History final

Jesus Christ

Prophet and messiah in Christianity; son of God

New Testament

Christian scriptures

Old Testament

Hebrew scriptures

Christians

followers of Jesus

Gospels

narrative of Christ's life; first four book of New Testament

Constantine

Roman emperor that legalized Christianity

Council of Nicaea

Council called by Constantine in 325 to clarify keys Christian theology

Theodosius

Roman emperor that made Christianity the official religion of the empire

Augustine

bishop who was one of most important Christian theologians ever

Great Schism

division of Christianity into the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions

Filioque

Latin for 'and the Son'; controversy over the nature of the Holy Spirit

Protestant

16th century Christians that protested corruption in the church

Martin Luther

German monk who was a key figure in the Protestant Reformation

God

creator; Father

Trinity

Christian belief that God is one being revealed in three ways: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Sin

human use of free will to turn away from God's will and goodness

original sin

belief of universal human tendency towards evil

Sacraments

ritual practices that bring Christians into tangible union with God

Baptism

celebrates a person's entrance into the Christian family

Eucharist

also called Lord's Supper or Communion; symbolic meal of Last Supper

Palm Sunday

the day Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, the week before he was crucified

Good Friday

the day Jesus was crucified

Easter

the day Jesus rose from the dead

Arius

argued that Jesus was the son of God, but NOT God

Athanasius

defined the orthodox position of one God manifesting as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Tetrarchy

means rule of four; started by Diocletian

Milvian Bridge

battle in 312 in which Constantine defeats Maxentius under Christian banner

Edict of Milan

issued by Constantine in 313; legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire

lota

ninth letter of Greek alphabet; made a key difference in Trinity debate at Council of Nicaea

Leo

Bishop of Rome who defended city from Attila the Hun; declared himself Pope

Byzantium

the former Greek city that was renamed Constantinople

salvation

atonement; sin taken away by God through Christ and people reconciled with God

creedo

Latin for 'I believe'

Bible

revealed word of God; the primary authority for Christian life and worship