A reference of terms used in Christian theology, doctrine, and practice. Definitions are concise and meant as starting points for deeper study.
Companion glossaries: Islam, Judaism, Catholicism and Orthodoxy, Cults and Restorationist Movements, Eastern Religions, and Ancient Near Eastern and Occult.
Alphabet Navigation
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A
Absolution — A formal declaration of forgiveness of sins, pronounced by a priest or minister on behalf of God, typically following confession.
Adoption — The legal act by which God places believers into His family as sons and daughters with full inheritance rights, granting the Spirit by whom we cry "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15–17; Galatians 4:4–7).
Advent — The four-week season preceding Christmas in which Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ and anticipate His second coming. From the Latin adventus, meaning "coming."
Advocate (Paraclete) — One called alongside to help. Applied to the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26) and to Christ interceding for believers before the Father (1 John 2:1).
Agape — The Greek word for self-giving, unconditional love; the highest form of love in the New Testament and the kind most characteristic of God's love for humanity (1 John 4:8).
Amen — A Hebrew word meaning "truly" or "so be it," used to affirm truth or to conclude a prayer. In the Gospels, Jesus uniquely used it to introduce His own authoritative statements ("Amen, I say to you…").
Amillennialism — The view that the "thousand years" of Revelation 20 is a symbolic period representing the current church age, not a literal future reign of Christ on earth.
Angelology — The branch of theology that studies the nature, roles, and activities of angels as described in Scripture.
Anointing — The act of applying oil to a person as a symbol of consecration, blessing, healing, or the empowerment of the Holy Spirit (James 5:14; 1 John 2:27).
Anthropology (Theological) — The systematic study of humanity as created, fallen, and redeemed, including the nature of the soul, body, and image of God (imago Dei).
Antinomianism — The belief that, under grace, Christians are not bound by any moral law; the view that faith alone, without any ethical obligation, is sufficient for salvation.
Apocalypse — From the Greek apokalypsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation." Refers broadly to literature revealing hidden divine truths about the end times; specifically, the book of Revelation.
Apocrypha — A collection of Jewish writings included in the Catholic and Orthodox Old Testament canons but not in the Hebrew Bible or most Protestant Bibles. From the Greek for "hidden things."
Apologetics — The discipline of offering reasoned defense and explanation of the Christian faith in response to objections and questions (1 Peter 3:15).
Apostasy — The deliberate rejection and abandonment of the Christian faith by someone who previously professed it.
Apostle — Literally "one sent out." In the New Testament, the Twelve chosen by Jesus plus others (e.g., Paul) commissioned to plant and lead the church and to serve as authoritative witnesses to the resurrection.
Arminianism — A theological system stemming from Jacobus Arminius (1560–1609) that emphasizes human free will, conditional election based on foreseen faith, universal atonement, resistible grace, and the possibility of losing salvation.
Ascension — The bodily departure of the risen Christ from earth into heaven forty days after His resurrection (Acts 1:9–11), where He now reigns at the right hand of the Father.
Aseity — God's self-existence — He depends on nothing outside Himself for His being, and gives life rather than receiving it (Exodus 3:14; Acts 17:25).
Assurance — The settled confidence a believer may have of present salvation, grounded in Christ's finished work, the Spirit's witness, and the promises of Scripture (1 John 5:13; Romans 8:16).
Atonement — The reconciling work of Christ in which He bore the penalty for human sin, satisfying God's justice and making peace between God and humanity (Romans 5:11; Hebrews 2:17).
B
Baptism — A Christian ordinance or sacrament involving immersion in or application of water, signifying union with Christ in His death and resurrection, cleansing from sin, and initiation into the church (Romans 6:3–4; Matthew 28:19).
Beatitudes — The eight blessings that open the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3–12), in which Jesus describes the character and blessedness of those who belong to the Kingdom of God.
Benediction — A blessing spoken over a congregation, often at the close of a worship service, commissioning them into the week in God's name.
Binding and Loosing — Language of authority given to the apostles and the church (Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18), most naturally read as declaring what heaven has already determined regarding forgiveness and church discipline.
Bishop (Episkopos) — An overseer or elder responsible for the spiritual care and governance of a church or group of churches. In episcopal traditions, a bishop holds authority over multiple congregations.
Blasphemy — Speech or action that dishonors, mocks, or defames God or sacred things. Jesus warned that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable sin (Mark 3:28–29).
