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WHAT'S HERE: Many times people will ask me a question or definition, or use a search engine to search for it and ended up here. and I have taken to adding it to this list when they do. This glossary is not restricted to just Christian or just Pagan terms or phrases. These definitions are from my own research in discussion, books and online, often compiled from several sources. |
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| IMHO ALERT: My humble opinions, conclusions and observations are in red. |
HOW TO REQUEST WORDS: If you would like to know about a word or concept that is not on this list, or to request that I expand my explanation of one of these terms, please send me a request by e-mail. Thanks! |
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Common Abbreviations: OT/NT - Old/New Testament, PIE - Proto Indo-European, RC - Roman Catholic,
CE - Common Era, BCE - Before Common Era
THEOLOGICAL CONCEPTS
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Agape (contrast with eros)
This Greek word was coined by NT writers to describe Deity's love for humanity and Christians' love of one another as members of the same faith community.
The Latin translation is usually 'caritas' which is 'charity' in English, and demmonstrates the original meaning of that word as well.
Agrapha
In general, the unofficial sayings of someone.
In specific, the sayings of Jesus not found in one of the four gospels. This actually includes Jesus sayings found in other books of the NT as well as in apocryphal sources, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary.
Allegory
In this literary figure of speech, one thing is understood to represent another in the context of an entire poem, story or book. For example, the book Animal Farm is an allegory of 20th century Russia.
Many of the parables recorded as being told by Jesus were thought to be allegories for contemporary religious and political situations. NT writers often reinterpreted OT allegories as being prophecies of contemporary events such as the birth, ministry and persecution of Jesus. Hindsight is 20/20...can anyone say 'Nostradamus'? This practice, while still employed in the modern RC church, is generally frowned upon by Protestants.
FYI, a metaphor, by contrast, is a very brief allegory, usually communicated in a phrase, or a sentence or two. For example: "I am a bear in the morning." Obviously, I'm a human, not a bear, but in the morning I take on the stereotypical characteristics of a bear, e.g., gruff, grumbling, drowsy from hibernation, hungry, etc.
Amen
This is a Hebrew word meaning 'truly'. It is used anytime to denote agreement, or at the end of a prayer or rite to signal the end of the section and confirm will.
Many Pagans use the phrase "so mote it be" in a similar fashion. Some (like me) also use 'amen' especially when in an ecumenical setting.
Anathema (compare to excommunication)
A person or thing that is separated or cursed.
A person who is anathematized is cast out from the entire faith community, not just a particular congregation or set of rituals. In the Christian church, this would be someone who essentially has been de-baptized.
Apocryphal (contrast to pseudepigrapha)
Although usually considered to be inspired to some degree, apocryphal writings are usually rejected by mainstream religious authorities. Sometimes the word is used to describe secular writing with questionable claims of authorship or authenticity, or an outright falsehood.
The Apocrypha (note the proper case) are the seven OT books included in the RC version of the Bible, but which are omitted in Protestant version. Also considered apocryphal are various early Christian gospels that were not "canonized", or sanctioned.
The word is from Late Latin meaning 'hidden away'. This is interesting because it is not Deity who has hidden the books from the masses, but church authorities, to further define their theology and doctrine, and IMHO not including a text as accepted is to restrict the ability of the parishioners to interpret the texts independently. It is often cults who attempt to make all decisions for their members.
Beginning with Clement of Rome in the 1st century CE, it became a really big deal to have a continuous line of ordination leading back to the original thirteen Apostles. If there is a theological schism, bishops do not lose their ability to ordain. That is how new denominations such as Lutheran and Episcopal can legitimately claim Apostolic succession.
This is the same concept as hereditary witchcraft, and hiving off to form new branches of the tradition.
Blasphemy (mortal sin) (compare to sacrilege)
Thoughts or words that are contemptuous of Deity. This includes claiming the rights and qualities of Deity. It literally means "hurtful utterances".
It is interesting to note that although the last successful prosecution of blasphemy laws in Britain occured in 1977, they weren't repealed until 2008.
Blessing
The pronouncement of Divine favor or holy nature, a praising. The origin of the word is “blood” which may indicate that originally a blessing required a blood sacrifice.
Bully Pulpit
A place of political or social prominence from which one can express personal views. This word has only been in use since the late 1970’s, and is included here because of its inherent religious reference. An example of someone on a bully pulpit is Bono, the lead singer of the rock band, U2.
Cabala, Cabbalah, Kabala, Kabbalah
There are no less than two dozen variant spellings. Cabala is a system of Jewish theosophy and theurgy believed to reveal hidden doctrines within the Old Testament regarding the relationship between an infinite, eternal and mysterious Creator with the finite and mortal universe of His creation by the use of methods known only to initiates. The word literally means “received tradition.” (Yes, the song from Fiddler on the Roof began playing in my head, too.)
This system seeks to define the nature of the universe and the human being, the nature and purpose of existence (ontology). As a by-product, Cabala gave greater meaning to traditional customs and sayings.
Cabala was developed by rabbis, and was formalized in the 12th and 13th centuries by the Zohar and the writings of Luria. It influenced and was influenced by an assortment of Hellenistic, Roman, and Arabic traditions. There is debate as to whether study of Cabala was ever prohibited within the Jewish community, or if it was in fact widely disseminated. A Christian version was fashionable in the 15th and 16th centuries. Study of the Cabala is popular in modern times, especially among orthodox Hasidic Jews, and strangely enough, celebrities such as Madonna. Because of its inherent mysticism, elements of Cabala are also popular in Pagan traditions.
Cabala is essentially Gnostic in nature, and influenced many Jewish and Christian philosophers and theologians as early as the 2nd century BCE. The cosmology of Cabala is dualistic, and comes directly from Gnosticism and Zoroastrianism. It holds that matter existed in the form of six elements (water, darkness, fire, light, air and wisdom) before God created the world. Cabalists also believe that the soul exists prior to incarnation.
Practical Cabala is essentially a form of “white” magic using various forms of the name (i.e., power) of God, as opposed to the names of demonic beings. This distinction itself raises a whole other kettle of philosophical and ontological fish! It is ceremonial magic that focuses on the use of talismans, and is the foundation of modern ceremonial magic such as the Rosicrucians and the Golden Dawn.
Call, Calling
To be called, or to hear the call, is to be led directly by Divinity to the path of enlightenment (the calling), akin to a divine summons or divine invitation. Often a call leads to a vocation of service within a religious community or context, and is a deeply felt personal mission, or strong inner urge or prompting.
The word comes from a mix of words meaning ‘herald’ and ‘shout’. What comes to mind for me is the story of Saul of Tarsus the tax collector being accosted by the voice of God on the road to Damascus.
Cardinal Virtues, Natural Virtues (contrast with Theological Virtues)
According to Scholastic theologians, these are characteristics of which all humans are capable.
Prudence-discretion, frugality and foresight
Temperance-self-control
Fortitude-strength, firmness and courage in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation
Justice-moral rightness in action and attitude
Categorical Imperative, The
A doctrine of 19th century philosopher, Immanuel Kant, a categorical imperative is an unconditional moral law that applies to all rational beings and is independent of any personal motive or desire. Under this rule, one must do only what one believes all others should do under similar circumstances. It is the ultimate expression of the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Catholic (contrast with orthodox, compare with ecumenical)
Literally meaning ‘according to the whole,’ this term means ‘universal, comprehensive, or general’ and refers to the greater body of believers as opposed to a local group. It is antonymous of heretical or schismatic. It also has connotations of an ancient tradition of all believers in a faith, regardless of sect.
The term is also used by the Western (Roman) Church to differentiate itself from the Eastern Church.
Concrete (contrast with transcendent, compare with immanent)
In a theological context, Divinity is concrete when it has a specific form and, usually, a name to go with it. Examples are the Greco-Roman and Egyptian pantheons, wherein Divinity is understood as multiple, discrete forms with individual spheres of influence
Covenant
A formal, conditional contract between two parties who have come together, usually to end a conflict. In Hebrew, berith (covenant) is derived from the root meaning ‘to cut,’ and refers to the dividing of spoils, responsibility, lands, etc within a contract, and also to the ancient practice of walking between the two halves of a sacrificed animal when sealing of the agreement. A covenant can be between humans, and be witnessed by Divinity, or can be between Divinity and humanity or an individual human.
Creed
A concise, formal and authorized statement of the important points of a doctrine or body of doctrine. Often it is a list of the doctrines believed by a certain religious organization. An initiate must first agree to the beliefs of the group.
Popular Christian creeds are the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. A popular Wiccan creed is “the Charge of the Goddess” by Doreen Valiente. Another is the Wiccan Rede, which ends with the oft quoted phrase, “Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, An it harm none do what ye will.”
Cult (compare with sect)
A group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc., usually considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of an authoritarian, charismatic leader. The origins of the word, directly related to ‘culture,’ have meanings of farming, inhabiting and worship all rolled up in one.
Denomination (compare with sect)
Meaning ‘to name completely,’ a denomination is either a value of money, or – as is more appropriate to this index – a religious sect. The connotation is that it is a group of believers that have split off from a larger group at some point in the past, e.g. Episcopal and Methodist, or Gardnerian Wicca and Alexandrian Wicca.
Divine Spark (compare with inner light)
The divine spark is exactly what it seems – a portion of Divinity within that starts something. Some philosophers regard this as the soul, and have various theories about pre-incarnation existence, source, nature and purpose of the soul or divine spark.
In Gnosticism, the purpose of life is to free that spark from its fleshy prison to be reunited with Divinity. This is reflected in the opening passages of the Book of John 1:1-9:
“In the beginning was the word, that is, God's Son, and the word was at God, and God was the word. This was in the beginning at God. All things were made by him, and without him was made nought, that thing that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men; and the light shineth in darknesses, and the darknesses comprehended not it. A man was sent from God, to whom the name was John. This man came into witnessing, that he should bear witnessing of the light, that all men should believe by him. He was not that light, but that he should bear witnessing of the light. There was a very light, that lighteth each man coming into this world.” (underlining added)
In Wicca and most Pagan traditions that divine spark is what makes us each God and Goddess. Eastern traditions such as Taoism, Hinduism and Buddhism call this spark qi or prana. Ancient medical philosophers believed imbalance within the divine spark had a hand in illness. They formulated a doctrine called vitalism.
Doctrine
A particular principle, position, or policy taught or advocated by an organization or institution, such as a church or government.
The word is derived from the word doctor, perhaps meaning professor.
