predestined by God
for “unconditional election”. Thus this teaching says that God arbitrarily
chooses some but not others. And that the vast majority of men are born
unconditionally predestined to eternal torment. 3. Limited Atonement This
says that Christ died ONLY for those God has predestined to salvation. Other
men are unconditionally lost, and helpless to do anything which might change
their hopeless condition. 4. Irresistible grace This
says that men who are predestined unconditionally for salvation, are unable
to do anything to resist the “grace” that God chooses to impose on them. 5. Perseverance of the saints This
says that once a man has received “irresistible grace” he cannot lose his
salvation, no matter what he does! I have actually encountered some who
claimed that they could even commit murder, without losing their salvation!
(Not surprising when you look at the source from which this teaching
originated.) Beware
“Reformed Theology”! This Calvinist teaching that
God creates men totally unable to obey Him, and
predestinated unconditionally to everlasting torment for the sins they
commit, accuses God of the worst kind of injustice. TWO NATURES, doctrine of A term generally used to refer to the doctrine of
the two natures, human and divine, of Jesus Christ. Related terms include
"Chalcedonian definition" and "hypostatic union". UNCTION The practice of anointing a person with oil or
ointment as a religious rite. Often associated with the coronation of a new
King or Queen. Extreme Unction is the Catholic ritual
of anointing the dying for forgiveness of sin. Also called “last rites”. Vulgate A Latin translation of the Bible, largely by
Jerome, (340-420) born in Slovenia but educated in Rome. For centuries it was
the only “official” Bible translation authorized by the Roman Catholic
Church. The name “Vulgate” comes from the Latin “editio vulgata”
meaning “common version”. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION In a
number of places reference is made to further information available from
articles in the BIBLE DIGEST and HOUSMAIL series. BIBLE
DIGEST papers are available online at: https://www.allonmaxwell.com/bdigest/bdigindx.htm HOUSMAIL
papers are available online at: https://www.allonmaxwell.com/housmail/backissu.htm DISCLAIMER This
Dictionary has been compiled for the PRIVATE use of Allon Maxwell, family and
friends. It
reflects the author’s personal religious beliefs. There are
no guarantees as to accuracy. Nor can I
guarantee that it will be passed on to anyone in its original form. Use it at
your own risk. If
you need the meaning of any word from this list for any important use,
including legal or commercial purposes, you should seek expert opinion before
using it. CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS If you have received a copy of this dictionary,
and you disagree with any of the meanings, or if you wish to suggest
inclusion of additional words, please email your suggestions: vivjohn85@outlook.com andjohn85@outlook.com sw_words.htm |