Body of Christ — A biblical metaphor for the Church (1 Corinthians 12), emphasizing the organic unity of believers with Christ as Head and with one another as interdependent members.
Book of Life — The register of those belonging to God, from which names are read at the final judgment (Revelation 20:12, 15; Philippians 4:3).
Born Again (Regeneration) — The spiritual transformation by which the Holy Spirit imparts new life to a person, enabling them to believe in Christ and enter the Kingdom of God (John 3:3–8; Titus 3:5).
C
Calvinism (Reformed Theology) — A theological system associated with John Calvin summarized by the acrostic TULIP: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints.
Canon — From the Greek kanon ("rule" or "standard"). The officially recognized collection of books accepted as authoritative Scripture. The Protestant canon contains 66 books; Catholic and Orthodox canons include additional deuterocanonical books.
Catechism — A summary of Christian doctrine in question-and-answer format, used to instruct new believers or children in the foundational truths of the faith.
Cessationism — The view that the miraculous sign gifts — tongues, prophecy, healing — ceased with the apostolic age, having served to authenticate revelation now complete.
Cherubim — Powerful angelic beings guarding God's holiness and throne — stationed at Eden (Genesis 3:24), overshadowing the mercy seat (Exodus 25:18–22), and described in Ezekiel 1 and 10.
Christology — The branch of theology that studies the person and nature of Jesus Christ, including His deity, humanity, and the hypostatic union of both natures in one person.
Church (Ekklesia) — The Greek word meaning "called-out assembly." Refers to the universal body of all true believers in Christ, and also to local congregations of believers gathered for worship, teaching, and mission.
Common Grace — God's undeserved kindness shown to all people regardless of belief — rain, harvest, restrained evil, human conscience and skill (Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:17).
Concupiscence — Disordered desire inclining toward sin. Protestant theology treats it as itself sinful; Catholic theology treats it as sin's tinder but not sin until consented to.
Confession — The acknowledgment of sin to God (or, in some traditions, to a priest) as an act of repentance. Also refers to a formal written statement of Christian belief (e.g., the Westminster Confession of Faith).
Continuationism — The view that all spiritual gifts, including the miraculous, remain available to the church today.
Conversion — The turning of a person from sin and self to faith in Jesus Christ, involving repentance and new birth, resulting in a transformed life.
Conviction — The Spirit's work of exposing sin, righteousness, and judgment so that a person feels the weight of guilt and is drawn to repentance (John 16:8).
Covenant — A solemn, binding agreement between God and His people. Key biblical covenants include those with Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and the New Covenant established in Christ's blood (Hebrews 8–9).
Covenant Theology — A framework for reading Scripture that sees God's relationship with humanity organized around the Covenant of Works (pre-Fall) and the Covenant of Grace (post-Fall, fulfilled in Christ).
Creed — A formal, concise statement of the essential beliefs of the Christian faith. Major creeds include the Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed.
D
Day of the Lord — The prophetic theme of God's decisive intervention in judgment and salvation — near-term in the prophets, ultimate at Christ's return (Joel 2:1–11; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10).
Deacon (Diakonos) — A servant-leader in the church who assists in practical ministry and care for the congregation, first described in Acts 6 and qualified in 1 Timothy 3:8–13.
Deism — The belief that God created the world and its natural laws and then withdrew, neither intervening nor revealing Himself — denied by Scripture's account of providence, miracle, and incarnation.
Deity of Christ — The biblical teaching that Jesus Christ is fully God — the eternal Son, the second person of the Trinity — equal in nature, power, and glory with the Father (John 1:1; Colossians 2:9).
Depravity (Total Depravity) — The doctrine that the Fall corrupted every part of human nature — mind, will, emotions, and body — so that apart from God's grace, no one seeks God or can choose salvation on their own (Romans 3:10–18).
Disciple — A learner and follower of Jesus who submits to His teaching and example. The Great Commission calls believers to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19–20).
Dispensationalism — A system of interpreting Scripture that divides history into distinct periods (dispensations) in which God relates to humanity in different ways. It typically distinguishes sharply between Israel and the Church.
Divine Council — The assembly of created spiritual beings before God's throne (Job 1:6; Psalm 82:1; 1 Kings 22:19). Read by many as the background to the plural "Let Us make man" of Genesis 1:26 — an address, not a plurality within God, and not a denial of the Trinity elsewhere established.
Docetism — The early heresy that Christ only appeared to have a body and only seemed to suffer. Confronted directly in 1 John 4:2–3 and 2 John 7.
