Vocabulary Flashcards
1) a posteriori, a priori
These terms refer to whether an assertion is dependent on experience (a posteriori) or independent of experience (a priori). For example, if we can prove the existence of God after observing creation, it is an a posteriori conclusion. However, if God’s existence can be proved on some basis prior to sense experience, then the existence of God is argued a priori.
2) Alexandrian school
A Christian center of scholarship located in Alexandria (Egypt) and led by Clement of Alexandria in A.D. 190 and by Origen in A.D. 202. Influenced by the philosophy of Plato, this school understood the task of biblical interpretation as seeking out its literal, moral and allegorical senses. Alexandrian theologians taught that, although the Bible was literally true, its correct interpretation lay in the moral or allegorical senses more than in the literal sense.
3) analogy of being (analogia entis)
This means that there is sufficient similarity between God and his creation (especially humans) so that observation of the creation (nature or humans) will yield a limited understanding of God’s nature. Some theologians (e.g., Karl Barth) reject completely the use of the analogy of being as a valid theological principle.
4) analogy of faith (analogia fidei)
A principle of interpretation that suggests that clearer passages of Scripture should be used to interpret more obscure or difficult passages. For Augustine the analogy of faith requires that Scripture never be interpreted in such a way that violates the church’s summary of the Christian faith (i.e. the Apostles’ Creed). For Luther, Christ is the analogy of faith, so that Scriptures needs always to be interpreted as testifying to Christ. For Calvin the analogy of faith assumes that b/c the Spirit oversaw its writing, Scripture and the Spirit together interpret other parts of Scripture.
5) annihilationism
Belief that all the wicked will be judged by God and thrown into the lake of fire (Hell), where they will not suffer eternally a conscious existence but will cease to exist.
6) anthropomorphism
A figure of speech in which human physical characteristics are attributed to God for the sake of illustrating an important point. Example, God’s face or arm.
7) antinomy
The bringing together of two principles, statements or laws that, even though appearing to be contradictory to or in tension with one another, are both believed to be true. For example, Absolute sovereignty of God and human free will.
8) Antiochene School
Arose at Antioch in the third to fifth centuries A.D., this school practiced an approach to scriptural interpretation that emphasized the literal meaning of the text. Important figures of this school included Chrysostom, Theodor, Theodoret, and Theophilus.
9) augustinianism
One of the greatest theologians in the history of the Church, Augustine was influential in the development of the Western Church’s understanding of the doctrines of Trinity, sin, predestination and the church. He integrated Platonic philosophy and theology and developed a system of thought which essentially starts with the complete sinfulness of humanity (depravity), and which leaves humans unable to response in faith toward God. In keeping with this, Augustinianism asserts that God predestines those who are enabled to repent and believe.
10) baptismal regeneration
The belief that water baptism effects the saving work of the Holy Spirit in washing away original sin. In Roman Catholicism, baptism (of infants) is understood to confer grace upon the individual, whether or not faith is present. In Lutheran theology, baptism must be accompanied by faith, whether it is the faith of the individual or of the parents, to be effective in washing away sin. Other Protestants reject baptismal regeneration, arguing that it contradicts the concept of justification by grace through faith alone.
11) Chalcedonian formula
The theological conclusion of the Ecumenical Council held in Chalcedon (A.D. 451) on the relationship between Christ’s humanity and deity. This formula confesses “one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only begotten, made known in two natures without confusion, without change, without division, without separation, the difference of the natures being by no means removed because of the union”
12) circumincession
The theological concept, also referred to as perichoresis, affirming that the divine essence is shared by each of the three persons of the Trinity in a manner that avoids blurring the distinctions among them. Circumincession also affirms that the actions of one of the persons of the Trinity is also fully the actions of the other two persons
13) consubstantiation
Most closely associated with the Lutheran tradition. Martin Luther taught that the body and blood of the Lord is present “in, with and under” the actual bread and wine. This was in contrast to the Roman Catholic teaching of transubstantiation, which taught that the bread and wine were transformed into the real body and blood of Jesus upon their consecration by the presiding priest
14) coredemptrix
In contemporary R.C. theology, the idea that Mary the mother of Jesus uniquely participated in the provision of redemption because she obediently became the mother of Christ in his incarnation and co-suffered in his passion by co-offering Christ to the Father as a redemptive sacrifice. Though they do not offer a status to Mary equal to Christ, yet they do suggest that redemption was accomplished by Christ with the free participation of Mary
15) creatio ex nihilo
A Latin phrase literally meaning “creation out of nothing”. Augustine developed the argument that God created the world without any pre-existing materials. In contrast, most Greek philosophers understood the creative act as God’s ordering of eternally existing materials into the present world or universe. They value of this doctrine is that it maintains a clear distinction between God and the created order and also maintains that God alone has eternal status
16) demythologizing
Coined by Rudolph Bultmann, it describes his approach to interpreting the Scriptures. He believed that the modern mind cannot accept the ancient world view of the Bible, which included belief in demons, heaven, hell, and miracles. Therefore, the task of interpretation is to identify the ancient “myths” (symbols) found in the text and replace them with modern equivalents
17) efficacious
A term that describes the ability of something to fulfill the purpose for which it is made or given. In relation to God, we walk of God’s grace. It is efficacious as it is able to bring about the salvation in those to whom it is directed.
