theology S2C2

theology S2C2

Canon

The Official list of inspired books of the Bible. Catholics list 46 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books in their canon.

Septuagint

A second-century BC Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible in Alexandria, Egypt. The term is from a Latin word meaning “seventy” for the legendary seventy scholars who worked on the translation

Vulgate

St. Jerome's fourth century translation of the Bible from Greek into the common language of the people of his day, Latin

Apocrypha 

A word that means “hidden”. The term describes the extra section of Protestant Bibles where the additional Old Testament books of the Greek Septuagint from the Catholic Bible are placed.

Dead Sea Scrolls

Old Testament Manuscripts discovered in 1947 in a cave near the Dead Sea along with other writings. The manuscripts have proved to be very valuable to scholars studying the Old Testament and have revealed some Jewish practices in Jesus’ day.

Literary Genre 

A type of writing that has a particular form, style, or content.

Parable

From the Greek parabole, meaning “placing two things side by side in order to compare them”; a short story that illustrates a moral or spiritual lesson.

Literal Sense

“The meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis, following the rules of sound interpretation”

Exegesis

The process used by scholars to discover the literal meaning of the biblical text

Oral tradition

The process of sharing stories and other important information by word of mouth

Ark of the Covenant

The most important symbol of the Jewish faith.  It served as the only physical manifestation of God on earth.  The Ark was built while the Israelites wandered the desert and was used until the building of the first temple.

Exodus

A foundational event in the history of the Chosen People that occurred when Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt and Slavery

Scribes

People trained to write using the earliest forms of writing before literacy was widespread

Gentile

A term for a non Jew

Evangelist

One who proclaims in word and deed the Good News of Jesus Christ.  “The Four Evangelists” refers to the authors of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

Sacrement

A sign and source of grace instituted by Jesus Christ and entrusted to the Church by which divine life is bestowed on us through the Holy Spirit

Liturgy

The official public worship of the Church. The liturgy is first Christ’s work of Redemption, and His continuing work of Redemption as He pours out His blessings through the Sacraments.  The Holy Spirit enlightens our faith and encourages us to respond. In this way, the liturgy is the participation of the People of God in the work of the Trinity. The sacraments and the Divine Office constitute the Church’s ;liturgy. Mass is the most important liturgical celebration.

Liturgy of the hours

The prayer of the Church at specific times of the day; also known as the Divine Office. The Liturgy of the Hours uses readings from Scripture, particularly the psalms, and hymns.

Lectio Divina

A Benedictine prayer tradition of “sacred reading”; its intent is for the person praying to meet God through the Scriptures.

Second Vatican Council

A conference of Bishops from around the world called by St. John XXIII to consider the Church in the modern world.  It took place from 1962 to 1965