Dogma
A specific tenet or doctrine authoritatively laid down that according to the word origin “seems good”. It is a doctrine or set of doctrines that is seen to be absolutely true with no room for interpretation or variation.
Someone who is dogmatic is rigid and somewhat fanatical.
Literally meaning ‘pick out and gather’, the adjective eclectic means selecting and using what are considered the best elements of a variety of systems.
There is a great deal of criticism, especially from dogmatics and fundamentalists, that eclecticism promotes “buffet religion.” Is there anything wrong with choosing the best parts of a faith system and rejecting the unjust or unreasonable? Might critics deride eclectics because they are jealous?
Ecstasy
Colloquially, ecstasy is intense happiness. In a spiritual context, ecstasy is a state of sudden, temporary paralysis during direct interaction with Divinity, often when acting as a channel or medium.
Ecstasy literally means ‘beyond standing’ and gives the sense of transportation beyond the physical body, which happens in both emotional and spiritual instances of ecstasy. Unlike an epileptic seizure, though, the ecstatic remembers what happened.
Ecumenical (compare to eclectic and interfaith)
A event or writing that is interreligious or interdenominational, and includes or containing a mixture of diverse elements or styles, literally ‘belonging to the inhabited world.’ In a Christian context, it refers to a service that includes or is meant to include all Christians regardless of denomination.
Elements (Natural, contrast with Eucharist)
The basic components of all existence, in the Celtic/European traditions they are Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. They have their own complex natures and correspondences. Some also include Spirit as a fifth element. Alchemists and Ceremonial Mages call this fifth element Quintessence.
Traditional Chinese elements are Wood, Metal, Fire, Water, and Air.
Eros (contrast with agape)
This is the Greek word for sensual, physical, human love. It is also the Greek name of the Roman god, Cupid, the son of Venus/Aphrodite, goddess of love.
Joseph Ratzinger's first Encyclical in his role as Pope Benedict XVI was called "God Is Love."
Eternal Life
Many religions have a concept of life beyond this physical life, although they may have differing opinions of the nature, purpose and evolution of the soul. Eternal life as it understood today is a complete union with Divinity after physical life, wherein the soul or essential self remains intact and experiences the fullest life possible, forever.
Eternal life has come to mean the continuation of the soul or person without physical form. Physical immortality is something different. There is no Biblical support for a belief in eternal life, merely the hope for resurrection of the body and physical immortality. In ancient Greek, Jewish and Christian traditions, the soul is automatically eternal, but it is not the idyllic kind of existence popularized by evangelists.
Eternal life is also an unchanging life that is independent of time, therefore it cannot include reincarnation. (Is eternal life also independent of space?) This is well reflected in the Proto-Indo-European root aiw- which has the meanings of vital force, life and eternity combined.
In researching this term, I discovered that the Elysian Fields of Greek lore, which is also frequently and erroneously equated to the Pagan Summerland or the Christian concept of Heaven, were reserved for those who had attained physical immortality, not those who had died! Similarly, the modern Christian visualization of Heaven is a misinterpretation of the NT's description of existence after the Apocalypse, since no soul will be resurrected until then, if at all, and only to physical immortality.
Faith (Theological Virtue)
Whereas hope is the confidence or trust that something will happen, faith is the confidence or trust that something has already happened or is happening now. In both cases, this belief is not empirical. The roots of the word are also in trust, loyalty, waiting, remaining, continuing, and portend, which gives added depth to its meaning.
For example, I do not have faith in God and Goddess because I have experienced them directly. Although it may not be exactly reproducible by others, enough people have shared similar such experiences that, to me, my experiences are proof. I do not have faith; I have knowledge.
Others, who have not experienced what I have or something similar enough to be generally the same, think I am wrong, and that belief in my wrongness is their faith.
Faith is also another way of saying 'set of beliefs' or ‘religion.’ Sometimes I hear (and use) the phrase ‘my faith community’ as a way to refer to all Pagans in order to differentiate them (and me) from all those of a specific or other religions.
Forgiveness (compare to absolution and justification)
Forgiveness is bestowed by the person who is or who feels wronged by himself or another person. This implies that something is given. In actuality, forgiveness is the stopping of a claim or loan, or feelings of resentment or indebtedness.
The word has been used since before 900 CE. It means "give up completely" or "give in completely."
This is the ability to speak in 'tongues" (a spiritual language). Though common in gatherings of the early Christian congregations, in modern times it is primarily restricted to Pentacostalist denominations.
Gospel
A gospel is anything regarded as true and implicitly believed.
When used as a proper noun it refers to the first four books of the NT: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These writings contain the central tenets of Christian doctrine.
The word origins are not merely the relatively well-known “good story or good message” of godspel. Early uses indicate that it is the reward for good news, or that the good news is about a reward. ‘Reward’ is a common concept in evangelistic circles; perhaps there’s a connection.
Grace is a Christian concept that has traction in most religions. It is simply supernatural assistance bestowed by Deity upon a rational being to sanctify them.
This concept was first defined by an argument between Augustine and Pelagius. Augustine felt that divine grace was required by mankind to perform any good act because mankind alone can only do evil. Pelagius felt that mankind has free will to choose good or evil acts, and divine grace only makes good acts easier to accomplish.
The main theological controveries are around the interaction of grace and free will (see Molinism and Jansenism), and of grace and the reception of the sacraments.
Heresy, Formal Heresy (contrast with schism)
Heresy is a separation from a doctrine of the presiding church. For example, I could be labeled a Christian heretic; but, because my heretical views involve the central concepts that make define Christianity, I can honestly no longer be called any kind of Christian.
Hope (Theological Virtue)
Whereas faith is the confidence or trust that something has happened or is happening now, hope is confidence or trust that something will happen. It is an expectation, and, like faith, does not require empirical evidence. It is the opposite of seeing or possessing.
In its widest sense, hope is the desire and search for a future good that is possible, albeit possibly difficult, and in Christianity, the theological virtue is that God exists and loves humanity and individual humans.
No one is sure where or when this word originated, but it may be related to the verb, hop, meaning to spring up. After all, one’s spirits are lifted by hope.
Humility (Moral Virtue)
Humility in the OT and NT is a tool to remain tranquil through tough times. Considered by Aquinas to be essential to spiritual life, he defined humility as the quality of keeping oneself within one’s “bounds” by not reaching beyond them. This implies not only the existence of a hierarchy of social status, like the feudalism of his lifetime, or spiritual status, like the caste system related to the karma-driven samsara of Hinduism, but its validity. I’m not sure I buy into that.
Humility is a virtue, but it seems rather negative when considering its etymological meanings of lowness, submissiveness and insignificance. Of course, submission to the will of God is one of the pillars of Islam, so perhaps it’s not as far afield as it feels to this headstrong feminist ;-) The word humility comes from ‘humble’ which has its origins in several ancient languages as ‘earth’. Strangely, I always got the impression from the word ‘humble’ of dirtiness, or squalor and poverty.
Hypocrisy
In modern times, hypocrisy is used in a very broad sense to mean criticizing something in others that you do yourself. In a spiritual context, however, hypocrisy is disguising vice with false virtue. A much more serious situation. A biblical example of hypocrisy is the way the Pharisees did good works in order to be acclaimed, not just for “the glory of God.”
The etymology of hypocrisy is fascinating to me. The PIE root is krei- which means to distinguish as if with a sieve or strainer. This led to the Greek words krinein and krinesthai, meaning ‘to separate’ and ‘to explain,’ respectively. Adding the Greek prefix hupo- (meaning ‘under’) in turn led to the Latin word, hypocrisis – which means ‘under explaining’ – in other words, to make a pretense, to play-act.
I think we should refrain from using words, like hypocrite and reprobate, without knowing what they really mean. Just because someone says one thing but does the opposite does not mean they are attempting to deceive me out of wickedness. On the other hand, someone who pretends to be something good when they really mean me harm – that person is a hypocrite! I suppose there could be a hypocrite who is a good person pretending to be bad, but the consequences of revelation just aren’t the same.
Immanent (compare with 'transcendent')
An adjective meaning existing or residing within the universe, time, material experience, etc. as an inner activating spirit or force or principle
Immortality
Immortality is never-ending physical life, not the permanence of the soul. It is the inability to die, or to never stop living.
While immortality itself is not a belief or doctrine of Christianity, it is one of the eschatological subjects of Christian hope. Specifically, Christians do not seek immortality in this life, rather, resurrection by the returned Christ into eternal physical community with him/her after the apocalypse. The Bible speaks of death as an enemy to be destroyed and of “heaven” existing in the physical realm (“in earth”). So, why wait for the Second Coming, eh?
One theory of immortality is reconstitutionalism, which addresses how the molecules of a specific human will at some point be put back together. In Tibetan Buddhism, it is believed that each Dalai Lama is in fact a (pretty quick!) reconstitution of the previous one. Another theory is dualism, which purports that humans are in fact two bodies, one physical (which dies) and the other spiritual, which lives on after bodily death. Both theories raise their own dilemmas.
Impeccability
This is the inability to sin, or as the Latin root says, to go wrong. Many religions assert that Deity is impeccable, and some go so far as to also say their faith’s supreme leader is as well. Christians, well, some Christians, believe that Jesus was impeccable, or without sin.
Infallibility
This is the inability to be wrong (or the ability to always be right?), and in religious circles, usually refers to the preacher or, more often, the Roman Catholic Pope. In a religious context, it’s not that the Pope can’t screw up, rather, the Pope’s interpretation of the Bible and its commentators’ writings is (supposedly) always right. Even more specifically, at the First Vatican Council in 1870, infallibility was defined as the Pope always being able to tell if a doctrine was part of ‘divine revelation or not. So really, a pretty limited scope of rightness.
The literal meaning is ‘the inability to deceive.’ Well, gosh, that has nothing to do with being wrong or right, just with whether someone is expressing what they really believe or not! What if one Pope contradicts a previous one? How did we get from “can't deceive” to “can't be wrong”? I think
Inner Light (compare to divine spark)
This is phrase similar to soul, and it used extensively within the Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers. This concept of inner light refers to “God's presence within a person, and to a direct and personal experience of God” by anyone. This concept also played a part in the development of the doctrine of universalism.
Intention
actual, virtual, habitual
This is a key component of Protestantism. To be justified means to be ‘pronounced just’ by Deity, in other words, to be forgiven of one’s sins. The RC Church held that one could be justified by their faith in God and by their good works; Luther taught justification by faith alone.