18) empiricism
A philosophical theory that assumes that all knowledge is gained through either internal experience (thoughts, emotions, etc.) or external experience (sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste). Empiricism was taken to its extreme by David Hume who stated that a person cannot really know if external things (objects) exist because all one can know for certain is one’s own experience of those things.
19) epistemology
Philosophical inquiry into the nature, sources, limits, and methods of gaining knowledge. In Western philosophy, epistemology has generally followed two main alternatives: rationalism (knowledge is gained through the mind’s use of reason and logic) and empiricism (knowledge is gained through the gathering of information through the use of the inner and external sense).
20) equivocal
In semantics, the term is used to identify words that have more than one possible meaning. in theology a term is said to be equivocal if it means something quite different when used of God than when referring to humans or something else in creation.
21) eucharist
From Gk word “eucharisto” (I give thanks) (or Mass), a synonym for Lord’s Supper.
22) evidentialism
Attempts to give as much “evidence” as possible, drawn from history and experience, to substantiate facts of the Christian faith and to demonstrate its reasonableness in order to prepare a person for faith in Christ by removing obstacles to belief
23) Exegesis; Eisegesis
Lit. “drawing meaning out of”
(Eisegesis:) “reading meaning into” a text
24) existentialism
Any philosophical system that attempts to define what it means to be human in terms of “existence” (How does a human live?) rather than in terms of “essence” (What is a human?) Existentialists generally agree that there is no essence common to humankind but that persons are all uniquely defined by their free decisions and acts. Existentialists tend to elevate personal freedom and emphasize the need to “make” life meaningful rather than seeking to “find” the meaning of life.
25) fiducia
Literally, “trust”. In Latin fiducia refers to the nature of faith; that is, to exercise faith is to engage in trust or commitment.
26) filioque
A Latin term literally meaning “and the Son.” The Western (Latin) churches included this term to the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (A.D. 381) in the 6th century. Originally the Creed stated that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, but the addition of filioque suggested that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father “and the Son.” The addition of this clause without the consensus of the Eastern churches ignited a controversy and became a major factor in the split of the Eastern and Western churches in A.D. 1054.
27) Five ways, the
The five rational arguments of Thomas Aquinas for the existence of God. They are (1) the argument from motion (all things in motion need a first mover – God is the Unmoved Mover); (2) the cosmological arguments (all effects must have antecedent causes, and there cannot be an infinite regress of causes – God is the Uncaused Cause); (3) the argument from contingency (all things exist in dependence on something else, i.e. contingent; therefore there must be something that is absolutely independent – God); (4) the argument from perfection (there appears to be an increasing degree of perfection among things; God is the perfect being); and (5) the teleological argument (the design in the world suggests an intelligent designer – God).
28) foundationalism
A term referring to any theory of knowledge that looks for a starting point or “foundation” on which to build knowledge. This foundation may take the form of an indisputable proposition(s) on which knowledge can be constructed through the use of logical reasoning from the first propositions. Historically, Rene Descartes, a foundationalist philosopher, began his whole system of knowledge based on his famous dictum “cogito ergo sum” (I think, therefore I am). Schleiermacher sought to construct knowledge on the basis of some universal human experience.
29) fundamentalism
An early twentieth century reaction to liberal or modernist forms of Christianity who tended to reject the supernatural elements found in the Bible. Fundamentalists emphasized the historicity of the miraculous events recorded in Scripture, including the virgin birth, resurrection, and the second coming of Christ.
30) glossolalia
A compound Greek word meaning “to speak in tongues”