Doctrine — A teaching or belief formally established and affirmed by the church based on Scripture; the content of what Christians believe (2 Timothy 3:16–17).
Dogma — A defined and binding teaching of the church, considered authoritative for all believers, especially in Catholic and Orthodox traditions.
Doxology — An expression of praise to God, typically sung or spoken. The most familiar Protestant doxology begins, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow…" From the Greek doxa (glory) + logos (word).
E
Ebionism — The early heresy that Jesus was a merely human Messiah — born naturally, adopted as Son — and that Christians remain bound to the Mosaic Law.
Ecclesiology — The branch of theology treating the church: its nature, marks, government, ordinances, and mission.
Effectual Calling — The Spirit's inward, saving summons that actually brings a person to faith, distinguished from the general outward call of the gospel preached to all (Romans 8:30; 1 Corinthians 1:23–24).
Eisegesis — Reading one's own meaning into the text. The opposite of exegesis, and the root failure behind most doctrinal error.
Election — God's eternal, sovereign choice of certain individuals for salvation, not based on foreseen merit but on His grace and purpose (Ephesians 1:4–5; Romans 9:11).
Eschatology — The branch of theology concerned with "last things": death, judgment, resurrection, the second coming of Christ, heaven, and hell. From the Greek eschatos ("last").
Eternal Generation — The historic formulation that the Son is eternally begotten of the Father — not created and not later in time, but eternally deriving His person (not His deity) from the Father (John 1:14, 18).
Eternal Life — Life in its fullest, divine quality — a present reality for the believer (John 17:3) and a future hope of unending communion with God after death.
Eucharist — From the Greek eucharistia ("thanksgiving"). Another name for the Lord's Supper or Communion, commemorating Christ's body and blood given for the forgiveness of sins (1 Corinthians 11:23–26).
Evangelism — The proclamation of the Gospel — the good news of Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection — with the aim of calling people to repentance and faith.
Ex Nihilo — "Out of nothing." The doctrine that God created all things without preexisting material, by His word alone (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3; Romans 4:17).
Exegesis — The careful, scholarly interpretation of Scripture by drawing out its original, intended meaning through study of language, context, and background. The opposite of eisegesis (reading meaning into the text).
Expiation — The removal or cleansing of sin and guilt through Christ's sacrifice. Closely related to propitiation but focuses on the removal of sin rather than the satisfaction of God's wrath.
F
Faith — Trust in and reliance upon God and His promises, particularly the saving faith directed toward Jesus Christ and His finished work (Hebrews 11:1; Ephesians 2:8–9).
Fall (The) — The historical event in which Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), resulting in the entrance of sin, death, and corruption into humanity and all creation.
Federal Headship — The principle that one person represents a group before God. Adam represented humanity in the Fall; Christ represents His people in redemption (Romans 5:12–19; 1 Corinthians 15:22).
Fellowship (Koinonia) — Shared participation in Christ and with one another, characterized by mutual love, accountability, prayer, and breaking of bread (Acts 2:42; 1 John 1:3).
Firstfruits — The initial portion of a harvest offered to God, guaranteeing the rest. Applied to Christ's resurrection as the pledge of the believer's (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23).
Foreknowledge — God's knowledge of all things before they occur. In Scripture the term often carries the sense of covenantal foreloving rather than bare prediction (Romans 8:29; 1 Peter 1:2; Amos 3:2).
Forgiveness — God's gracious act of pardoning sin and releasing the sinner from its guilt and penalty, made possible through the atoning work of Christ (Colossians 1:14; 1 John 1:9).
Free Will — The capacity of human beings to make genuine moral choices. In theology, debate exists over whether the Fall has rendered the will bound by sin and unable to choose God without divine enablement.
Fruit of the Spirit — The nine character qualities produced in believers by the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23).
G
Gehenna — The Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem, site of child sacrifice, used by Jesus as the standard term for final punishment (Mark 9:43–48; Matthew 10:28).
General Revelation — God's self-disclosure through creation, nature, and human conscience, available to all people (Romans 1:18–20; Psalm 19:1–4). Sufficient to render all accountable, but not sufficient to reveal the way of salvation.
Glorification — The final stage of salvation in which believers are fully transformed to share in Christ's glory at the resurrection — the completion of God's redemptive work in them (Romans 8:30; Philippians 3:21).
Glory (Kabod / Doxa) — The manifest weight and splendor of God's presence and character — filling the Tabernacle and Temple, and seen in the face of Christ (Exodus 40:34; 2 Corinthians 4:6).
