Unit 2 Exam - Honors Church History

vocab

Apostolic Age

The earliest period of the Church, beginning at Pentecost, when the apostles spread the Gospel and establish the first Christian communities.

Arianism

Heresy taught by Arius, which claimed Jesus was not fully God but the highest of creatures, not eternal like the Father.

Athanasius

Deacon from Alexandria, defended Christ’s full divinity at Council of Nicea. (Athanasius against the world)

Augustine of Hippo

Church father and author of Confessions and The City of God. His writings helped the Church understand sin, grace, and salvation and defended the faith against Pelagianism.

Battle of Tours

Frankish forces led my Charles Martel (the hammer) defeated Muslim invaders, halting their advance into Gaul (France). Victory is seen as preserving Europe’s Christian identity.

Benedict of Nursia

Saint who founded the monastery of Monte Cassino. Wrote the Ora eat Labora, Pray and work. Standard for western monasticism.

Cappadocian Fathers

Influential theologians, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory Nazianzen, who clarified Church’s teaching on the Trinity as one God in three persons.

Cenobitic Life

Form on monasticism by St Pachomius, monks live in a community under coming rule, sharing prayer, work, and meals.

Council of Chalcedon

Guided by Pope Leo the Great’s teaching, declared Jesus Christ is one person with two natures.

Charles Martel

Frankish leader, “The Hammer” defeated Muslim forced at Battle of Tours.

Dhimmi

Status for Christian’s under Muslim control, granted protection as second class citizens, payed a special tax and lived with restrictions.

Didache

Christian text provided instructions on baptism, the Eucharist, and Christian morals for growing communities.

Council of Ephesus

Rejected teaching of Nestorius and affirmed Mary is Theotokos (God bearer). Because Jesus is fully divine and human.

Eucharist

Breaking of bread.

Gregory the Great

Monk became pope, led church through collapse of Roman Empire, organized pastoral care, reformed liturgy, Gregorian chant.

Heresy

False teachings that Clash with the Apostles’ teaching and threaten Christian unity.

Homoousios

”of the same substance” as the father, used in nicene creed to state Jesus is fully divine.

St Ignacius of Antioch

early Christian martyr wrote letters stressing unity, obedience to bishop, centrality of Eucharist. 

Islam

monotheistic faith preached by Muhammad in the early 600s in Arabia. Our’an, Muslims.

Jerome

Translate bible to Latin (vulgate). Standard version in western church

Lectio Divina

Meditating on scripture, central to prayer link of monks following rule of st Benedict.

Martyr

Person who gives supreme witness to truth of faith by dying for it. (Blood of martyrs is seed of Christian’s)

Monasticism

spiritual movement withdraw from world to seek God through silence, prayer, fasting, poverty, chastity and obedience.

Muhammad

Founder of islam, preached oneness of Allah in Quran

Council of Nicaea

first major church council by Constantine to address Arianism. Produces nicene creed, affirming Jesus is fully divine and of the same substance as the father.

Ora et labora

pray and work, formed by st benedict

Papacy

office of the bishop of Rome (pope). Central source of both spiritual and civic unity in the west.

St Paul

saul of tarsus, converted to Christianity after encounter with Christ.

Pelagianism

heresy by Pelagius, claimed humans can achieve salvation through their own efforts with God’s Grace, opposed by st Augustine.

Pentecost

Birthday of the church

St Peter

Gave sermon, lead to baptism of 3000 people, executed under Nero.

St Stephen.

first Christian martyr. Stoned to death for declaring Jesus fulfilled law and the prophets.

Tertulian 

christian writer states “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christian’s”

Theotokos

God bearer, mother of God. Defended at council of Ephesus.

Vulgate

Latin translation of bible by St Jerome