I believe works count, and that faith it not enough. To me, being forgiven requires repentance, a sincere desire to undo the wrong, and can only be demonstrated through actions. Therefore, faith is not enough. If forgiveness (justification) happens without works, it is by divine grace not faith.
Love (Theological Virtue)
Also known as charity, love is one of the three traits held up by Paul as necessary for Christian life. There are many kinds of love, ranging from spiritual charity to erotic love to filial piety, from the profound to the mundane, intimate to global. Ironically, in tennis it means ‘zero’ although it originally was meant as ‘playing for love’ (as opposed to competitiveness?)
The word love has been nearly unchanged (linguistically speaking) for thousands of years. Love, lufu, lubo, liaf, lieb, liufs, lube, Liebe, leubh-, libet, lubhyati, l’ubu – they all mean care, desire and affection.
Mental Reservation, Strict or Wide
Merit
Martin Luther and other Catholic Reformers repudiated this doctrinal concept, teaching instead that all human works are sinful. I don't agree that all human works are sinful.
Metaphysics
A branch of philosophy concerned with ultimate realities which are beyond empirical verification, including the relationship between mind and matter, substance and attribute, fact and value. Sub-disciplines are ontology, cosmology and epistemology.
This term used as a proper noun means a specific body of work by Aristotle. Metaphysics literally means ‘after Physics’ and refers to its location within the treatise.
Modern Religion
Mystery Religion
Carrying out the will of one's lawful superior, human or divine, in accordance with chain of command and personal conscience. Most monotheistic paths believe absolute, unlimited obedience is due only to Deity.
This quality is also one of the vows taken by RC monks and nuns.
Literally “the study of being”, ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality in general, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations. Traditionally listed as a part of the major branch of philosophy known as metaphysics, ontology deals with questions concerning what entities exist or can be said to exist, and how such entities can be grouped, related within an hierarchy, and subdivided according to similarities and differences.
Orthodox (contrast with catholic)
This term means ‘following the creeds’ and literally means ‘right thinking or right opinion’. Use of this word inherently compares oneself to those having the “wrong” opinion.
The term is also used by the Eastern Church to differentiate itself from the Western (Roman) Church.
The inordinate love of one's own excellence
Pseudepigrapha (contrast to apocryphal)
This is the practice of attributing one person's writing to another, usually more famous and authoritative. Linguists and other literary forensics specialists can usually tell when a work doesn't match other known examples, you know, "One of these things is not like the other." This is more than just not recognized as part of the official canon of holy texts; this means not being recognized as legitimate sources. These books are essentially fan-fic.
Please keep in mind that this is all about validity of authorship, not the content. Many pseudepigraphical works, like many apocryphal works, are inspiring to readers.
Examples of pseudepigrapha are the Book of Enoch, the Assumption of Moses and the Psalms of Solomon.
A stage in prayer or meditation on Deity. Livingstone writes, "Memory, understanding, and will are stilled by Divine action and the soul left in a state of peace in which grace can work without hinderance." Okay, so now we just need to know what she means by memory, understanding, will, soul, peace and grace.
In a broad sense, recollection is a renunciation of all avoidable dissipations and vices. One is gathered back into the fold, so to speak.
Redemption
The simultaneous "deliverance" from or expiation of sin and the restoration of mankind and the world to communion with Deity. Deliverance is a ruling or judgement that takes something negative away. Expiation is a very old concept and means complete appeasement by faith and devotion in a vicarious sacrifice. Our term scapegoat is an example of atonement for a crime through punishing someone other than the guilty party. The concept of redemption is common to many world religions.
In Christianity, humans were stained with Original Sin since the Fall of Man in the Garden of Edin, and it could not be removed by humans (for some reason I know not). This ultimate soul stain could only be eliminated by a supreme sacrifice, namely Christ's death.
How redemption is achieved is debated within Christianity, however. Catholics believe that human acts count toward redemption. Protestants believe that works count for naught and it is by faith alone that human sin can be forgiven. Calvinists and Jansenists believe that only a select few can be redeemed.
Regular
This word means according to rule, in other words, on an orderly, fixed schedule or in the usual manner.
A regular priest lives in a religious community following religious Rule, which includes when to pray, work, eat, sleep, how to dress, and how to act.
Reincarnation (compare with metempsychosis)
Some theologians, including Livingstone, equate the term 'reincarnation' with 'metempsychosis, which is a magical skill of Hindu yogis. This seems strange to me.
God's condemnation of sinners to eternal punishment; also, the punishment itself. In the doctrine of predestination, God chooses certain humans to be punished no matter what they do in life. A person who has been so condemned is called a reprobate.
Yeah, I don't think it's fair either. That's why I'm not a Calvinist. :-)
Revelation
Revelation is the body of Truth disclosed by Deity; also, the process of Deity disclosing Truth to a human.
'Truths of reason' can be learned; 'truths of faith' can only be believed.
There is a difference in how Catholics and Protestants view the source of divine truth. Protestants believe that revelation (recorded truths) are in the Bible and that's all we need. Cahtolics believe that the traditions of the Church are also part of God's revelation.
Revelation requires prophets to receive the divine knowledge, wisdom, blueprints, etc.
A sacrament is a visible expression of inward faith and grace, that "sanctifies men," in other words, makes people better for having performed it.
Roman Catholics have seven sacraments, although as many as thirty have been proposed. The traditional seven are: Baptism, Confirmation, Communion or Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction ( the so-called Last Rites), Ordination, and Marriage. These seven were made official at the Council of Trent, and have also been accepted by the Eastern Orthodox Church as well.
In the Catholic traditions, you need to have the right 'matter' (objects & tools) plus the right 'form' (words) plus the right intention (will) in order for a sacrament to be valid. This is also exactly what is required of a magical spell!
Three Christian sacraments need only be performed once because they magically transform the petitioner: Baptism, Confirmation and Ordination. Protestant Christian denominations focus most on the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist.
Sacred (contrast with secular)
Sacrilege (Deadly sin) (compare to blasphemy)
Abuse, violation, theft, or willful mistreatment of a sacred person, place or thing. It is an action, not words. It is the improper handling of something, somewhere or someone holy.
When the word was first coined in the very early 1300's, it refered only to "temple robbery". By the end of the century, however, it meant profaning in any way.
Unless the matter is trivial, sacrilege is a grave or 'deadly' sin in the Catholic traditions.
Salvation
Sanctuary
The concept of sanctuary essentially means a haven. Both the words sanctuary and haven have connotations of holiness. In fact, criminals would seek the sSanctuary in a church and invoke the Right of Ecclesiastical, or church, Sanctuary. This meant s/he would take an oath of abjuration before the coroner, and be escorted to the nearest seaport out of the country. No trial, no sentncing, no punishment.
Secular sanctuary is a bit more broad, and criminals often just went to a church for sanctuary anyway. By the mid-1750's, both types of legal sanctuary were disallowed by law. Too many had escaped from justice.
In modern times, and in fiction, one can ask a priest (usually Christian) for "sanctuary" and that means they will not be turned out, and no one will be told that they are hiding there. It does not mean the petitioner will get food, money or clothes, and if they leave to go get food, they'll have to ask for sanctuary again (or sneak out and back in), but it is a respite from flight and persecution.
Sect (compare with cult and denomination)
A sect is another word for denomination, A group of people forming a distinct unit within a larger group by virtue of certain refinements or distinctions of belief or practice. The word literally means ‘following a course’. Sometimes the word ‘sect’ is used in a negative way similarly to ‘cult’
Secular (contrast with sacred and regular)
Something that is secular is in the world of the current era. The word secular shares a root with the French word for century, siècle. The ancient Roman ludi sæculares was a 72-hour non-stop celebration coming once in an "age", which is every 120 years.
A secular priest is a priest who lives in the real world instead of a closed religious community.
Schism (contrast with heresy)
A schism is a separation from the prevailing church in practice, but not doctrine. Essentially, it is going off on your own.
It is interesting to note that because Catholics believe that Ordination is one of those life/soul changing events that cannot be undone, a schismatic priest can still perform th Eucharist, and a schismatic Bishop can still ordain priests, they just wouldn't be Catholics. That's how Luther and Henry VIII were able to start "new" religions that still had the Apostolic Succession that shows pedigree within the Christian traditions.
Seven Deadly Sins
Sin, Actual Sin, Formal Sin, Original Sin, Material Sin, Mortal Sin
Sin is a primarily Judeo-Christian concept. It can refer either to acts in daily life that pull the transgressor away from God (a Roman Catholic worldview called Actual Sin), or as an inherently flawed nature that prevents us from being with God until all are judged (a Protestant worldview called Original Sin).
Mortal sin is a deliberatly bad act by a human to find satisfaction in another created being instead of Deity. It is only so labeled if a 'grave matter', and is punishabled by loss of divine grace and eternal damnation unless repented and forgiven.
Bishop Dennis Gregg, in an address at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Raleigh NC on September 27, 2009, defined sin as "doing what should have been left undone, and leaving undone what should have been done" and that it is the human condition to do so.
Neopagans generally believe that no creature can have (original) sin because we were made by a loving Creator, and are therefore blessed. Neopagans generally reject sin, and thus any need for salvation or divine grace.
Stigmata
Theological Virtues (contrast with Cardinal Virtues)
These are the three “graces” or characteristics infused into the human intellect by the grace of God. They were proposed by Christian theologian, Paul, in his letters to the Christian community in Corinth.
Faith-belief and trust without proof
Hope-belief that something will happen; usually refers to Christ’s Second Coming
Love/Charity-affectionate concern for the well-being of others
Religio-philisophical thought based on a mystical insight into the divine nature of
Transcendent (contrast with concrete, immanent)
Something (or someone) transcendent lies beyond the ordinary range of perception, above and independent of time and space. Most mainstream religions of Earth, and a few “downstream” religions, have a cosmology that includes a transcendent concept of Divinity.
The word literally means ‘climbed beyond.’ The word ‘climbed’ implies a starting point, as does the word ‘beyond.’ That phrase evokes images for me of Divinity as an entity who was once material and became not, like the concept of ascension in the fictional Stargate SG-1 universe.
