Vocabulary Flashcards
Theology
Theology is the discipline of speaking faithfully about God.
Christian Doctrine
A set of beliefs held and taught by the Church.
Dogma
Christian teachings at the highest level of authority and trustworthiness shared across Christian communities.
Orthodoxy
Right Christian belief.
Heresy
Teachings that distort and depart from accepted doctrine or scripture.
Apostolic
Relating to the teaching of the New Testament or the church as the New Testament describes.
Canon
Officially accepted books of the Bible (Scripture).
General Revelation
Refers to God’s self-disclosure in creation and in the human conscious.
Special Revelation
Refers to God’s specific self-revelation in the history of Israel, the incarnation of Jesus Christ, and Scripture. Often described as the “Word of God.”
Inspiration
Refers to the spirit’s work as the author of the Scriptures. (past tense)
Illumination
Refers to the ways that the Spirit continues to work in and with God’s people, as readers of Scripture, to help us understand and be faithful to what we read. Sometimes referred to as “revelation” in lay language.
Interpretation
Involves Biblical hermeneutics, which is the study of the principles of interpretation concerning the Scriptures.
Exegesis
Critical explanation or interpretation of a text; proper hermeneutics which attempts to draw out what the text is saying.
Eisegesis
Represents a poor hermeneutical process which attempts to read into the text what is already thought.
Trinitarian Theology
Study of the Godhead or Trinity.
Trinity
Literally means three in one; refers to the whole Godhead, one God who exists eternally and three co-equal persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
Adoptionism
Heresy which denies the co-equality of the Godhead. It is a form of subordinationism.
Modalism
Heresy which denies the personhood of the Godhead. “Masks” God puts on.
Arianism
Heresy which denies the deity of Jesus. Teaches Jesus was God‘s first and greatest creature of creation.
Theological Anthropology
The study of humanity as they relate to God; in particular what it means to be made in the Imago Dei or image of God.
Redemption
God’s restorative process back to original intent.
Nuclear Family
A husband and wife and their dependent children living in one household together form the basic core unit of all civil society.
Extended Family
All the descendants of a common ancestor.
Spiritual Family
The family of God or the “household of God.”
Marriage
The union of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.
Hamartiology
The study of sin and it’s corresponding effects.
Hamartia
Greek archery term meaning “miss the mark;” refers to sin or not meeting God‘s perfect standard.
Original Sin
The theological idea that sin has altered all of creation, including the nature of human beings from birth.
Imputed Sin
The theological idea that Adam’s sin is credited to not just him, but all of humanity. It is the idea that not only do we now have sinful nature‘s, but we share in the guilt of Adam’s sin from birth and therefore share in the penalty.
Personal Sin
These are the sins committed by our own choosing through thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, and actions.
Iniquity
A category of personal sin involving inward motivations, attitudes, and issues of the heart.
Transgressions/Trespasses
A category of personal sin involving outward movement, actions, and behavior.
Christology
The study of the person of Jesus Christ.
Incarnate
God embodied in the flesh; in human form.
Virgin Birth
Doctrine of traditional Christianity that Jesus Christ had no natural father but was conceived by Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Duel Nature of Christ
Theological idea that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human.
