Theology Terms Flashcards
Agnosticism
A person who believes that nothing is known of the existence of god or of anything beyond material phenomena , doesn’t claim for nor a disbelief in god
Annilationism
The belief that those who are wicked will perish or cease to exist. After the final judgment all unsaved humans and satan will be completly destroyed.
Infallibility
Not liable to decieve: trustworthy unable to fail.the bible is unfailing and completely trustworthy in what it teaches
Universalism
Belief that in the end god will reconcile everyone to himself and gather everyone in followship with him
Sanctification
The ongoing process whereby the holy spirit makes us holy by setting as apart, transforming us into the likeness of christ, and leading us into service to god
Salvation
The spirit’s work in bringing us into full comformity with the likeness of jesus christ. → involves many aspects
Sacrament
An outward and visible sign of an inward, invisible grace. Such as baptism, the lord’s supper, confirmation
Regeneration
That aspect of salvation that is often called “born again” the holy spirit effects a news reconciled relationship between the person and god
Reconciliation
A result of jesus’s mission in which the enmity or hostility between god and humanity is overcome and set aside so that they can have a good relationship
Polytheism
Belief in more than one god or devine being
Paedobaptism
Infant baptism
Monotheism
Belief in one god who is personal, transcendent and immanent
Justification
An aspect a salvation in which we are all declared righteous by god even when we are all sinners
Inspiration
That work of the holy spirit in influencing the authors and compilers a scripture to produce writings that adequatly reflect what god desired with us
Inerrancy (inerrant)
Without error; trustworthy, the bible’s “inerrancy” meansthat the information it provides is accurate to the extent that is neccessary to serve the purpose of the author.
Incarnation
The devinity or deity of jesus christ in which he is god in human flesh
Immanence
God’s presence in and with creation, not a spiritual concept but relational
Imago dei
The “image a god” in humans by which they reflect something of god in a limited and imperfect way
Glorification
The future transformation of saved persons in which we will be like christ in every way
Expiation
An effect of jesus’s death on the cross in which humanity’s sinfulness is collared over and set aside so that reconciliation between god and humanity can take place.
Eucharist
Litterally “thanksgiving”, another word for the lords supper, or communion’ ofen used in sacramental churches
Eschatology
The study of final things - the culmination and consummation of god’s plan and way of dealing with the world.
Depravity
Our inability or powerlessness to remedy our sinful condition by ourselves
Atonement
An act that reconciles god and humanity. Usually applies to jesus’s death on the cross.
Atheism
Deniel of the existence of god or personal supreme being
Wesleyen quadrilateral
The way to understand any form of christian knowledge was to place it in the context of four perspectives: scripture, tradition, reason, and experience.
Tribulation
A seven year period of woes described in revelation and daniel
Theodicy
Explanation of why a perfectly good, almighty and all-knowing god permits evil.
Synergism
Position of those who hold that salvation involves some form of cooperation between devine grace and human freedom (opposite of monergism)
Soteriology
Study of religious doctrines a salvation.
Sola scriptura
Theological doctrine held bu some protestant christian denominations that the christian scripture are the sole infallible source of authority for christian faith and practice.
Righteousness
Quality of god comprising justice, faithfulness, love, and generosity.
Rapture
Miraculous removal of god’s faithful people from the earth in end times.
Protestant
Christian bodies that separated from the chuch of rome during the reformation, orot any group descended from them.
Propitiation
Term used to discuss atonement to describe christs death as an act that calms the wrath of god offended by human sin.
Priesthood at all believers.
All humans have access to god through christs the true night priest and thus do not need a priestly mediator
Prevenient grace
Grace given by god that precedes the act of a sinner exercising saving faith in jesus christ
Predestination
Concept that some or all events are predetermind by god, or that the desires of individuals and nations may also be predetermined
Postmodernism
Every society is in a state of constant change; there are no absolute values, only relative ones; nor are there any absolute truths. Era defined by an attitude of skepticism and irony.
Eternal security
Idea in some christian traditions that those who find salvation through jesus can never lose it.
Penal- substitution
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross takes the place of the punishment me ought to suffer for our sins. As a result god’s justice is satisfied, and those who accept christ can be forgiven and reconciled to god
Pelagianism
Holds that the original sin did not taint human nature and that humans have the free will to achieve human perfection without devine grace.
Parousia
The second coming of christ
Pantheism, and panentheism
God and creation are one. God is all, all is god. Belief that the god interpenetrates every part of the universe and also extends beyond and space and time.
Orthodoxy
“Right thinking” or correct doctrine.