A function or station in life to which one is called by God, a strong impulse or inclination to follow a particular activity or career, a divine call to service
Sources: Dictionary.com, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Religioustolerance.org, National Endowment for the Humanities EDSITEment, London Telegraph, Jewish Encyclopedia, Wikipedia "Kabbalah", The Mystical Kabbalah, Physical Immortality Now, My Etymology, Online Etymology Dictionary, Philosophy of Religion, Wikipedia "Inner Light", Wikipedia "Forgiveness"
NON -ism DOCTRINES and SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Alexandrian Theology, Christian
The Godhead is shared by Father, Son and Spirit, nearly to the point of tritheism (belief in three separate gods). Jesus' humanity is barely acknowledged. Named for the schools of theology centered at Alexandria, Egypt in the 4th through 6th centuries CE.
Monothelitism and Monophysitism are extreme forms of this doctrine.
Antiochene Theology, Christian
Jesus is more human than divine.
Apologetics, Apologists
Ascetical Theology (contrast with Mystical Theology)
Eschatology
The branch of systemic theology dealing with the fate of individuals and humankind, ‘the study of the last’.
Early Christians had thought the eschatological predictions of the Old Testament would literally come true, and when they did not, began to attempt to interpret the OT as allegories. Because much of Christianity is focused greatly on the Second Coming of Christ, it is an essentially eschatological religion. Adventism is an example of an extreme version of eschatologicalism.
Higginbotham's Theorum of Paganism
All creation is blessed, all creation is interdependent and interconnected, and all creation is capable of a special kind of communication that we call magic. This worldview, as well as the holographic universe (see below), is described in detail in the book by Joyce and River Higginbotham called "Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions."
Justification by Faith (see also Lutheran)
Messalians, Euchites
Monolatry
Moral Philosophy
This is the study of character and conduct as related to religion. It purports that Deity is the goal and reward of human endeavor, and sets out the basic rules for human conduct and the character traits that are necessary and conducive to a healthy spiritual life.
These basic rules are called precepts, and they are obligations like the Pillars of Islam. On the other hand, a counsel is merely highly suggested.
It was first established by the Christian St. Augustine with his description of charity as the prognitor of all other virtues. Thomas Aquinas combined this idea with other Aristotelian ideas when composing his Summa Theologica.
The RC monastic orders of the Jesuits and the Dominicans - rule imposers of the highest order - used data collected from the confessional to find a formula for applying moral theology to individuals.
One element of moral theology is the concept of scruples, which is the unfounded fear of sin where there is none.
A rigid system of moral theology is Probiliorism, followed closely in France and Italy. Milder forms include Probilism and Equiprobilism established by St. Alphonsus Liguori in his 1733-5 three-volume treatise, Theologia Moralis. A scanned copy in Latin can be viewed online.
The reason, you might be wondering, why someone would fear a sin, is that the whole point of moral theology is to create a rulebook for 'right living'. IMHO this runs counter to Jesus' condemnation of the Jewish legalism of his time and proposition that one should love Deity and love self and others. Period. Thus, creating a strict set of rules for right conduct as proof of faith is silly in the extreme.
Protestant Churches tend to reject the need for detailed rules for living a 'Christian life.' They instead present virtues discussed in the NT such as charity, self-control and hope.
Mystical Theology (contrast with Ascetical Theology)
Phenomenology
Predestination
Process Theology
This is the belief that during the Eucharist, the bread and wine actually become the tangible, actual flesh and blood of Jesus.
Regeneration
Resurrection of Christ, The
A central tenet of Christianity, if you don't believe this, you probably shouldn't call yourself a Christian. Basically, Jesus as Christ died, was buried, then came back to life in his body after three days. It is his death that is the vicarious sacrifice that redeems humanity. (So why do some denominations still call people 'sinners'?) But it is his resurrection back to life that makes him touched by God. Please understand, he's not the only one who has ever been resurrected, even by God. BUT, he was the only one to intentionally sacrifice himself first. The Ascension was just gravy.
Resurrection of the Dead
Another central Christian tenet is that, at the "Second Coming" of Christ, everyone who has ever died will come back to life with a new physical body and everything, and that the "saved" will also go to "heaven". It's not clear what will happen to the not-saved. Just new life on Earth? Business as usual? That's billions of people from 500,000 years of human history, different cultures, languages, religions...and how would they live on a planet that is barely supporting the current living population.
In order to reconcile God's foreknowledge with human freewill, 16th c. Jesuit author Luis Molina coined this phrase which means 'mediate knowledge' in Latin. Basically it means that God knows the results of all human choices of free will.
Sources: Dictionary.com, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Religioustolerance.org
ISMS (More Doctrines)
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Albigensianism (Christian heresy)
Anticlericalism
Antinomianism
Deriving from the Greek, meaning 'without knowledge', the common modern understanding of this doctrine is 'holding out for more information.' You know, show me proof and I might believe there is a god.
In actuality, it is a much narrower concept. True agnostics believe that humans are incapable of understanding Deity or anything supernatural.
So, what, they think, 'why bother?' I always thought we were supposed to expand our minds and try to reach beyond our limited understanding of the world... guess I'm not an agnostic.
Annihilationism
Antitrinitarianism
Atheism
Bitheism, also known as Ditheism or Duotheism
This belief structure understands either that God has two equal and complementary (bitheist) or opposing (ditheist) aspects, or that there are two separate but complementary or opposing deities. This term is also used in specific contexts to show the relationship between two deities within a larger pantheon, for example in the Persephone myth, Demeter and Hades are in an opposing ditheistic relationship. The same is true for Ahura Mazda/Spenta Mainyu and Angra Mainyu in Zoroastrianism.
In Neopaganism, God and Goddess are thought to be in a complementary bitheistic relationship. Most Neopagans either honor a non-specific god and goddess polarity, or they may choose to worship specific male and female deity pairs, usually within a polytheistic tradition.
Congruism
Creationism (contrast with 'traducianism')
Determinism
Docetism
Equiprobalism
Evangelicalism, Evangelicalist
Exemplarism
Existentialism
Fundamentalism
Hedonists believe that existence is for personal pleasure.
Henotheists recognize a single deity, and view other Gods and Goddesses as manifestations or aspects of that supreme God. They choose one aspect to worship (often within a family or tribe) while generally ignoring (but not denying) the existence of other aspects or forms of the Supreme Being. Many Hindu and Neopagan traditions are henotheistic. It is commonly held that early Hebrews/Israelites were henotheistic.
"Hén" is the Greek word for 'one'. The term was coined in 1860 by (Friedrich) Max Müller (1823-1900), a professor of comparative philology at Oxford.
Humanism, Secular
A belief in human self-sufficiency.
Hylozoism
Liberal Evangelicism
Liberalism
Mithraism
Modalism, Sabellianism (compare to monarchianism)
Also called Sabellianism after a likely 3rd-century Roman theologian who espoused this doctrine.
Modernism
Molinism
The efficacy of grace has its ultimate foundation in free human cooperation with divinely given grace, and that God knows that humans will cooperate.
Monarchianism (compare to modalism, adoptionism)
Monism
An extreme form of Alexandrian theology.
In monotheism, there is only one personality of God. Some monotheistic gods, such as Allah and Yahweh, have various temperaments and moods, but they are nevertheless considered one being. A notable exception to this is the Three-in-One doctrine of Christianity; Father, Son (Jesus) and Spirit are aspects of God with differing purposes in creation, life management, and judgement.
An extreme form of Alexandrian theology.
Moralism (see Moral Theology)
Mysticism
Nestorianism
Origenism
In pantheism, there is nothing separate or distinct from God, for God literally is the universe. More detailed definitions tend to emphasize the idea that natural law, existence, and the universe (the sum total of all that is, was, and shall be) is represented or personified in the theological principle of 'God'. Unlike in panentheism, there is no creation "plus one."
Panentheism (compare to pantheism)
Panentheism holds that God pervades the world, but is also beyond it. Deity is the inner spiritual essence of everything in the universe, but it exists beyond the universe as well.
Variants of this theology are part of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Neo-Platonic, and transcendental world views.
Patripassianism (compare with Monarchianism)
The belief that God the Father suffered along with Jesus the Son. It was formalized in the 200's CE.
Pelagianism (Christian heresy)
Semi-Pelagianism is a rough mean of Augustine's doctrines on grace and Pelagian's. It was first expressed in the writings of early 5th century scholar, Cassian of Marseilles, and teaches that the first steps toward a "Christian life" are taken by human will, and grace follows later, generally at an unxpected moment.
Polytheism is a belief in a plurality of gods in which each deity is distinguished by special functions. This cosmic family becomes the nucleus of legends and myths and, eventually, of a cosmology that seeks to explain natural phenomena and to establish people's relation to the universe. As polytheistic religions evolve, lesser deities diminish in stature or vanish completely, their attributes being assigned to preferred gods, until the religion begins to exhibit monotheistic tendencies.
Many Neopagans are "hard polytheistics", honoring or worshipping a family of gods and goddesses, or invoking them during spellcasting.
IMHO ALERT - I tend to view the various cultural names and myth cycles as manifestations of one aspect of God/dess, which is considered "soft polytheism". Just as people may ask me to help them analyze their web site, learn a piano sonata, or write a handfasting ritual (very different fields of expertise!), and would likely address me by a different name or title in each situation, so to can God/dess be addressed by a different name that represents the facet of experience you are seeking help or guidance with. I believe it also helps the practitioner more precisely visualize their goal and enter the altered state necessary for connection to the universe for prayer/magic.
Positivism
Presbyterianism
A school of moral theology.
A school of rigid moral theology.
Protestantism
Psilanthropism (Christian heresy)
The belief that Jesus was just human, not God and Man in one person.
Pyrrhonism
Realism (contrast third definition with nominalism)
There are three definitions of realism.
The most basic definition is that one believes ethereal things are not truly real. (Hmm, does this mean they can be ignored?)
Another definition is that one believes only in things that are rooted in fact, and is suspiscious of speculation. My sources tell me Christianity is realistic in this sense, but I have always thought of Christianity as a mystery religion, meaning Christians have faith in something unknown, something mysterious. Christians speculate about God, Jesus, the angels, the End Times, etc. all the time! Or do they? Maybe they are just debating the meaning of the descriptions set down in Scripture. And everyone thinks they're right, so they're not really "speculating" at all. Hmm, food for thought.
Here's the third definition, which is entirely the opposite of the first definition, and is quite within the Pagan worldview. This is the belief that abstract concepts, called universals, have a real existence apart from the people or things in which they are embodied, which are called particulars.
The Romans had inumerable non-anthropomorphized "little gods" called Numina. Each Numen was the "spirit" of places and concepts. Often, their names are also the Latin noun. The adjective numinous means to be filled with or characterized by a sense of a supernatural presence, to be sublime. For example: "The unexpected phosphorescence in the silent underwater cave made it numinous to the lucky scuba divers."
