God- Key Words

Question 1

Anthropomorphism

Answer 1

The practice of attributing human characteristics to non-human entities. With regard to God it is anthropomorphic to describe God in human terms.

Question 2

Atonement

Answer 2

The Doctrine that Christ’s obedience suffering and death on the cross effected a reconciliation between humanity and God following the original sin of Adam and Eve. Those who accept Christ are thereby redeemed from sin and are reconciled with God.

Question 3

Covenant

Answer 3

In the Bible, this is a formal agreement or relationship. Covenants can be conditional or unconditional. That with Moses was conditional, and could bring blessings or curses on the nation, depending upon whether or not they obeyed the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Law.

Question 4

Ex Deo

Answer 4

Latin, meaning ‘out of God’, as in creation ‘out of God’s own being’.

Question 5

Ex Nihilo

Answer 5

Latin, meaning ‘from nothing’, as in the doctrine of creation ‘out of nothing’.

Question 6

Immanent

Answer 6

When applied to God, means, ‘existing within the space-time universe’.

Question 7

Incarnate

Answer 7

Meaning ‘enfleshed’. The doctrine of the incarnation is that the second person of the Trinity - the Son - took on a human body and nature. He was made flesh by being born in the womb of Mary.

Question 8

Omnipotent

Answer 8

All-Poweful

Question 9

Omniscient

Answer 9

All-Knowing

Question 10

Pantheon

Answer 10

All of the Gods/Goddesses within any particular religious system

Question 11

Perichoresis

Answer 11

Greek for ‘rotation’, used in Trinitarian theology to describe the relation between the three persons of the Godhead, often translated as ‘mutual indwelling’ - so that the Father is in the Son, the Son is in the Father etc.

Question 12

Polytheism

Answer 12

The belief in more than one God

Question 13

Redemption

Answer 13

To but back, as with the ransom of slaves (Exodus 21:8). Redemption is part of the language of the doctrine of the atonement: the suffering and death of Jesus redeems humanity from sin.

Question 14

Salvation

Answer 14

To be saved from sin

Question 15

Salvation History

Answer 15

Refers to the unfolding of God’s plan throughout history to save the human race from sin and death. God reveals himself by means of his saving acts in human history. Just as God came to the aid of the ancestors of the Jews when they were slaves in Egypt, God reveals himself personally through Jesus, so the Bible reveals God’s on-going salvation of humanity.

Question 16

Shema

Answer 16

Hebrew ‘To hear’, in the context of the Shema prayer in Deuteronomy 6:4 ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one.’

Question 17

Transcendent

Answer 17

The idea that God is above and beyond space and time: as opposed to immanent.

Question 18

Yahweh

Answer 18

The most commonly used name of God in the Old Testament. Ancient Hebrew was written without vowels, so the original pronunciation is not known.