Christian Scripture chapter 3 vocabulary

Marks of the Church

The four essential features or characteristics of the Church: One, Holy, Catholic (universal), and Apostolic.

Trinity (Blessed Trinity)

Often referred to as the Blessed Trinity, the central Christian mystery and dogma that there is one God in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Apostles’ Creed

A profession of faith or statement of Christian belief; the Apostles’ Creed developed from the baptismal creed of the ancient church of Rome and is considered to be a faithful summary of the faith of the Apostles.

creed

An official profession of faith, usually prepared and presented by a council of the Church and used in the Church’s liturgy. Based on the Latin credo, meaning “I believe.”

Ecumenical Council

A gathering of the Church’s bishops from around the world convened by the Pope or approved by him to address pressing issues in the Church and in the world.

Nicene Creed

The formal statement or profession of faith commonly recited during the Eucharist

Lectionary

The official liturgical book containing the readings of the Mass, the Gospels, the Responsorial Psalms, and the Gospel Acclamations.

Roman Catholic Church

Refers to the Western Roman Rite Church that is based in Rome.

Eastern Catholic Churches

The twenty-one Churches of the East, with their own liturgical and administrative traditions, which reflect the culture of Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Eastern Catholics are in union with the Universal Catholic Church and her head, the Bishop of Rome.

icon

From a Greek word meaning “likeness,” a sacred image of Christ, Mary, or the saints, especially in the artwork of the Eastern Churches.

iconostasis

A screen or partition with doors and tiers of icons that separates the bema, the raised part of the church with the altar, from the nave, the main part of the church, in Eastern Churches.

Holy Orders, Sacrament of

The sacrament by which baptized men are ordained for permanent ministry in the Church as bishops, priests, or deacons.

Apostolic Succession

The uninterrupted passing on of apostolic preaching and authority from the Apostles directly to all bishop. It is accomplished through the laying on of hands when a bishop is ordained in the Sacrament of Holy Orders as instituted by Christ. The office of bishop is permanent, because at ordination a bishop is marked with an indelible, sacred character

College of Bishops

The assembly of bishops, headed by the Pope, that holds the teach-ing authority and responsibility in the Church

Petrine ministry

This term (an adjective form of Peter) refers to the ministry of the Pope as the successor of Saint Peter and the symbol of the unity and faith of all Christians.

heresy

The conscious and deliberate rejection by a baptized person of a truth of faith that must be believed.

dogma

Teachings recognized as central to Church teaching, defined by the Magisterium and considered definitive and authoritative.

doctrine

An official, authoritative teaching of the Church based on the Revelation of God

apostasy

The act of renouncing one’s faith.

schism

A major break that causes division. A schism in the Church is caused by the refusal to submit to the Pope or to be in communion with the Church’s members.

theologian

One who engages in the academic discipline of theology, or “the study of God.” A theologian engages in the pursuit of faith seeking understanding.

Protestant Reformation

The movement that began in the early sixteenth century and sought changes to the Roman Catholic Church. This eventually led to the formation of separate Protestant ecclesial bodies.