A few of the hundreds of little gods are: concord (Concordia), feasts (Edesia), thresholds (Lima), crossroads (Trivia), the southwest wind (Africus), bread baking (Fornax), night (Nox), truth (Veritas) and childbirth (Candelifera). And the list oges on and on and on and...
Receptionism
The belief that during the Eucharist the bread and wine take on additional characteristics once inside the body of the faithful communicant (receiver), becoming also the actual flesh and blood of Jesus.
Revivalism
A "revival" is a fervent outpouring of faith and praise marked by uplifting and dramatic music as well as intense preaching and prayer. The Steve Martin dark comedy, "Leap of Faith," is all about revivals, as is the Neil Diamond song, "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show." It is evangelical to the extreme, and generally concise in its message.
For some Christians, especially in the southern part of the United States, revivals are regular occurances with guest "speakers" (preachers) who develop their own reputations.
Rigorism (compare to formalism and Tutiorism)
The broad definition of rigorism is the belief that one should deny oneself pretty much everything, be extremely ascetic, and rigidly keep the letter of the law with no interpretation of any kind. It's basically a cult mentality.
Sometimes rigorism is used as another name for the moral theology known as Tutiorism.
This is the belief in the strict adherence to the day of rest known as the Sabbath. No work, sport or payment of any kind can be made on the Sabbath. Strict adherence includes no lighting of fires, no driving of cars or animal-drawn carts, no laundry, and no television or games. Even motors cannot work on the Sabbath!
Some sects mark the Sabbath as evening to evening, others midnight to midnight, on a certain day of the week depending on their interpretation of Scripture.
Sects that keep this rigid doctrine include the Puritan and European Free Church sects, as well as orthodox Jews.
Scholasticism, Scholastic Theology (contrast with Nominalism)
Introduced in the Middle Ages by Augustine, Scholasticism ephasizes understanding reveal truth through intellectual processes.
It was not an effort or desire to have knowledge of faith, but rather, a fulfillment of the implied expectation by Deity to use the brains we've got and not follow something blindly, but obediently. Scholasticism does not replace faith in the Scripture, which is often considered to have more authority that commentary, but to supplement and enhance it.
The pinnacle of the Scholastic movement, and its clearest description, came with the publishing of Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas. It diminished in popularity during the Renaissance, but revived in the late 19th century and is now a central part of RC theology.
Secularism
Belief in order and life principles derived solely from observation, not a belief in Deity or an afterlife.
This term is also used broadly to describe those who ignore or deny the concept of supernatural religion.
Stoicism
Transcendentalism, or Transcendental Philosophy
Adherents believe the principles of reality are to be discovered by the study of the processes of thought. Trancendental philosophy (and literature) emphasizes the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Maragret Fuller are the most noted members of the transcendental movement in the United States during the early nineteenth century.
Sources: Religious Tolerance.org, www.angelfire.com/folk/greenwitch/sacred.html, Dictionary.com, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church
ACTIONS AND PROCESSES
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
The forgiveness of sin by a priest of any rank to those who have performed penance or are sufficiently penitent. This still requires satisfaction of the affront through reparation or restitution in order to avoid punishment in purgatory or another spiritual place of cleansing or penance.
Catholic doctrine is that only one in the ordained ministry can absolve a sin.
In Paganism, absolution can only be offered by the wronged party.
There is a TV movie called "Undercover Christmas" starring Jami Gertz and Tyne Daly. Daly's character said, "I don't think forgiveness is earned; it is given...out of generosity. You need that more than you need to be right....Tell him you're sorry. You don't have to mean it; that doesn't matter. It's the words that count."
This stance is much different than the dictionary definitions given above. The concept of forgiving someone who may not be deserving, in other words, who has repented, is supposed to be essential to Christianity and other world religions. And yet over time forgiveness has become so dear - no, so worthless - that it must be purchased with actions. This requires more thought.
Affusion (see baptism)
A ceremonial way to indicate something is sacred and to infuse the with divine grace.
Apostasy, The Lapsi
Aspersion (see baptism)
Atonement, Expiation
Attrition
Baptism (compare to initiation, contrast with infant baptism)
Baptism is a sacrament of the Christian church, and has analogs in many other religions as well. It is a once-in-a-lifetime blessing of a person with water that marks them as a member of a faith community. Many Pagans call it "saining" (blessing) or "wiccaning". To be "baptized by fire" is an idiom that means to become part of a community through th experience of and victory over a crisis.
There are many forms of baptism, and each sect, tradition and denomination has its preference.
Affusion is the most common in Western churches. It is the pouring of water over the head of the individual, regardless of age.
Aspersion is very rare. This is where water is sprinkled with an asperger.
Immersion is sometimes performed in the Catholic Churches. A part of the body is submerged and the remaining body parts are affused.
Submersion is common in Baptist Churches.
Infant Baptism (pedobaptism) has been part of Christianity since the 200's CE. It was expected after the 4th century.
The NT mentions entire households being baptized together, but since children were viewed differently in NT Jewish society, there is no evidence that the children were included. Since the 1500's, it has been rejected by Anabaptist denominations, and within a hundred years, Baptists also rejected it as not warranted by Scripture.
There is a great deal of controversy over the practice, since an infant cannot willingly join a faith community, and often the parents are not devout believers either. In NT times, a new Christian would be baptized, take first Communion or Eucharist, and be confirmed as a member of the Church all in one ritual. Many Christian denominations are willing to defer baptism until the person reaches an age of understanding and consent.
Bead, Bede, "To Bid a Bead", "Telling Beads"
A bead is a prayer, and soon became the word for the spherical bodies of a rosary or necklace used for counting, or "telling", the beads/prayers.
To "bid" or ask a bead is to offer a prayer.
The Bidding Prayer is a certain Anglican prayer said before the sermon to pray for grace on behalf of the Church and the State. Before the Protestant Reformation, the same prayer was said after the sermon, or after the Gospel reading.
Beating of the Bounds
A medieval English practice taken directly froma Pagan ritual. The original ceremony was a four day holiday called Robigalia, where the people would process through the cornfields and pray for protection against mildew, an agricultural villain.
In the Middle Ages, the priest would lead a procession around the church property, beating the boundaries (and sometimes young boys!) with willow branches.
At Rogationtide today, generally late April or early May, or whenever determined by the local congregation, parishioners fast and pray for the needs of humankind, the "fruits of the earth, and the work of men's hands". The older forms of Rogationtide are being revived in some areas of England.
Bell
A bell is a common part of rituals in many world religions, including Buddhism, Christianity and Paganism. It generally signals the beginning, end or a transition. There are various traditions of how many times the bell is to be struck, depending on its purpose.
The angelus is a bell used in the Western Catholic Church in conjunction with a series of daily devotions (three Hail Marys/versicles and a collect). These prayers were said at early morning, noon, and evening as a memorial of the Incarnation of God in Jesus. Three bell strikes signals each Hail Mary, and the collect is signalled by nine rings.
In Pagan traditions, the numbers three and nine are considered to be highly powerful. In Christianity, the number three likely is a reference to the Christian concept of Trinity.
Betrothal
A betrothal is a promise to marry. This practice was common in Jewish, Christian and Pagan communities.
In Judaism, there are two parts to a marriage ceremony; one is private and the other is public. In Christianity, couples used to become formally betrothed before witnesses, although this has fallen into disuse.
In Paganism, especially traditions derived from Celtic and English customs, the concept of handfasting is a trial marriage wherein the couple lives and is treated as a married couple, but measures are taken to prevent pregnancy. After a year and a day, the couple evaluates their relationship and decides to either go their separate ways with a handparting ceremony, or become married with a marriage ceremony.
Bibliolatry
The excessive veneration of the literal text of the Scriptures. It is part of some Protestant forms of Christianity.
Taken in its literal sense, the adoration of a book, it can be applied to the Fundamentalist branch of nearly any religious tradition.
There are always those that can't see the forest for the trees.
Black Mass
Banns of Marriage
This is a religious custom within the Anglican Communion. The names of the couple-to-be are published for the three preceding Sundays during the regular Church service, and a request is made during the marriage ceremony itself for any objections to the marriage. The intent is to prevent consanguinity.
The legality regarding genetics is nowadays determined by the place who issues the marriage license, and there are laws prohibiting the marriage of certain degrees of relation. These laws can be remarkably liberal!
I still include it in the weddings I perform because it is another chance for the couple to change their mind. An awkward moment is well worth if it saves one or both parties froma lifetime of unhappiness. Also, since I am acting as an officer of the State, and only the couple was present when obtaining the marriage license, this gives an opportunity for legitimate prior claims to be announced.
Catachesis, Catechism, Catechist, Catechumen
In the RC church, the bishop lightly slaps the newly confirmed person. I have no idea what the significance of this is, but I would love to find out!
A short spoken chant or rhyme that is intended to have a specific effect. Sometimes the charm is used to charge a physical object, hence the common term for a small pendant that has meaning, as in "charm bracelet." (Also see talisman)
To circle means to gather for ritual. As a place, it is where people gather for ritual.
In many Neo pagan religious traditions (or "trads") the concept of gathering in a circle is the equivalent of a Jew or Christian sitting in pews. Shakers (a Christian denomination) also worshipped in the round. Open circles are generally considered to be open to the Pagan-friendly public, rather than a closed circle, also known as a coven, wherein members must be personally invited or petition for membership.
A circle of protection is also used during Ceremonial Magic and other magical systems such as Wicca and shamanism. The idea that a religious or magical circle can be "open" or "soft", or "closed" or "hard", depends on whether or not the witch or priest/ess-in-charge decides if and how people can enter/depart once the circle has been cast. To avoid confusion, the terms "soft" and "hard" are more often used to describe the nature of the protective boundary of a religous or magical circle.
Comprecation (compare to intercession)
A concept that may be foreign to any, comprecation means either asking a saint to ask God to do something, or asking God to ask a saint to do something for you. Either way, the petitioner is not directly asking the entity they really want the help from.
Paganism and early Christianity both emphasize a close relationship between human and Deity which eliminates the need for this spiritual telephone game.
Consecrate
Contemplation (contrast with meditation)
The act of thinking about a single topic in a logical way. It can be a spiritual topic or not. Either way, it is not a casual thought, rather it is deep thought.
The word comes from the Latin meaning "to prepare for temple augury".
Contrition
Dulia (contrast with iatria)
Veneration of created beings of a sacred character, i.e., RC saints.
