Theology II Terms

Theo II with Dr. McKinion. Currently has General, Christology, Pneumatology, Soteriology, and Ecclesiology terms. Updated based on the quizzes.

Christology

The study of Christ

Doctrine

What the whole Bible teaches us today about some particular topic

Ecclesiology

The study of the church

Eschatology

The study of last things

Heresy

A teaching that should be rejected because it is contrary to Scripture

Metanarrative

“An overarching, all-embracing story of humankind into which all the more particular narratives fit”

“… the biblical narrative functions in Christian teaching as the central _____.”

Orthodoxy

“right praise” or “right belief”

Used to refer to that which is consistent with the tenets of the Christian faith as informed by Scripture and testified to in the creeds and liturgy of the church

Pneumatology

The study of the Holy Spirit

Revelation

The act of God wherein he has revealed himself to humanity

Generally referred to under the categories of general and special

Soteriology

The study of salvation

Adoptionism

The belief that Jesus was born human and was made God’s Son later in life

Advent

“coming to” or “arrival”

Used to refer to the coming of Christ at his first ____ as well as the expectation of his coming in a second ____

Apollinarianism

The belief that the one person of Christ had a human body but not a human mind or spirit, and that the mind and spirit of Christ were from the divine nature of the Son of God

Arianism

The erroneous doctrine that denies the full deity of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit

Ascension

The rising of Jesus from the earth into heaven 40 days after his resurrection

Athanasius

“An early church apologist, theologian and bishop of Alexandria. His greatest contribution to Christian theology was his uncompromising stance against the popular Arian teaching of his day.”

Cappadocian fathers

“A group of theologians writing between the Council of Nicaea and the Council of Constantinople”

Included Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nazianzus

Trinitarian formula: “three persons in one essence”

Chalcedonian Formula/Definition

The statement - formed by the council that met in AD 451 in Chalcedon - that guarded against Apollinarianism, Nestorianism, and Eutychianism. It is recognized as the orthodox view of the biblical teaching on the person of Christ.

Creed

“Derived from the Latin credo (I believe), a ____ is a summary statement of Christian faith and belief.”

Docetism

The teaching that Jesus was not really a man, but only seemed to be one (from the Greek dokeō “to seem”)

Economic trinity

"Refers to the manifestations of the three persons of the Trinity in relationship to the world, particularly in regard to the outworking of God's plan (_____) of salvation."

Eternal generation of the Son

Used to describe the relationship between the Father and the Son, wherein the Father is said to "beget" the Son eternally

Speaks to the Son's relationship to the Father, not to his origin

Eutychianism

The belief held by Eutyches that the human nature of Christ was taken up and absorbed into the divine nature, resulting in a third kind of nature (→ monophysitism)

Gnosticism

From the Greek word meaning "knowledge," this term refers to a broad religious group prevalent in the 2nd-century A.D.

"_____ believed that devotees had gained a special kind of spiritual enlightenment, through which they had attained a secret or higher level of knowledge not accessible to the uninitiated. _____ also tended to emphasize the spiritual realm over the material, often claiming that the material realm is evil and hence to be escaped."

Homoiousios

Greek word meaning "of a similar nature"

Used by Arius to affirm that Christ was a supernatural heavenly being but not of the same nature as God the Father

Homoousios

Greek word meaning "of the same nature"

Included in the Nicene Creed to teach that Christ was of the exact same nature as God the Father and therefore was fully divine as well as fully human

Hypostatic union

The doctrine that the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ was brought together in such a way that he is both fully divine and fully human

Immaculate conception

Roman Catholic doctrine that Mary was not tainted by original sin, in order that she might give birth to Jesus

Immanent trinity

"The term used to explore and, to an inadequate degree, explain the internal workings and relationships among the three persons of the Trinity. ... Thus the _____ is God-as-God-is throughout eternity."

