Unit 1 Test Flashcards
Adoptionism
The view that Jesus was not divine, but a flesh-and-blood human being who was adopted at baptism to be God’s son.
Apocalypse
A literary genre in which an author, usually pseudonymous, reports symbolic dreams or visions, given or interpreted through an angelic mediator, which reveal the heavenly mysteries that can make sense of earthly realities.
Apocrypha
A Greek term meaning literally, hidden things, used for books on the fringe of the Jewish or Christian canons of Scripture. The Jewish apocrypha comprises books found in the Hebrew Bible, including 1 and 2 Maccabees and 4 Ezra
Apostle
Generally, one who is commissioned to perform a task from a Greek word meaning “sent”; in early Christianity, the term was used to designate special emissaries of the faith who were understood to be representatives of Christ. See also Disciple
Apostolic Fathers
A collection of noncanonical writings penned by proto-orthodox Christians of the second century who were traditionally through to have been followers of the apostles; some of these works were considered Scripture in parts of the early church
Athanasius
An influential 4th century Church Father and bishop the large and important church in Alexandria, Egypt. Athanasius was the first church writer to list our 27 New Testament books as forming the canon.
B.C.E. / C.E.
Before the common era (BCE)
Common Era (CE)
Canon
From a Greek word meaning ruler or straight edge, collection of texts (New Testament)
Ebionites
A group of second-century adoptionists who maintained Jewish practices and Jewish forms of worship
Epistle
Designation for a private letter, literary writings in the form of a letter, for general distribution
Gentile
A Jewish designation for a non-Jew
Gnosticism
A group of ancient religions, some of them closely related to Christianity that maintained elements of the divine had become entrapped in this evil world of matter and could only be released when they aquired the secret gnosis (knowlege)
Gospel
When capitalized it refers to the literary genre a written account of the good news brough by Jesus Christ including episodes involving his words and or deeds (Gospel of Luke or Peter)
Heresy
Any worldview or set of beliefs deemed by those in power to be deviant from a Greek word meaning choice (heretics chose to deviate from the truth)
Manuscript
Any handwritten copy of a literary text
Marcion
A second Century Christian scholar and evangelist, believed in two gods a harsh and merciful loving God of Jesus
Nag Hammadi
Village in upper Egypt near the place where a collection of Gnostic writing including the Gospel of Thomas were discovered in 1945
Proto-orthodox Christianity
A form of Christianity endorsed by some Christians of the second and third centuries, believed that Jesus was both human and divine
Torah
A Hebrew word that means guidance or direction but is usually translated to law, law of God given to Moses, Jewish Bible
Autograph
The original manuscript of a literary text, from a Greek word meaning the writing itself
Manuscript
Any handwritten copy of a literary text
Papyrus
A reed-like plant that grows around the Nile used for manufacturing a paper-like writing surface
Scribes, Christian
Literate Christians responsible for copying sacred Scripture
Scriptio Continua
The ancient practice of writing without using spaces to separate words
Textual Criticism
An academic discipline that seeks to establish the original wording of a text based on the surviving manuscripts
Alexander the Great
The great military leader of Macedonia whose armies conquered much of the eastern Mediterranean and who was responsible for the spread of Greek culture (Hellenism) throughout the lands he conquered
Apollonius of Tyana
A pagan philosopher and holy man of the first century C.E. reported to have done miracles and delivered divinely inspired teachings, believed to be god by some
Augurs
A group of pagan priests in Rome who could interpret the will of the gods by taking the auspices
Auspicy
A form of divination in which specially appointed priests could determine the will of the gods by observing the flight pattern or eating habits of birds
Cult
Means care of the gods, normally involve acts of sacrifice and prayer
Daimonia
Category of divine beings in the Greco-Roman word, Diamonia were widely thought to be less powerful than the gods but far more powerful than humans capable of influencing human lives
Divination
Any practice used to ascertain the will of the gods
Epicureans
Ancient group of followers of the Greek philosopher Epicurus who maintained that the gods were removed from the concerns of human life and so were not to be feared or placated. Happiness came in establishing a peaceful harmony with other like-minded people and enjoying the simple pleasures of daily existence
Equestrian
The second-highest socioeconomic class of ancient Rome
Extispicy
A form of divination in Greek and roman religions in which a specially appointed priest would examine the entrails of a sacrificed animal to determine whether it had been accepted by the gods
Genius
A man’s guardian spirit (that of a woman was called luno)
Gentile
a Jewish designation for a non-Jew
Greco Roman World
The lands ( and culture) around the Mediterranean from the time of Alexander the Great to the Emperor Constantine roughly 300 B.C.E. to 300 C.E.