Euthanasia
Excommunication (compare with anathema)
Exclusion from worship and sacraments. The essential belonging to the faith community is retained.
Exegesis
This is the very important process of interpreting a text to explain either what the author meant, or to apply the author’s meaning to a contemporary situation. This, of course, is sometimes open to wide differences of opinion depending on the interpreter’s upbringing, experience and goals.
The word origin means ‘to lead or guide out’ with the connotation that one leads or guides by drawing something out (of the text). Interestingly enough, the PIE root means ‘to seek out’ which is a personal act toward comprehension, not the received wisdom of others that it often means today.
Exorcism
Graffiti
Human Act
A moral theology term. A free, voluntary, knowledgeable and aware action of a human. Only a human act can be morally judged as worthy of praise or blame.
IMHO I think this is the basis of the American legal system.
Iatria (contrast with dulia)
Adoration of Deity through sacrifice, prayer, and praise.
It is also the name of a chain of day spas. Can you believe it?
Immersion (see baptism)
Immolation
Infant Baptism (see baptism)
Intercession, Intercede (compare to comprecation)
This is the process of praying on behalf of other people. When someone is "added to the prayer list", those who pray are interceding for that person.
In the Roman Catholic tradition, a priest intercedes for the congregation. In Protestant traditions, the congregation prays aloud together, generally from a prayer book. Customs are diffusing in modern times.
Meditation (contrast with contemplation)
Meditation is mental prayer which rambles from spiritual subject to spiritual subject in order to deepen spiritual insight and stimulate a change in a person's intentions and feelings through devout reflection on a single chosen theme.
Meditation produces an altered state of consciousness that is measurable.
Zen Buddhist transcendental meditation attempts to clear the mind of all thought and simply exist.by repeating a verbal chant or mantra, you know, "OHM...OHM..." If done often, the hope is that with the body relaxed, the mind can transcend the body and reach the state of enlightenment called Nirvana, the union of Atman (soul) and the Brahma (creative & sustaining principle, Deity) and an end to the cycle of personal reincarnation.
The ability to jump into another body for the purpose of extending life, or preventing death. Hindu yogis are reputed to be able to accomplish this.
Missions
Ordination (contrast with lay)
Pilgrimage
Prayer
A prayer is a specially worded form of communication with Deity or another venerated entity for the purpose of requesting something for oneself (petition) or on behalf of someone else (intercession), to indicate adoration of or supplication to Deity/entity, or to give thanks. Some prayers are formulaic, such as children's bedtime prayers, the Holy Rosary prayer, or the Lord's Prayer. Other prayers are more free-form and emotionally based, but generally still use a form of speech that is only used for prayer.
Affective prayer is a more advanced kind of prayer, where prayer is less an intellectual exercise and more an imaginative one. The soul-self is using directed will to unite with Deity.
Prayer is the verbal component of magical spell work.
SPECIAL NOTE: Prayer was suggested by Jesus to be said alone in private. He eschewed public, demonstrative, verbose prayer.
Prophecy
Propitiation
Proselyze
The act of making material amends for damage done to another, it is an attempt to "repair" the damage. Restitution is a similar concept but is generally restricted to the restoration of rights to a wronged party, whether societal or property rights.
These concepts are part of moral theology.
This is way more than saying you're sorry. To repent is more than a simple action; it is a process.
First you must recognize your act as evil, condemn it and hate it in your heart. Then comes the sorrow for both your action itself, and its effects. You must confess your wrongdoing to someone else. Finally, you must intend and try to make amends through reparation or restitution. To repent, you do not need to make perfect amends.
Retreat
A period of days spent in silence, meditation and religious activity. They were recognized in as a formally recognized R.C.C. form of religious devotion.
Ritual
The words of a liturgy. More commonly, the word "ritual" is used as a synonym for the whole liturgy, both wrods and actions.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, "ritual" was often used as a derogatory term by non-RCs. Even today, there is a slight negative connotation to the word "ritual" that gives it a sense of superstition rather that serious intent or worship.
Rosary Prayer (Roman Catholic)
As a process, the Roman Catholic Rosary, or "saying the Rosary", is a devotional or meditational tool. It is the recitation of "the Twenty Mysteries". Each Mystery is a series of prayers. One recites the following set of prayers five times, once for each Mystery you will be saying. It is okay to perform five decades a day, or all twenty.
Pope John Paul II recommended that certain sets of Mysteries be said on specific days of the week, and I see direct correlations with the traditional patrons and auspicious acts of each day.
Joyful Blessed Virgin Mary Mondays, plus Sundays from Advent to Lent The Moon is the symbol of the feminine divine. Luminous Acts with water or cloud Thursdays Thor/Jupiter was protector of the world, and ruler of rain (water) and clouds Sorrowful Jesus' torture and crucifixion, endured for love of humanity Tuesdays and Fridays, plus daily during Lent Tyr/Mars and Freya/Venus are the patrons of war and love Glorious Messengers and Prophecies Wednesdays, plus Sundays from Easter to Advent Mercury/Gabriel is the messenger between the gods and humanity Saturday is not included unless "daily" is recommended. It seems that this then is the spiritual sabbath, not Sunday. Here, too, is a correlation to the day's patron, Saturn, the patron of endings and homes.
Devotions are not prescribed for Sunday, the day of the Sun/Son, during the season of Lent because the Sun/Son was hidden while Satan tempted him with food (he had been fasting for nearly two months) and rulership of the world, and, according to the great film The Last Temptation of Christ, a normal mortal life.
To keep track of where you are in the series, simply move your fingers to the next bead. Click here to download a large diagram of the rosary beads.
Lord's Prayer O My Jesus Hail Mary (Ave Maria) Gloria Patri (Glory to God) Before beginning the decades, it is customary to say the Apostle's Creed, the verbalize the mystery of the BVM by saying a Hail Mary for each of the virtues Faith, Hope and Charity, and add any personal prayers you have to offer. Then say a Gloria Patri and an O My Jesus. The Creed is spoken 'on' the Crucifix. There are beads for each Lord's Prayer and Hail Mary. The Gloria Patri and the O My Jesus are spoken in the spaces before and after the Lord's Prayer bead.
During the decades, one allows the repetitive prayers to create an altered state where one verbally announces then meditates on the sequence of twenty events in Our Lord and Our Lady's lives. (No, I didn't add the "Our Lord and Our Lady"! That's what Catholics call Jesus and Mary - honest!)
The Joyful Mysteries 1st Decade The Annuncation (when Gabriel told Mary she carried a divine child) 2nd The Visitation (when the pregnant Mary visted Elizabeth, the menopausal mother of John the Baptist) 3rd The Nativity (Mary gives birth to Jesus) 4th The Presentation in the Temple (Jesus' "time of purification") 5th The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (when Jesus walked off from his parents and started questioning and debating with the rabbis) The Luminous Mysteries 6th Christ's Baptism in the Jordan (the Spirit/Powers of God descended on Jesus)
7th The Miracle at Cana (Jesus turns water to wine)
Rev. Su has an opinion about this event.8th Jesus Proclaims the Kingdom (it's here and now, so be good for goodness' sake!) 9th The Transfiguration (Peter and the Zebedees woke up to see Jesus glowing and talking to Moses and Elijah) 10th The First Eucharist (the seder before his crucifixion) The Sorrowful Mysteries 11th The Agony in the Garden (Judas points out Jesus to the Roman police) 12th The Scouring at the Pillar (Jesus was whipped 39 times) 13th The Crowning with Thorns (um...) 14th The Carrying of the Cross (Jesus carried the 6-foot crossbar and staggered the half-mile to Golgatha on winding streets filled with aggressive bystanders with the help of Simon of Cyrene.) 15th The Crucifixion (Jesus is stripped, then tied and nailed to the post and crossbar and left to suffocate) The Glorious Mysteries 16th The Resurrection (The tomb is empty) 17th The Ascension (After 40 days of living and teaching, Jesus is lifted up on a cloud) I would interpret this as Jesus leaving the planet in a space ship to go live on Nibiru. 18th The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Jesus asked the roughly one hundred twenty disciples to witness to the world. This is NOT the Pentacost) 19th The Assumption (A pregnant woman in a flying boat is defended by Michael and other angels from a dragon seeking to kill the boy she bears, who is the prognitor of a nation of Christians) I don't get how this is Mary... I would interpret this as the planet Nibiru destorying Tiamat durihortly after the formation of the Sol system. 20th The Coronation of the BVM (the pregnant woman was wearing a crown of twelve stars) I would interpret this as being one of the Nibiru surrogate mothers of humanity, the kinswomen of Eve/Anu.
After completing the decades, reciting one of the following prayers is customary:
O God, Whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech You, that, meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin May, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.
"Hail, Holy Queen"
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee we do send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in the valley of tears. Turn then, O most gracious advocate, thine mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement! O loving! O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
It is interesting to note that this last prayer has a Gnostic tinge to it in the phrase "this our exile".
It is also interesting to note that among the Fifteen Promises of Mary to Christians Who Recite the Rosary is the promise that devotion to the rosary is a great sign of predestination. Predestination? That sounds pretty Calvinist to me!
This is the rosary prayer I wrote as a starter to those in the Pagan community who would like to pray with beads. Being the individualists Pagans tend to be, it has of course been rewritten many times, and will continue to be, I am sure ;-)
This is the giving of a gift to Deity, usually a living gift. Throughout history, gifts of animals to Deity were common, especially for divination, or at certain holidays. They were slaughtered either on the altar, or on holy ground. A sacrificial gift is also usually valuable, the "fattest calf".
Modern interpretations of a sacrifice are of praise and thanksgiving in prayer and song, and of conscious obedience to Deity's will.
Sacrifice in the form of abstinence is also part of the Christian season of Lent, and often is reflected in the tradition of making a New Year's Resolution.
Spell (compare with sacrament)
A ritual of varying length that incorporates visualization of desire, a focus of will, and a method of transmission to the physical universe and/or Deity.
The inherent power, timing and duration of a spell can be supplemented by various correspondences to seasons, days, planets, elements, Zodiac signs, and through the use of relics or tools.
Submersion (see baptism)
A sacramental rite or mystery which allows the performance of miracles with supernatural assistance
Veneration is the act of seeking goodwill from someone or something in order to get what you desire. The word is directly relatd to Venus, the goddess of love, friendship and desire.
Synonyms are worship, exalt and hallow.
