vocabulary for PULSE

Allegorical

A story where the characters or events stand for deeper meanings.

Example: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe can be read as an allegory about good defeating evil.

Anagogical

A way of understanding a story or Bible passage by thinking about heaven or the afterlife.

Example: A verse about a journey might also point to our journey toward heaven.

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canon

The official list of books in the Bible that the Church accepts.

Example: The Catholic Bible has 73 books in its canon.

covenant

A promise or sacred agreement between God and people.

Example: God made a covenant with Noah, promising never to flood the whole earth again.

Disciples

Followers or students of Jesus.

Apostles

The 12 special disciples Jesus chose and sent out to teach others.

Disciples:

Followers or students of Jesus.

Eschatology

The study of the end of the world, heaven, hell, and what happens after we die.

ethical

Something that has to do with right and wrong, or making good choices.

Ethical Monotheism

Believing in one God who wants people to live good, moral lives.

evangelist

Someone who shares the Good News about Jesus.

Foretelling

Predicting the future.

Forth-telling

Speaking the truth right now, especially a message from God about how people should act.

Gospel

“Good News”; the stories about Jesus’ life.

Hermeneutics

The skill of explaining or interpreting the Bible.

immanent

Describes God as close to us, active in the world.

literal

Taking words exactly as they are written, not symbolically.

messiah (hebrew)/ christ (greek)

Both mean “the anointed one,” the special person chosen by God to save people.

omipotent

All-powerful

omniscient

All-knowing

patriarchs

the founding fathers of the israelite people

primeval history

The very early stories of the Bible before written history

prophets

People chosen by God to deliver His messages.

prophecy

The message they deliver

repentance

Being truly sorry for your mistakes and choosing to change.

revelation

When God shows or reveals something to humans

synoptic

Means “seen together”; describes the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke because they tell similar stories in similar ways.

Tanakh: torah, nevi’im,ketuvim

The Jewish Bible, made of three parts

torah:

Law or first five books fron the tanakh

nevi’im

prophets (Books written by or about the prophets)

ketuvim

writing (all the other books)

testament

A promise or sacred agreement; also means a major part of the Bible.

theodicy

Trying to understand why a good God allows suffering.

theophany

A moment where God appears or shows Himself to someone.

torah/ pentateuch

The first five books of the Bible (same thing, two names).

transcendent

Describes God as beyond the world, greater than anything we can imagine.

Tanakh=

Torah+ Nevi’im+ ketuvim