Haruspex
In Roman religion a specially trained priest skilled in the practice of extispicy
Hellenization
The spread of Greek language and culture throughout the mediterranean starting with the conquests of Alexander the Great
Isis
Egyptian goddess worshiped in mystery cults throughout the Roman world
Lares
Household deities commonly worshiped in homes throughout the roman world meant to protect homes
Magic
usually refers to religious practices that are not sanctioned by society at large or by the community in which is referred to as the dark side of religion
Mithras
A Persian deity worshiped in a mystery cult
Monotheism
belief that there is only one God
Octavian
The first Roman emperor 27 BCE -14 CE Octavian was the great nephew and adopted son of Julius Ceasar and a great general who brought unity to Rome after it had experienced prolonged and bloody civil wars referred to as Ceasar Augustus
Oracle
A sacred place where the gods answered questions brought by their worshipers to the resident holy person, a priest would often deliver the divine response
Paganism
Any polytheistic religions of the Greco Roman world an umbrella term for ancient Mediterranean religions other than Judaism and Christianity
Penates
Household deities commonly worshiped throughout the Roman world, thought to protect the pantry and foodstuffs in the home
Plato
Famous Greek philosopher from the 4th century BCE Athens many of whose ideas including the tensions between the realms of matters and spirit influenced Christian thinkers in the early centuries of the church
Polytheism
The belief that there are many gods
Roman Empire
All of the lands conquered by Rome and riled ultimately by roman emperor staring with Caesar Augustus in 27 BCE
Son of God
The designation of a person born to a god able to perform miraculous deed and or to convey superhuman teachings in Jewish circles, chosen to stand in a special relationship with the God of Israel
Stoics
Greco Roman philosophers who urged people to understand the way the world worked and to live in accordance with it letting nothing outside of themselves affect their internal state of well being
Antiochus Epiphanes
The Syrian monarch who attempted to force the Jews of Palestine to adopt Greek culture leading to the Maccabean revolt in 167 BCE
Associations Voluntary
Privately organized groups of people who shared common interests and met periodically to socialize enjoy a common meal and conduct business
Covenant
An agreement between 2 social or political parties used by ancient Jews
Day of Atonement
In Hebrew Yom Kippur the one day of the year when the high priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies in the temple to sacrifice first an animal to atone for his sins then another for the people of Israel
Dead Sea scrolls
Ancient Jewish writings discovered in caves near the Dead sea, thought to be produced by a group of Essenes
Diaspora
Greek for dispersion refers to the dispersion of Jews away from Palestine
Essenes
An apocalyptical and ascetic Jewish sect started during the Maccabean period members of which generally thought to have produced the dead sea scrolls
4th Philosophy
A group of Jews that Josephus mentions but leaves unnamed, characterized by their violent opposition to the foreign domination of the promised land
Hanina ben Dosa
A well-known Galilean rabbi of the first century who was reputed to have done miracles comparable to those of Jesus
Hasmoneans
An alternative name for the Maccabeans, the family of Jewish priests that began the revolt against Syria in 167 BCE
Herod Antipas
Son of Herod the Great and ruler of Galilee from 4 to 39 CE, executed John the Baptist, involved in the trial of Jesus
Herod the Great
Ruler of all of Galilee and Judea from 40 to 4 BCE, allegedly ruling when Jesus was born, known for killing all the baby boys of Bethlehem in an attempt to destroy the infant Jesus
Holy of Holies
The innermost part of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem which was completely empty but which God’s presence on earth was believed to dwell. No one could enter this room except the high priest on the day of atonement to make a sacrifice for the sins of the people
Honi the Circle-Drawer
A first century BCE Galilean who was reputed to have done miracles and had experiences similar to those of Jesus
Josephus
First century Jewish historian appointed court historian court historian by the roman emperor Vespasian whose works the Jewish War, and the Antiquities of the Jews are principal resources for information about life in first-century Palestine
Judas Maccabeaus
Jewish patriot who led the family responsible for spearheading the Maccabean revolt
Maccabean Revolt
The Jewish uprising against the Syrians and their king Antiochus Epiphanes starting in 167 BCE in protest against the forced imposition of Hellenistic culture and the proscription of Jewish practices such as circumcision
Messiah
Hebrew word that means anointed one
Mishnah
A collection of oral traditions passed on by generations of Jewish rabbis who saw themselves as the descendants of the Pharisees finally put into writing around 200 CE
Pentateuch
Literally the 5 scrolls in Greek a term used to designate the first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible also known as the Torah or the Law of Moses
Pesher
An ancient Jewish way of interpreting Scripture frequently used in the commentaries from the Dead Sea Scrolls in which a text was explained as having its fulfillment in persons or events of the present day
Pharisees
A Jewish sect, which may have originated during the Maccabean period that emphasized strict adherence to the purity laws set forth in the Torah
Qumran
Place near the northwest shore of the dead sea where the dead sea scroll were discovered in 1946
Sadducees
A Jewish party associated with the temple cult and the Jewish priests who ran it comprising principally the Jewish aristocracy in Judea
Sanhedrin
A council of Jewish leaders headed by the high priest that played an advisory role in matters of religious and civil policy
Septuagint
The translation of the Hebrew scriptures into Greek so named because of a tradition that seventy Jewish scholars had produced it
Sicarii
a Latin term meaning daggermen, group of 1st century Jews responsible for the assassination of Jewish aristocrats
Synagogue
Jewish place of worship and prayer from a Greek word that literally means being brought together
Talmud
The great collection of ancient Jewish traditions that comprises the Mishnah and later commentaries on the Mishnah called the Gemarah
Zealots
A group of Galilean Jews who fled to Jerusalem during the uprising against Rome in 66-70 C.E. urged violent resistance to the bitter end
586 B.C.E.
Fall of Jerusalem and the first temple to the Babylonians
4 BE
Date of Jesus’ birth
30 BCE
date of Jesus’ crucifixion
50 CE - 125 CE
The writing of the books that eventually become the NT
70 CE
Fall of Jerusalem and the Second Temple to the Romans
125 CE
p52
180 CE
Irenaeus writes against Heresies
367 CE
Athanasius writes the first NT canon list that looks exactly like our own
1440
Invention of the printing press
1517
Martin Luther posts 95 of these on door of Wittenberg Cathedral and begins protesting
