Terms & Concepts - Intro to Christianity

Jesus

a way of life centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of him

Messiah

anointed one

Christ

signifies Jesus as the specially chosen king, savior, and deliverer sent by God

Chrisitans

 followers of Jesus the Messiah

Church/church

one great family or body of believers

Faith

teaches that all life should be lived as an expression of love and obedience to God

Ritual

a traditional practice or ceremony that has symbolic or spiritual meaning

Sacrament

reserved for those who are followers of Jesus Christ(baptism)

Baptism

a special ritual, made new again

Communion(Lord’s supper, Eucharist, etc.)

a special ritual, eating bread acting as Jesus’ body and juice/wine acting as his blood

Bible

Holy book, the writings, Book of Books

The Hebrew Bible

the Old Testament, contains the holy books of the Jews

Gospels

tell us about Jesus, his life, ministry, and death

New Testament

the second, 27-book division of the Christian Bible, focusing on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the early Church

Hymns

Christians sing religious songs

Sermon(homily)

a talk that applies the meaning of the Bible, usually done in a church

Traditions

long-standing beliefs, customs, or behaviors passed down through generations within a culture, family, or group, fostering identity and continuity

Eastern Orthodox

one of the three main Christian traditions, originating in the Byzantine Empire and representing a family of self-governing churches united in dogma, liturgy, and a shared, ancient heritage

Roman Catholic

a member of the largest Christian denomination, comprising over 1.3 billion people, which follows the authority of the Pope in Vatican City and adheres to specific doctrines, including seven sacraments, the Mass, and the veneration of the Virgin Mary and saints

Protestant

a Christian adhering to any of the Western churches that separated from the Roman Catholic Church during the 16^th-century Reformation, or any denomination descended from them, emphasizing justification by faith alone and the Bible as the sole authority

Denominations

a recognized, autonomous branch of a religion (especially Christianity) or a specific unit of value in a series, such as currency, measurements, or weights

Doctrine

principles or beliefs of the church, and includes subjects such as God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and Christian worship

Theology

the study of God

Dogma

theological teachings of church authorities

Religious Studies

the objective, academic, and interdisciplinary investigation of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions as human, cultural phenomena

Trinity

three things: the holy spirit, the Father, the Son

Salvation

the act of saving or state of being preserved from harm, destruction, danger, or, in a theological context, the deliverance of the soul from the power and penalty of sin

Sin

any action, thought, or omission that violates religious or moral laws, often viewed as a direct rebellion against or transgression of God’s will

Grace

the free, unmerited favor and love of God, representing divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification

Pentecostal

a renewalist movement within Protestant Christianity emphasizing direct personal experience of God through the baptism of the Holy Spirit

Early Christianity

the foundational period of the Christian religion, spanning from the life of Jesus to the Edict of Milan (313) or the Council of Nicaea (325)

Ancient Tradition

a long-standing belief, custom, or practice passed down through generations, originating in the distant past

Orthodox

conforming to established, traditional, or generally accepted doctrines, beliefs, and practices, particularly in religion.

Heresy

any belief, opinion, or doctrine that strongly deviates from established, orthodox, or “official” beliefs, most commonly within a religious context

Creed

a formal, authoritative statement or summary of core beliefs and convictions

Apostolic Succession

the line of bishops stretching back to the apostles

Arianism

a 4th-century Chrisitan theological heresy, initiated by Arius of Alexandria, which taught that Jesus Christ was a created, finite being subordinate to God the Father, rather than co-eternal and consubstantial with him

Canon

a definitively accepted, authoritative list of sacred books(scripture), as well as the established, binding laws governing a church

Tanakh/Hebrew Bible

the foundational, canonical collection of 24 sacred Jewish scriptures, encompassing the Torah(law), Nevi’im(prophets), and Ketuvim(Writings)

Septuagint

the oldest Greek Translation of the Hebrew Bible(old testament)

Vulgate

the late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bible

Deuterocanonical/Apocrypha

second canon/indicates that these books were accepted later than the primary canon

Synod of Carthage(397)

a series of influential ecclesiastical councils held in North Africa during the 3rd to 5th centuries, pivotal for defining early Christian doctrine, Canon law, and Church discipline

Christology

a foundational branch of Chrisitian theology dedicated to studying the person, nature, and work of Jesus Christ, specifically focusing on his identity as both fully divine and fully human

Iconoclasts vs. Iconophiles

iconoclasts(image-breakers) oppose the use of religious images/icons, viewing them as idolatry, while iconophiles(image-lovers) support and venerate them as crucial aids to worship

Veneration of Icons

the act of showing profound honor, respect, and devotion to sacred images(icons) of Christ, Mary, or saints

Miaphysite Tradition

a Christological traditon within Chrisitanity that confesses Jesus Christ as having one united nature-a synthesis of both humanity and divinity-which are perfectly united without separation, confusion, or alteration

Nestorianism

a 5th-century Christian theological doctrine, condemned as heresy, which teaches that Jesus Christ existed as two distinct persons-one human and one divine-rather than one unified person with two natures

Pope

the bishop of Rome as head of the Roman Catholic Church

Filioque

a Latin term meaning “and the Son.”

Orginial Sin

a foundational Christian doctrine holding that all human beings are born into a state of sinfulness, inheriting a corrupted nature and guilt from the fall of Adam and Eve

Incarnation

a deity or divine being taking on a physical, human form

Docetism

an early Christian heresy holding that Jesus Christ was fully divine but only appeared to have a human body

Adoptionism

an early Christian, non-trinitarian heresy asserting that Jesus was born an ordinary human and later “adopted” as the Son of God, typically at his baptism, resurrection, or ascension

Apollinarianism

a 4^th-century Christian heresy, proposed by Apollinaris Laodicea, which taught that Jesus Christ had a human body and sensitive soul, but his rational mind(spirit) was replaced by the divine Logos

Hypostatic Union

a central Christian doctrine defining that Jesus Christ is one person(hypostasis) who possesses two complete, distinct natures-fully divine and fully human-united without confusion, mixture, separation, or division