As early as 5500 BCE, the Chinese were venerating their ancestors through including useful grave goods, erecting a home altar for 49 days, then keeping a commeorative tablet in a family shrine. It is still common in areas that were not heavily affected by Mao's crackdowns on religion, such as in rural areas of China, and in Taiwan.
The Wiccan Rede - (Full Version attributed to Doreen Valiente)
Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.
Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.For tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme.Light of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much.
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name, let love and light be our guides again.Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune.
Widdershins go when the moon doth wane, and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbaneWhen the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart's desire seek.Heed the North wind's mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.
When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.
When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest.Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God's insight.
Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower.Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.Grapes grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.Elder is the Lady's tree burn it not or cursed you'll be.
Four times the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark.As the old year starts to wane the new begins, it's now Samhain.
When the time for Imbolc shows watch for flowers through the snows.When the wheel begins to turn soon the Beltane fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lamas night power is brought to magick rite.Four times the Minor Sabbats fall use the Sun to mark them all.
When the wheel has turned to Yule light the log the Horned One rules.In the spring, when night equals day time for Ostara to come our way.
When the Sun has reached it's height time for Oak and Holly to fight.Harvesting comes to one and all when the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Heed the flower, bush, and tree by the Lady blessed you'll be.Where the rippling waters go cast a stone, the truth you'll know.
When you have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.With a fool no season spend or be counted as his friend.
Merry Meet and Merry Part bright the cheeks and warm the heart.Mind the Three-fold Laws you should three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is enow wear the star upon your brow.Be true in love this you must do unless your love is false to you.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
Sources: Religious Tolerance.org, www.angelfire.com/folk/greenwitch/sacred.html, Dictionary.com, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Catholic Prayers in Latin, Edward F. Markquart's Sermons from Seattle, Domestic Church, Ken Palmer's Life of Christ, Religion Facts, The Wiccan Rede
SACRED PLACES
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Cloister
Heaven
Hell, Gehenna, Sheol
House Church
Ghetto
Limbo
Promised Land, The
Seminary
A theological college. It literally means 'place for seeds', as in a seed plot or nursery.
Isn't that a wonderful description of place where you explore your faith and cosmology?
Summerland
A Pagan afterlife. I say "a" because there are lots of flavors of Paganism, and some of them have their own concept of the realm of the afterlife, such as the Heathen (Norse) Valhalla.
Summerland is pretty much like some Christian visions of Heaven. It's a comfortable temperature, you are whole and happy. Whether or not you commune with Deity is up to you. You stay as long as you want or need.
What comes to mind for me is the heaven described by Buffy when she was forcibly brought back from the dead by Tara, Xander and Willow in season six. To paraphrase, she described it as a place of deep peace with soft light and a certainty that all was right with self and loved ones, a place devoid of form but not self.
Sounds nice.
Sources: Dictionary.com, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Religioustolerance.org
SACRED, RITUAL & OTHER THINGS
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
The physical focus of worship or ritual. It comes from a combination of a number of Latin words and basically means 'high place for burnt offerings.' The Hebrew word for altar, mizbe'ah, means 'to slay'.
Originally, altars were placed along the east wall of the gathering place. Nowadays a more centrally located altar is common. In most Jewish and Christian rituals, the altar is in front of the congregation. In most Pagan rituals, the altar is surrounded by all participants.
In Chrsitianity, the altar is the place where the 'sacrifice' known as the Eucharist is performed, and many churches still have rails to protect the altar from defilement by contact with the lowly parishioners during the serving on Communion. IMHO having altar rails seems to denegrate humanity and elevate the ordained as more than human.
Amulet (contrast with talisman)
A natural, physical object, usually used to repel something from you or protect the bearer.
Protection magic of this kind is the oldest known magic in the world. Amulets are usually in the form of a part of a plant or animal, such as a rabbit's foot, a four-leaf clover, or a bit of twisted horn.
Athame
The Eastern Orthodox 'lance' is a ceremonial knife used to cut the Eucharistic bread at the Proskomide.
The Holy Bible is actually a holy book in three religions: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. The RC Bible has more OT books, the Jewish holy book is just the first five book of the OT and is called the Torah or the Pentateuch. Islam accepts Abraham and many of his descendents as important holy figures and prophets, including Jesus of Nazareth.
The Pentateuch was compiled from four different sources: J-Jahwist, E-Elohist, P-Priestly, and D-Deuteronomist. The remaining OT books were written by at least a dozen writers across hundreds of years. Many copies and fragments of canonical and apochryphal books were discovered in the desert near Qumran, Israel in 1947 to 1956.
The New Testament was also written by a number of authors, many of whom - like the OT authors - borrowed, redacted, and paraphrased each other. NT authors also modeled some of their content on the OT.
The first English translation, and I believe the best, is Wycliffe's New Testament translation from a scholarly examination of the Aramaic and Greek. It's not perfect
I wrote a nifty commentary on my personal beliefs about the Bible.
Bull, Papal
Chalice
Commentary
This is a type of reference book about the Bible or another text, sometimes in the same binding as an appendix.
A concordance is a list of words with cross-references (or quotations) of where they are located in the text.
According to Elizabeth Livingstone, the most famous English language concordance was compiled by a debatably insane man named Alexander Cruden from the King James' Version in 1736 to 1737. (Can you say 'OCD'? I knew you could.) He presented it to King George II's wife, Queen Caroline, and it has never been out of print since. Never. His two later editions of the A Complete Concordance to the Holy Scriptures garnered him quite an income, including a handsome bonus from King George III. (You remember him, right? He had a little bit of real estate called the American Colonies.)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible was compiled under the direction of Dr. James Strong and first published in 1890, four years before his death. It is "exhaustive" because it includes every English word and hundreds of Hebrew and Greek word roots used in the King James Version. The trouble is that these word roots generally do not take into consideration the cultural context and linguistics of the time period, so an amateur should NOT use Strong's to delve into the meanings of individual words and passages. It is available online, although the copyright licensure is unclear.
Robert Young's Analytical Concordanc eof the Bible, also of the King James Version, was first published in 1879 when he was 57. A self-taught Biblical and oriental languages scholar, he also wrote a literal translation of the Bible, called eponymously enough, Young's Literal Translation, had three editions, the last of which by his publisher several months after his death in the fall of 1888. He was rabid about keeping the original verb tenses, so his Genesis I is unique in its use of the present tense. Hmm, that has interesting theological implications. The 3rd edition (spell-checked) is available online at Bible Gateway.
There is a multi-version Bible concordance available online at Bible Tab. I have not used this resource extensively, so I cannot vouch for its usefulness at this time.
Counsel (see moral theology)
Crucifix
Gloria Patri (see Rosary Prayer)
This is a quotation from ____________ .
Glory to God in the highest
And peace to His people on Earth
Hail Mary(see Rosary Prayer)
A Christian prayer to the Blessed Vrgin Mary, the mother of Jesus of Nazareth. It is a combination of several passages in the NT.
Latin
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Domini nostri, ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
Nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.English
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Host
Any sacrifical victim, whether animate (goat, person) or inanimate (wafer, piece of bread)
Icons, Images (compare to talisman)
Icons are images of saints, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or Christ. Typical materials include egg tempera paintings, and mosaic and ivory bas relief sculptures. Icons are made in various sizes.
Veneration of images are forbidden in Islam (by exo-Koranic writings), Islamism (by ex-Koranic writings), Judaism (by Mosaic law) and Presbyterianism.
In the Greek Orthodox Church, icons are venerated. It is believed that the saint (or Christ or BVM) can use their magical power through the physical object of the icon to act on behalf of the petitioner or owner.
Lord's Prayer (see Rosary Prayer)
Christian prayer taught by Jesus to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount in the NT Book of Matthew 6:9-13. *In the Bible the prayer stops earlier than the versions below.
King James Version
Our Father who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done
On Earth as it is in [on] Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil*
For thine is the kingdom, the glory, and the power
Forever and ever. Amen.Modern Version
Our Father in heaven
Holy is your name
Your kingdom come, your will be done
On Earth as in Heaven
Give us today our daily bread
And forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil*
For yours is the kingdom, the glory and the power
Forever. Amen.SPECIAL NOTE: This prayer, and all others, was suggested by Jesus to be said alone in private. He eschewed public, demonstrative, verbose prayer.
Midrash, Midrashim (contrast with Mishnah)
Miracle
Mishnah (contrast with Midrash)
Order
Paten
Pentacle (compare with pentagram)
A five-pointed star within a circle, it is the symbol of most Neopagan traditions, including Wicca. It is a symbol of peace and positive energy. It is variously interpreted as representing the four Elements plus Spirit, or the figure of a human with arms and legs outstretched.
Satanists often use this symbol upside down in the same manner as they use the upside down Christian cross - to show that they want to turn all peace and goodness on its head, or as a general insult to such groups.
Pentagram (compare with pentacle)
A five-pointed star. These are often used as talismans, and in Wicca and Ceremonial Magic, by drawing a pentagram in the air beginning from different points with a wand, hand or finger to invoke various elements.
Plainsong
Precept (see moral theology)
Pulpit
The material remains of a dead saint, or an object that has been in contact with his or her body.
Veneration of martyrs' remains has been common practice since the 2nd century, at least. The Second Council of Nicaea in 787 actually decreed that Roman Catholics must venerate relics, and that no church can be consecrated without having its own relic!
During the Crusades, the relic trade from the Holy Land was brisk, and often illegitimate. The veneration of relics in their ornate reliquaries led to many superstitious practices. A fully formed theological basis for the veneration of relics was developed by th 10th century under the premise that the bodies of miracle workers were "temples of the Holy Spirit" and are therefore closer to Deity than regular humans. And since God knows all this already, it must be okay. At least, that's what the Council of Trent decided when Martin Luther brought it up in the 16th century.
Rite (contrast with ceremony)
A rosary is any string of beads or small pendants used as a focus during prayer or meditation.
The Holy Rosary (note the caps!) is the set of beads used by the Roman Catholic Church in its prayers to Jesus' mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM). RC mythology claims it was given to St. Dominic by an apparition of the BVM as weapon against the heresy of Albigensianism. You can find more about the Holy Rosary prayer here.
There is a growing movement within many Neopagan communities to include prayer beads or rosaries in regular prayer or ritual practice. I wrote a Neopagan nine-bead rosary prayer.
It is a common misconception that this word is 'the real way" to say "Sabbath" in Hebrew. Nope. Sorry to disappoint. Sabaoth is a Hebrew word that means "armies, hosts", as in "a big group arrayed before you that inspires awes and trepidation", like a sabaoth of angels.
