Terms for REL 102: Understanding Christianity
You are responsible for learning all the terms in this list as they are used in class or appear in the assigned readings throughout the
semester. Look in the textbook(s) for definitions or explanations. Use also other sources listed in the syllabus as well as resources in the
library or on the Web.
Pay attention to the use of these words in your readings and in class. Never be afraid to ask me or others what a term means (but do the
research yourself first).
N.B.:
Terms in yellow may be on the midterm exam.
In addition, terms in green may be on the final exam.
Last updated 29 Feb. 2016.
AD
Abraham
Adam
adoption
adoptionism
Advent
agape
Alexander the Great
Alexandria
Alexandrian school
allegory
Anabaptism
anachronism
anagogical
analogy of being
angel
Anglicanism
Anselm
anthropomorphism
anti-Christ
antinomianism
Antioch
Antiochene school
apocalyptic
Apocrypha
Apollinarius
apologetics
apophatic
apostasy
apostle
Apostles’ Creed
apostolic
apostolic era
apostolic tradition
apotheosis
Aquinas, Thomas
argument from design
Arian controversy
Arianism
Aristotelianism
Arius
Arminianism
Athanasius
atheism
atonement
Augustine of Hippo
baptism
Baptists
Barth, Karl
BC
BCE
Bible
biblical theology
bibliolatry
bishop
black theology
Byzantium
Byzantine
Byzantine theology
Calvin, John
Calvinism
Canaan
canon
Cappadocian Fathers
cardinal virtues
Cartesianism
catechism
catholic
(Roman) Catholic
Catholic Reformation
(Roman) Catholicism
CE
Chalcedonian definition
charismatic
Charlemagne
Christ
Christ of faith
Christendom
Christian
Christianity
Christmas
christocentricity
christological titles
Christology
church
communication of
attributes
communion
conciliarism
confession
conservative view of the
Bible
Congregationalism
Constantine
Constantinople
consubstantiation
cosmological argument
Council of Trent
Counter-Reformation
covenant
creatio ex nihilo
creed
crucifixion
Crusades
Dark Ages
David
deacon
deification
Deism
demythologization
denomination
deuterocanon(ical)
dialectical theology
disciple
Dispensationalism
ditheism
Docetism
Donatism
Donatist controversy
dual-source theory of
theology
dualism
Easter
ecclesiology
ecumenism
eisegesis
election
empiricism
Enlightenment
Enlightenment rationalism
Epiphany
Erasmus
eschatology
Essenes
Eucharist
evangelical(ism)
Eve
ex nihilo
ex opera operantis
ex opere operato
exclusivism
exegesis
exemplarist Christology
exile
existentialism
Exodus
experience
faith
(the) fall
Father
feminism
fides quaerens intellectum
filioque
First Testament
fundamentalism
general revelation
Gentile
Gnosticism
God
gospel
Gospel(s)
grace
Great Awakening
Great Schism
Hades
heaven
Hebrew Bible
hell
Hellenism
Hellenist
hellenistic
henotheism
heresy
hermeneutical circle
hermeneutics
heterodoxy
historical Jesus
historical theology
holy communion
Holy Roman Empire
Holy Spirit
Holy Week
homoousios
homoiousios
humanism
hypostatic union
icon
iconoclasm
iconoclastic controversy
Idealism
imago Dei
imitatio Christi
imitatio Dei
immaculate conception
immanence
impassibility
incarnation
inclusivism
inerrancy
infallibility
INRI
inspiration
invisible church
Israel
Jerusalem
Jesus (of Nazareth)
Jew
Judaism
justification
justification by faith
Kant(ian)
kenoticism
kerygma
kerygmatic Christ
King James Version
kingdom of God
knowledge
Last Supper
law
lectionary
Lent
Liberal Protestantism
liberal view of the Bible
liberalism
liberation theology
limbo
limited atonement
literal
liturgy
Locke, John
logos
Logos-Christology
Lord
Lord’s Prayer
Lord’s Supper
Luther, Martin
Lutheranism
magisterium
Marcion
Marxism
Mary
mass
medieval
medieval theology
memorialism
Messiah
metaphor
Methodism
Middle Ages
modalism
modernism
monasticism
monolatry
monophysitism
monotheism
Moses
mystical theology
mysticism
myth
narrative theology
natural theology
neo-orthodoxy
New Testament
Nicene Creed
Ockham’s Razor
Old Testament
omnipotence
ontological argument
ordo salutis
original sin
orthodoxy
(Eastern) Orthodoxy
parable
Parousia
particular redemption
particularism
Pascal, Blaise
Passion
Passover
patriarchate
patripassionism
patristic
patristic period
Paul
Pelagian controversy
Pelagianism
Pelagius
Pentateuch
Pentecost
Pentecostalism
person
Pharisees
philosophical theology
Pietism
Plato
Platonism
pluralism
pneumatology
Pontius Pilate
pope
postliberalism
postmodernism
praxis
prayer
predestination
Presbyterianism
priesthood
prophecy
prophesy
prophet
Protestantism
providence
purgatory
Puritanism
Quadriga
Radical Reformation
rapture
rationalism
real presence
Realism
reason
reconciliation
redemption
Reformed (churches)
Reformation
religion
Renaissance
ressourcement
resurrection
revelation
Romanticism
Rome
sacrament
Sadducees
saint
salvation
Samaritans
sanctification
savior
scholasticism
scientific creationism
Scripture
Second Testament
Second Vatican Council
sensus divinitatis
Septuagint
Sermon on the Mount
simul justus et peccator
sin
single-source theory of
theology
sola fide
sola scriptura
Son of God
Son of Man
soteriology
soul
special revelation
spirituality
Stoicism
subordinationism
syncretism
Synoptic Gospels
systematic theology
Tanakh
teleological argument
Ten Commandments
theism
theocentricity
theodicy
theologian
theological virtues
theology
theology of the cross
theopaschitism
theotokos
Torah
tradition
transcendence
transubstantiation
tribulation
Trinity
tritheism
tropology
two books
two natures (of Christ)
universalism
Vatican II
Vulgate
Word of God
worship
Zealots
Zeitgeist
Zwingli, Huldrych
Zwinglianism