Singer-Towns, Paschal Mystery, Unit 1

Primeval History

The time before the invention of writing and recording of historical data.

Sacred Scripture

The sacred writings of the Old and New Testaments, which contain the truth of God's Revelation and were composed by human authors inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Literary Forms (genres)

Different kinds of writing determined by their literary technique, content, tone, and purpose (how the author wants the reader to be affected).

Figurative Language

A literary form that uses symbolic images, stories, and names to point to a deeper truth.

Trinity

From the Latin trinus, meaning "threefold," referring to the central mystery of the Christian faith that God exists as a communion of three distinct and interrelated Divine Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the Trinity is a mystery that is inaccessible to human reason alone and is known through Divine Revelation only.

Holy Spirit

The Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the personal love between the Father and the Son, who inspires, guides, and sanctifies the life of believers.

Sacred Tradition

Tradition comes from the Latin tradere, meaning "to hand on." Sacred Tradition refers to the living process of passing on the Gospel message. It began with the oral communication of the Gospel by the Apostles, was written down in Sacred Scripture, and is interpreted by the Magisterium under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Both Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture have their common source in the revelation of Jesus Christ and must be equally honored.

Angel

Based on a word meaning "messenger," a personal and immortal creature with intelligence and free will who constantly glorifies God and serves as a messenger of God to humans to carry out God's saving plan.

Soul

Our spiritual principle, it is immortal, and it is what makes us most like God. Our soul is created by God. It is the seat of human consciousness and freedom.

Original Holiness

The original state of human beings in their relationship with God, sharing in the divine life in full communion with him.

Original Justice

The original state of Adam and Eve before the Fall, a state of complete harmony with themselves, with each other, and with all of creation.

Original Sin

From the Latin origo, meaning "beginning" or "birth." The term has two meanings: (1) the sin of the first human beings, who disobeyed God's command by choosing to follow their own will and thus lost their original holiness and became subject to death, (2) the fallen state of human nature that affects every person born into the world.

The Fall

Also called the Fall from Grace, the biblical Revelation about the origins of sin and evil in the world, expressed figuratively in the account of Adam and Eve in Genesis.

Concupiscence

The tendency of all human beings toward sin, as a result of Original Sin.

Etiology

A story that explains something's cause or origin.

Satan

The fallen angel or spirit of evil who is the enemy of God and a continuing instigator of temptation and sin in the world.

Parousia

The second coming of Christ as judge of all the living and the dead, at the end of time, when the Kingdom of God will be fulfilled.

Temptation

An invitation or enticement to commit an unwise or immoral act that often includes a promise of reward to make the immoral act seem more appealing.

Adám

The word adam is used in the Bible to mean both "a human" and "humankind."

Anthropomorphic / Anthropomorphize

Attributing human characteristics or qualities to objects, animals, or gods.

Chaos/Cosmos

Absolute Disorder / Ordered Beauty

Cosmology

The study of the universe as a totality; theory of the origin and structure of the universe.

Ex Nihilo

Latin, lit.: "out of nothing."

Imago Dei

Latin: "in the image of God."

Immanent

Remaining within; indwelling; inherent.

Transcendent

Going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing; exceeding.

Protoevangelium

A term that means "the first gospel," which is found in Genesis 3:15, when God revealed he would send a Savior to redeem the world from its sins.

Literal Sense

A form of biblical interpretation that considers the explicit meaning of the text. It lays the foundation for all other senses of the Scriptures.

Spiritual Sense

A form of biblical interpretation that goes beyond the literal sense to consider what the realities and events of the Scriptures signify and mean for salvation.

Paschal Mystery

The work of salvation accomplished by Jesus Christ mainly through his Passion, death, Resurrection, and Ascension.

Polytheism

The belief in many gods

Circumcision

The act, required by Jewish law, of removing the foreskin of the penis. Since the time of Abraham it has been a sign of God's covenant relationship with the Jewish people.

Patriarch

The father or leader of a tribe, clan, or tradition. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were the patriarchs of the Israelite people.

Theophany

God's manifestation of himself in a visible form to enrich human understanding of him. An example is God's appearance to Moses in the form of a burning bush.

Torah

A Hebrew word meaning "law," or, "instruction," referring to the first five books of the Old Testament.

Ark of the Covenant

A sacred chest that housed the tablets of the Ten Commandments. It was placed within the sanctuary where God would come and dwell.

Confederation

an alliance of tribes or nations with no central authority

Judges

The eleven men & one woman, who served the Hebrew people as tribal leaders, military commanders, arbiters of disputes, & enliveners of faith, during difficult periods.

Prophets

During the time of the monarchy in Israel, these people "spoke" for God.

Monarchy

A government or a state headed by a single person, like a king or queen. As a biblical term, it refers to the period of time when the Israelites existed as an independent nation.

New Covenant

The covenant or law established by God in Jesus Christ to fulfill and perfect the Old Covenant or Mosaic Law. It is a perfection here on earth of the Divine Law. The law of the New Covenant is called a law of love, grace, and freedom. The New Covenant will never end or diminish, and nothing new will be revealed until Christ comes again in glory.

tetragrammaton

four Hebrew letters usually transliterated as YHWH

Anamnesis

A strong or powerful remembrance that makes a person or action really truly present