Original sin
The sin that adam committed. Also the concept that all humanity is born into sin because of an inherent sinful nature given to all on account of adams sin.
Open theism
Belief that because god loves us and desires that me freely chase to reciprocate his love, he has made his knowledge of, and plans for the future conditional upon our actions (free with theism)
Omniscience
Knowing everything , having all knowledge.
Monophysitism
Belief that jesus christ’s nature remains altogether devine and not human even though he has taken on an earthly and human body with it’s cycle of birth, life, and death
Monergism
Holds that god works through the holy spirit to bring about the salvation of an individual through spiritual regeneration, regardless of the individuals cooperation, only god has the power to open one’s eyes to his word (opposite of synergism)
Ommipresence
State of being widespread or constantly encountered, being everywhere. No place that god’s power does not extend to.
Omnipotence.
Having unlimited power, typically attributed to god’s potential
Omnipotence
Having unlimited power, typically attributed to god’s potential.
Fundamentalism
Upholds belief in the strict, literal interpretation of scriptere and strict adherence to the basic principles a any subject or displine.
Fideism
The doctrine that knowledge depends on faith or revelation, reliance on faith rather than reason in pursuit of religious truth.
Ex nihilo
Meaning “out of nothing”, the belief that matter is not eternal but had to be created by some divine creative act, frequently defined as god.
Liberalism
Movement that interprets and reforms christian teaching bu taking into consideration modern knowledge, science and ethics
Kenosis
The renunciation of divine nature (in part) by jesus’ incarnation. Giving up of jesus own will to take on god’s will.
Infused
Through keeping the commands a christ, regular confession and penance, and recieving the sacraments, god’s grace/righteousness is “infused” in believers more and more over time, and their own “rightheousness in the flesh” becomes subsumed into gods righteousness.
Imputation
The notion thats because of christ, god counts people as righteous even though they continue to struggle and fail to live as god wishes
Immutable
Not capable or suspetible toe to change (attribute of God)
Hypostatic union
How christians explain the relationship between jesus’ elevine divine nature, and his human nature, and his being.it means that jesus is both fully god and fully human.
Gnosticism
Says that humans are divine souls trapped in the ordinary physical world. Flesh is bad, but spirit is good.
Evengelical
According to the teaching of the gospe lor the christian religion. Belief that the essence of the gospel conssists of the doctrine of salvation by grace alone
Election
God choosing a particular person or group of people ta a particular task or relationship, especially eternal life. Most often gods election is associated with his choice of individuals unto salvation.
Ecclesiology
The study of churches, especially church building and decoration, theological doctrine relating to the church.
Dogma
A doctrine or body of doctrines concerning faith or morals formally stated and authoritatively proclaimed by a church.
Docetism
The doctrine, important in gnosticism, that christs body was not human but either a phantasm or a real but celestial substance, and that therefore his sufferings were only apparent.
Dispensationalism
Kind of biblical interpretation that understands gods plan of salvation for jews as different from his plan of salvation for gentiles. A “dispensation” is a way of working out a plan and “dispensing” something to others (sin this case salvation)
Determinism
Philosophical view that all events are determined completely by previously existing causes. Determined by causes external to the will, implies that individual human beings have no tree free will and cannot be held morally responsible for their actions.
Deism
Belief in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator who does not intervene in the universe or has since remained indifferent to it.
Christus victor
Latin for “christ the victor”element of the atoning work o christ that emphasizes the triumph a christ over the evil powers of the world, through which he rescues his people and establishes a new relationship between god and the world. The victory of god through christ has won over the evil in the world.
Conditionalism
Doctrine that divine grace and immorality are conditional, belief that these gifts are attached to belief in jesus christ only.
Christology.
Branch of christian theology studying the person, nature, and role a christ jesus.
Charismatic
Emphasizes the work of the holy spirit, spiritual sifts, and modern day miracles as an everyday part of a believers life.
Cessationism
Protestant doctrine that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues prophace prophacy and healing ceased with the apostolic age.
Calvinism
Strong emphasis on the sovereignty d god, the depravity of humankind and the doctrine of predestination.
Arminianism
Reaction to the calvinist doctrine of the predestination, asserted that god’s sovereignty and free will are compatible.
Anabaptism
A protestant sect that believe that baptism should only be administered to believing adults, and separation of church and state. Hold that children are not punishable for sin until they can become aware of good and evil on their own.
Arianism
Holds that jesus christ is the son o god, who was begotten by good the father, and is distict from the father.
Credobaptism
Believers baptism. A person is baptized on the basis of his or hers proffession of faith in Jesus Christ abd as admission into a lcal community of faith.