Sabbath (see also sabbatarianism)
The seventh day of the week whereupon one rests or is at leisure, to follow the model of Deity in the Biblical Book of Genesis.
In the Jewish tradition, it begins Friday evening. In the Christian tradition is begins on Sunday morning. Some Christians begin the sabbath on Saturday evening.
Salt
Salt has many religious uses, primarily stemming from its preservative capability.
Salt with water (and the right words and will) makes holy water. Salt is offered to newly confirmed Christians. Salt is appropriate for every Christian oblation. In Pagan traditions, salt is used to represent the element of Earth. In magic, salt is used to purify objects and participants.
In earlier times, salt was also used to confirm a friendship, pact or covenant. Among Semitic people, salt was a sign of purity and incorruptibility.
Before the advent of cities and supermarkets, salt was a valued spice. If salt was available, it was often rationed. A good person was "worth his salt."
Sarcophagus
Made popular by the late 19th century discovery of King Tut's tomb, the sarcophagus is the outer coffin, usually made of stone and usually ornamented with bas-relief designs of local cultural or religious significance. It does not have to be shaped like a person; that was what the ancient Egyptians liked.
Once the Catholic Church became organized in the fourth century, Christians were restricted in the designs that could be used to decorate sarcophagi.
Shrine
Talisman (contrast with amulet)
A manmade, physical object, usually used to draw something to you or supplement a trait. Talismans are usually in the form of jewelry, such as a bracelet, pendant, ring or headband. A notable exception to this is the U-shaped horseshoe over one's door meant to bring luck to the household.
Another kind of talisman is a specific drawing on paper that is carried or burned as directed by the spell that charges it. Hermetic tradition believes that the act of drawing some symbols invokes their power.
Talmud, Halacha, Haggadah, Mosaic Law, Pentateuch
Although Gerald Gardner (see Gardnerian Wicca) required a set of nine tools for ritual use, most Eclectic Neopagans use four, which are associated with the Elements and the four suits of the Tarot cards.
Water - Cup, Cauldron, Chalice
Earth - Pentacle, Paten (disk)
Air - Wand, Staff, Censer
Fire - Sword, Athame (dagger), FlameMany religions have specific tools related to religious ritual, including vessels, materials and special clothing.
The psychological affect of using tools during a ritual (rite and ceremony) is profound. It helps the participant(s) enter an altered state because the tools are used only for ritual purposes, or are thought to become imbued with supernatural powers during the ritual.
Sources: www.angelfire.com/folk/greenwitch/sacred.html, Dictionary.com, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Religioustolerance.org, Old Testament Gateway, "Authors of the Bible", "Alexander Cruden", "Strong's Concordance", "Young's Literal Translation"
SCIENCE WORDS
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Anthropomorphism
Bilocation
Consanguinity
Conscience
The branch of philosophy that deals with the origin, evolution and nature or structure of the space, time, causality and freedom. Cosmologies may or may not include Divinity.
Empiracism, Empiracal Observation
Epistomology
Literally meaning ‘the study of how knowledge is determined’, epistemology is a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human factual knowledge, its presuppositions, foundations, and validity. This is a vast field of study.
There are basically two types of knowledge: a priori (knowledge gained independently of experience or empirical proof) and a posteriori (knowledge derived from experience).
A quantum mechanical explanation of reality that suggests the physical universe is a giant time-space hologram (the entirety is within each facet) leading to the concept that every moment - past, present, and possible - exists simultaneously. Likewise, every place exists everywhere. We perceive a series of images in highest probable order based on our experiences and our own psychological filters.
For more in depth study, see the works of Michael Talbot (writer), David Bohm (physicist), and Karl Pribram (neuropsychologist).
Ptolemaic System
Quadrivium
In vitalism, the functions of a living organism cannot be explained by scientific laws alone, but are in fact due to a vital principle (humors, spark, energy, qi, soul, force, etc.) that is in some part self-determining and is distinct from biochemical reactions. This concept goes all the way back to Plato, Aristotle and Hippocrates. Vitalistic thought is also prevalent among children when asked about life.
Whether scientists attributed this vital force to mystical origins (i.e., Divinity) many throughout history believe it exists. Egyptian scientist, Aristotle (322 BCE), Wolff (1794), Kant (1804), Mesmer (1815), Blumenbach (1840), Hahnemann (1843), Berzelius (1848), Mill (1873), Pasteur (1895), Freud (1939), Driesch (1941), Reichenbach (1953), Jung (1961), Sperry (1994), Mayr (2005), Keating (2007), Claus Emmeche (U Copenhagen), Marc Kirshner (Harvard Medical School), and Timothy Michison (Harvard Medical School), in one way or another felt that biology has a component beyond the physical.
A modern refinement of vitalism is emergentism.
Sources: Dictionary.com, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, "Paganism" by Joyce and River Higginbotham, Wikipedia: “Vitalism”, Trends in Cognitive Science, Citizendium: “Vitalism”
COSMOLOGY QUESTIONS (ANSWERED IMHO)
Why was matter created?
I believe that Spirit God made Matter Goddess because God was
lonely and knew himself completely. Each new aspect to matter had
more and more free will and enabled God to see and understand himself
from another perspective. So far, humans are the farthest removed,
being many generations removed from the initial created matter. We
perceive God as a separate entity from ourselves.
What about the Bible?
The People of the Book (Jews, Christians, and Muslims) all share
the Old Testament, or at least the first few books of it. I also
think the first four books of the Bible have a lot of important things
to say, considering they have been handed down for nearly six thousand
year, and existed in oral tradition before then! I understand the
process of creation as outlined in the Bible to reflect the magical Elements,
the course of evolution, and the concept "as above, so below."
Having been raised in a Christian tradition, I also understand Jesus of Nazareth to be the anointed messenger and prophet of God, chosen from before birth to spread teachings about the wonderful possibilities of a close relationship with God. I am careful to seek the original source of New Testament writings, since much of what the Roman Catholic Church included (or didn't!) was written by religious scholars long after the time of Jesus' ministry.
I do not believe it to be infallible. I view the Bible as part science treatise, part theological commentary, part history, and part allegory. I view it as a valuable piece of religious literature that has been modified by many people throughout history, but which still has a great deal to offer in the way of comfort, inspiration, moral example, and socio-historical understanding.
Call me crazy, I also accept that the Old Testament and other similar documents may chronicle human interaction with people from another planet. See the works of Zecaria Sitchin for more details on the Annunaki and the Nibiru.
Do demons exist?
Short answer, yes. I believe there are non-corporeal
entities that thrive on energy, hence the need to erect a protective
circle when raising magic or traveling out-of-body. Do all non-corporeal
entities have an evil nature? No, not all humans are jerks either,
but there's
one in every crowd, so you have to know how to handle them. In
other words, when you are using magic, DON'T BE STUPID!
I believe he was. He was a good Jewish rabbi, after all. And the disciples were always jealous that he spent so much time with Mary Magdalene.
Another reason I believe this is my reading of the account in John, chapter two, of the miracle at the wedding in Cana. I prefer to use the Wycliffe translation of the New Testament because I believe it is the most accurate one of all.
But first, a little history lesson about Jewish marriage customs. Before a NT times Jewish couple married, the couple would be engaged, much like modern Western relationships. The couple gets to know one another and their families. Betrothal and marriage complete the process of getting hitched in ancient Judea and in Jewish families today.
There were three ways a couple could begin the second stage of the marriage process, called kiddushin, or "sacred betrothal."
1) The groom could permanently give the bride a token payment or ring of a determined value,
2) The groom and bride could sign a boilerplate contract with or without amendments,
3) The couple could have sex.
In any case, the woman is the one agreeing to the union. A rabbi was not required to consecrate a Jewish marriage; that is only a modern accommodation of American civil laws regarding marriage, and frankly, an imitation of Christian customs. This is the first step to marriage and is not revokable.
Before the ceremony and feast to publicize the marriage and begin the final stage of marriage called nisuin, or "elevation", which occurs when the husband brings his new wife into his home, there is a period of one week where the groom is not allowed to see the bride, who still lives in her father's house.
The story in John of the wedding at Cana states Jesus et al. were "called" to the wedding. This makes sense if he hadn't been allowed to see his betrothed wife the whole week before. He does not put on the feast, he is told when to show up.
Also, the servants obey Jesus. They are familiar with his role in the celebration, a role that apparently permits him giving orders about filling pots with water and then taking the magically transformed wine over to the master of the feast.
In the NT account, the master of the feast (or maitre d' for lack of a better term) "called the spouse." "The spouse" is not named, but this is a simple story with relatively few characters. And it clearly shows that Jesus and maitre d' were not in the same location of the room/field/whatever, hence the "calling". And it seems unlikely that the writer would insert an extra character.
And why would Mary be involved in the supply issue if it wasn't a party in honor of her own son's marriage? I mean, was she revealed in this story as some sort of hyperactive stage mom trying to get her son to show off for the crowd? I doubt that very much.
And I highly doubt Jesus was working magic without the knowledge of "the spouse", which would certainly cause a stir if the spouse was anyone besides Jesus, because earlier in the passage Jesus' mother tells him about the wine shortage and he, A) is annoyed at being bothered during the feast (because it's his?) and B) says he wasn't supposed to reveal himself to have powers yet.
So I'm thinking he just quietly transforms the water 'offstage' because he wants to shut up his mother and get back to the party with a minimum of fuss and bother. I mean, come on, it's only the servants who would know where the wine came from anyway, so he wouldn't really be blowing his cover too much, right?
By the way, the "water" that he magically transforms was the leftover water from everyone scooping out "two or three measures" of water for ritually washing their hands and feet before eating bread at a meal. They would scoop it out with a tool called a wash cup.
Sources: Bible Gateway, Jewish Virtual Library, Heichal Judaica
Here is a bit of research I did on St. Paul's "Fruits of the Spirit". It talks about correspondences with numbers and edible fruits based on Bible passages. It also talks about the history of Bible translations. It was written for a spiritual talk I gave in July 2008. We actually made the fruit salad recipe using: Tbsp honey, 2 watermelon cubes, 3 halved Bing cherries, 7 almonds, Tbsp chopped dates, Tbsp whole-berry cranberry sauce, 3 halved green seedless grapes, 1/3 bag Bigelow Mint Medley tea, and 7 whole pistachio nuts. YUMMY!
Here is the handout I provided at the talk which summarizes all the information in the essay. (It's basically a glorified recipe!)