Impeccability

The doctrine that Christ was not able to sin

Incarnation

The act of God the Son whereby he took to himself a human nature

Kenosis theory

The erroneous idea that Christ gave up some of his divine attributes while he was on earth as a man; comes from the Greek meaning "to empty"

Marcionism

Teaching (originating in ____ in the 2nd-century) that the God of the OT and the God of the NT are incompatible; therefore, there was a rejection of the OT

Monophysitism

The belief that Christ had one nature only (→ Eutychianism)

Nestorianism

The belief that there were two separate persons in Christ, a human person and a divine person

Nicene Creed

The theological confession coming out of the Council of ____ (a.d. 325); teaches that the Son is of one substance with the Father; note that the Creed cited by churches today is usually the revised version coming out of the Council of Constantinople (a.d. 381)

Origen

Theologian and scholar of the early Greek church; defended the orthodox faith; later declared a heretic in a.d. 553 by the Second Council of Constantinople

Ousia

"substance" or "being" (Grk.); according to the Cappadocian fathers, God was one ____ but three hypostaseis

Procession

A term used in trinitarian discussions to articulate how the Son and the Spirit are related to the Father; "generation" or "filiation" is used of the Son; "spiration" is used of the Spirit

Resurrection

A rising from the dead into a new kind of life not subject to sickness, aging, deterioration, or death

Session

The "sitting down" of Christ at God's right hand after his ascension

Subordinationism

The heretical teaching that the Son was inferior in being to God the Father; also called "ontological _____" in distinction from "economic _____"

Cessationist

Someone who thinks that certain miraculous spiritual gifts ceased when the apostles died and Scripture was complete

Filioque

“and the Son” (Lat.)

Internal testimony

The work of the Spirit to bring about human confidence in the truthfulness of Scripture and its message of salvation

Spiration

Literally "breathing"; the term used to describe the way that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son [see "procession" under Christological terms]

Adoption

An act of God whereby he makes us members of his family

Arminianism

The theological tradition that seeks to preserve the free choices of human beings and denies God's providential control over the details of all events

Assurance

Confidence based on certain evidences in our lives that we are truly born again and will persevere as Christians until the end of our lives

Atonement

The work Christ did in his life and death to earn our salvation

Born again

Scripture term (John 3:3-8) referring to God's work of regeneration by which he imparts new spiritual life to us

Calvinism

The theological tradition that emphasizes the sovereignty of God in all things and man's inability to do spiritual good before God

Conversion

The response to the gospel call in which a person repents of sin and places his or her trust in Christ for salvation

Deposit of faith

"The sum total of the teaching of the prophets and apostles about the way of salvation through Jesus Christ, which has been written down in Scripture and is to be faithfully interpreted by the church and its teachers through the help of the Holy Spirit." (Grenz, Guretzki, Nordling)

Depravity, total depravity

_____ is another term for "inherited corruption." _____ or total inability (Grudem) refers to humanity's complete lack of spiritual good and inability to do good before God.

Effectual/effective calling

The act of God whereby he summons people to himself through human proclamation of the Gospel that results in a response of saving faith.

Election

An act of God before creation in which he chose some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure

Faith

Trust or dependence on God based on the fact that we take him at his word and believe what he has said

Glorification

The final step in the application of redemption wherein believers are given perfect resurrection bodies like that of Christ

Grace

God's goodness toward those who deserve only punishment

Imputation

In relationship to our salvation, the act wherein God thinks of Christ's righteousness as belonging to us, and on that basis he declares that it belongs to us, and therefore it does

Irresistible grace

The action of God whereby he effectively calls people and also gives them regeneration, both of which guarantee that we will respond in saving faith

Justification

An instantaneous legal act of God in which he

1. Thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ's righteousness as belonging to us

2. Declares us to be righteous in his sight

Original sin

The guilt and the tendency to sin that all people inherit because of Adam's sin (Grudem uses the term "inherited _____"); this includes both inherited guilt and inherited corruption

Penal-substitution theory

The view of the atonement that holds that Christ in his death bore the just penalty of God for our sins, and did so as a substitute for us

Perseverance of the saints

The doctrine that all those who are truly born again will be kept by God's power and will persevere as Christians until the end of their lives and that only those who persevere until the end have been truly born again

