Christianity Vocab

5 Solae

Each of these represents a key belief held by the Protestant reformers (16th century) in contradistinction to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church.

1. Sola Scriptura

2. Sola Fide

3. Sola Gratia

4. Sola Christus

5. Soli Deo Gloria

Apocrypha

A handful of intertestamental books, which are not considered Scripture by Protestant Christians, but can still be useful for study (i.e. 2 Esdras/4 Ezra) to better understand 1st century Judaism.

Arminianism

A belief within Christianity that emphasizes a person's free will that determines salvation, not God's plan.

Augustine

Algerian Christian scholar (4th-5th century) known for concepts of 'original sin' and 'just war,' and writing the City of God and On Christian Doctrine that heavily influenced Protestant Reformation.

Calvinism

Protestant sect that emphasizes predestination/God's plan--the idea that God decided whether or not a person would be saved as soon as they were born.

eschatology

The study of the end times/last days before God's Judgment

Eucharist

A Christian sacrament commemorating the Last Supper by consecrating bread and wine, which represent Jesus' body and blood.

grace

A free and unearned favor from God

Greco-Roman bioi

Genre of ancient Greco-Roman biographies that primarily focus on the way a person dies, which can tell a lot about how a person lived (i.e. The Gospels).

Great Awakening

This religious revival (1720's-1750's), heavily influenced by the Wesley brothers (John & Charles) & George Whitfield, emphasized outward signs of conversion through change in society.

Jehovah's Witnesses

A non-trinitarian movement that resembles Christianity, but is considered a cult by traditional Christianity mainly due to their view that Jesus is not the Son of God. Known for going to door-to-door to spread their message using a unique Bible called the New World Translation and The Watchtower magazine that reinforces their beliefs.

Jesus Seminar

A group of scholars (mostly atheist, agnostic, or very liberal Christians) who voted to decide what they thought Jesus really said and produced some of the most anti-Christian literature in our world.

Justification

God's declaration, from his position as judge of all the world, that someone is made right with God through faith, despite universal sin.

Karl Barth

Swiss pastor & theologian trained by professors of theological liberalism & realized it wasn't meeting people's spiritual needs. Read Romans & wrote a Commentary on it, changing the future of Protestant theology in 20th century into the future.

Messianic Jews

Jews who believe Jesus was the Messiah

papacy

The office or authority of the pope

Patriarch

Highest church official within the Orthodox Church

Pentecostalism

A renewal movement within Protestant Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism with the Holy Spirit (i.e. speaking in tongues).

sacraments

Important religious rituals that provide a means of grace (7 within the Roman Catholic Church).

sanctification

The process of being made holy