| apocalypticism
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The belief that the world will soon come to an end; this belief usually includes the notion of a great battle, final judgment, and the reward of the good.
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| apostle
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One of Jesus' twelve disciples; also any early preacher of Christianity.
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| baptism
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The Christian rite of initiation, involving immersion in water of sprinkling of water.
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| Bible
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The scriptures sacred to Christians, consisting of the books of Hebrew bible and the New Testament.
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| bishop
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'Overseer' (Greek); a priest and church leader who is in charge of a large geographical area called a diocese.
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| canon
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'Measure,' 'rule' (Greek); a list of authoritative books of documents.
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| ecumenism
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Dialogue between Christian denominations.
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| Eucharist
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'Good Gift' (Greek); the Lord's Supper.
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| evangelical
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Emphasizing the authority of the scripture; an adjective used to identify certain Protestant groups.
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| evangelist
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'Good news person' (Greek); one of the four 'authors' of the Gospels-Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
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| filioque
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'And from the Son'; a Latin work added to the creeds in the Western Church to state that the Holy Spirit arises from both the Father and the Son. This notion helped cause a separation between Western and Eastern Churches.
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| gospel
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'Good news' (Middle English); an account of the life of Jesus.
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| icon
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'Image' (Greek); religious painting on wood, as used in the Orthodox Church.
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| incarnation
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'In flesh' (Latin); a belief that God became visible in Jesus.
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| indulgence
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'Kindness-toward' (Latin); remission of time spent in purgatory (a state of temporary punishment in the afterlife); an aspect of Catholic belief and practice.
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| Lent
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'Lengthening day,' 'spring' (Anglo-Saxon); the preparatory period before Easter, lasting forty days.
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| Messiah
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'Anointed' (Hebrew); a special messenger sent by God foretold in Hebrew scriptures, and believed by Christians to be Jesus.
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| Mormons
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A group who consider themselves to be Christians who belong to a perfect, restored Christianity. A branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints.
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| original sin
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An inclination toward evil, inherited by human beings as a result of Adam's disobedience.
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| orthodox
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'straight opinion' (Greek); correct belief.
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| Orthodoxy
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The Eastern branch of Christianity.
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| patriarch
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The bishop of one of the major ancient sites of Christianity (Jerusalem, Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, and Moscow.
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| Pope
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'Father' (Latin); the bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church.
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| predestination
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The belief that because God is all-powerful and all-knowing, a human being's ultimate reward of punishment is already decreed by God; a notion emphasized in Calvinism.
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| Protestant Principle
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The ability of each believer to radically rethink and interpret the ideas and values of Christianity apart from any church authority.
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| redemption
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'Buy again,' 'buy back' (Latin); the belief that the death of Jesus has paid the price of justice for all human wrongdoing.
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| righteousness
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Being sinless in the sight of God; also called 'justification.'
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| sacrament
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'Sacred action' (Latin); one of the essential rituals of Christianity.
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| Sin
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Wrongdoing, seen as disobedience to God.
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| Testament
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A contract; the Old and New Testaments constitute the Christian scriptures.
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| Trinity
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The three 'persons' in God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
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2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education