Predestination

Although often used synonymously with election, this term includes not only election (for believers) but also reprobation (for nonbelievers)

Propitiation

A sacrifice that bears God's wrath to the end and in so doing changes God's wrath toward us into favor

Ransom theory of the atonement

The erroneous view that in the atonement Christ paid a ransom to Satan to redeem us out of his kingdom

Reconciliation

The removal of enmity and the restoration of fellowship between two parties; in soteriology, it refers to restoration between humans and God

Redemption

The act of buying back sinners out of their bondage to sin and to Satan through the payment of a ransom

Regeneration

A secret act of God in which he imparts new spiritual life to us; sometimes called "being born again"

Repentance

A heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ

Sanctification

A progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives

Sola fide

“by faith alone”

Sola gratia

"by grace alone"

Soli deo gloria

"to the glory of God alone"

Solus Christus

"in Christ alone"

Vicarious atonement

The work Christ did in his life and death to earn our salvation by standing in our place as our "vicar," or representative

Anabaptist

Refers to various groups arising out of what is sometimes called the Radical Reformation; generally these groups believed that churches of the Reformation did not fully separate themselves from the corrupt teaching of the Roman Catholic Church; a significant teaching was the rejection of pedobaptism and the embrace of believer's baptism

Anglican, Anglicanism

The state church of England that arose in the 17th century as part of the English Reformation; the church's worship is guided by the Book of Common Prayer

Apostle, apostolicity

From the Greek meaning "sent one"; a recognized office of the early church whose teaching helped establish the church

Augsburg Confession

18 articles summarizing the faith claims of Lutherans regarding Christ and his word; written by Philipp Melanchthon (a follower of Martin Luther) in 1530

Baptism

"The practice of sprinkling with, pouring on or immersing in water as an act of Christian initiation and obedience to Christ's own command." (Grenz, Guretzki, & Nordling, 18)

Baptismal regeneration

The teaching that baptism in water brings about the saving work of the Holy Spirit in washing away original sin

Believer’s baptism

The view that baptism is appropriately administered only to those who have a believable profession of faith in Jesus Christ

Believer’s church

The belief that arose out of the Radical Reformation that the church is comprised of those who have faith in Christ and voluntarily gather for worship; this is in contrast to any teaching that the church may be a mixed body of believers and unbelievers

Book of Common Prayer

The service and prayer book used by the Church of England and Anglican/Episcopal churches worldwide; originally written in 1549 by Thomas Cranmer but has undergone numerous revisions

Catechesis, catechism

The process of teaching basic Christian truths to a child raised in the church or to a new convert; typically follows a question-and-answer format

Catholic

Universal or worldwide; used in the phrase "one holy catholic and apostolic church"

Charismatic

"Term referring to any groups or people that trace their historical origin to the charismatic renewal movement of the 1960s and 1970s, seek to practice all the spiritual gifts mentioned in the New Testament, and allow differing viewpoints on whether baptism in the Holy Spirit is subsequent to conversion and whether tongues is a sign of baptism in the Holy Spirit." (Grudem, 481)

Clergy

Those in the church who have been selected and set apart to proclaim the Word of God and to administer the ordinances/sacraments.

Communion

Term commonly used to refer to the Lord's Supper

Congregationalism

A system of church government that assumes that Christ's authority comes directly to those who make up the local body of believers

Consubstantiation

The theory of the Lord's Supper that is most closely related to the Lutheran tradition; the body and blood of Christ is said to be "in, with, and under" the actual bread and wine

Deacon, deaconess

Derived from Greek meaning "to serve"; those who hold this office are appointed to serve the body in various capacities; probably begun in Acts 6

Ecclesiology

The study of the church

Ecumenism

The attempt to seek a worldwide unity among all churches that confess Jesus Christ as Lord

Elements

Refers to the physical symbols used in the ordinance/sacrament of the Lord's Supper

Episcopacy, episcopal

A system of church government in which oversight is given to bishops, while local congregations are led by presbyters, deacons, or priests