Gnosticism — The second-century movement teaching that matter is evil, the Creator inferior, and salvation attained through secret knowledge. Countered in John, Colossians, and 1 John.
God — The eternal, self-existent Creator of all things; infinite in power, knowledge, holiness, love, and justice. Christianity affirms that one God exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (the Trinity).
Gospel — From the Greek euangelion ("good news"). The message that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for sinners and rose from the dead, so that all who repent and believe receive forgiveness and eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:1–4).
Grace — God's unmerited favor and enabling power freely given to sinners, not based on any human worthiness or effort (Ephesians 2:8–9). In salvation, grace is the source; faith is the means.
Great Commission — Jesus' final command to His disciples to go into all nations, making disciples, baptizing, and teaching (Matthew 28:18–20). The foundational mandate for Christian mission.
H
Hamartiology — The branch of theology that studies sin: its origin, nature, transmission, and consequences.
Heaven — The dwelling place of God and the eternal home of the redeemed; the state of unhindered communion with God in glory following death and final resurrection (Revelation 21–22; 2 Corinthians 5:8).
Hell — The place of eternal, conscious punishment for those who reject God; a state of separation from His presence and blessing. Described in Scripture using imagery of fire, outer darkness, and weeping (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:10–15).
Heresy — A belief or teaching that contradicts essential Christian doctrine, as defined by Scripture and affirmed by the church. Heresy concerning the nature of Christ or the Trinity was the primary concern of the early councils.
Hermeneutics — The principles and methods used to interpret Scripture. Good hermeneutics seeks the author's original intent, reading texts in their literary, historical, and canonical context.
Holiness — The state of being set apart and morally pure; God's holiness is the defining attribute of His perfect moral character. Believers are called to reflect His holiness in all of life (1 Peter 1:15–16; Hebrews 12:14).
Holy Spirit — The third person of the Trinity, fully divine and co-equal with the Father and Son. He convicts of sin, regenerates sinners, indwells believers, empowers them for service, and applies Christ's redemption (John 14–16; Romans 8).
Homiletics — The art and theology of preaching; the study of how to craft and deliver biblical sermons effectively.
Humanity of Christ — The biblical teaching that Jesus Christ became truly and fully human — with a real body, soul, emotions, and limitations — while remaining fully divine (John 1:14; Hebrews 2:14).
Hypostasis — "Person" or "subsistence." Used at Nicaea and Chalcedon to distinguish the three persons of the Trinity from the one ousia (essence) they share.
Hypostatic Union — The theological term for the doctrine that Jesus Christ possesses two complete natures — fully divine and fully human — united in one person without confusion, mixture, or separation. Defined at the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451).
Idolatry — Giving to anything the worship, trust, or supreme allegiance owed to God alone. Not limited to carved images — Paul calls greed idolatry (Colossians 3:5; Exodus 20:3–5).
Illumination — The Spirit's work of opening the mind to understand and receive Scripture already given — distinct from inspiration, which produced it (1 Corinthians 2:12–14; Ephesians 1:18).
Immanence — God's active nearness to and involvement within creation, held together with His transcendence (Jeremiah 23:23–24; Acts 17:27–28).
Immutability — God's unchangeableness in His being, character, purposes, and promises (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17; Hebrews 6:17).
Impassibility — The classical doctrine that God is not subject to involuntary emotional change caused by creatures, while still genuinely expressing love, wrath, and compassion.
Impeccability — The doctrine that Christ was not only sinless but incapable of sinning, given the union of His divine and human natures (Hebrews 4:15; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Indwelling — The permanent residence of the Holy Spirit in every believer from the moment of conversion (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 1:13–14).
Iniquity — Crookedness or perversity; sin viewed as a twisting of what is right, often with the guilt it incurs (Psalm 51:2; Isaiah 53:6).
Intermediate State — The condition of the dead between death and bodily resurrection — for the believer, conscious presence with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; Luke 23:43).
I
Image of God (Imago Dei) — The teaching that human beings are uniquely created in God's image (Genesis 1:26–27), giving them inherent dignity, moral responsibility, rationality, and capacity for relationship with God.
Imputation — The crediting of something to someone's account. In justification, Christ's righteousness is imputed to the believer, and the believer's sin was imputed to Christ on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 4:6).
Incarnation — From the Latin incarnatio ("enfleshment"). The eternal Son of God taking on a human nature and being born as a man — Jesus of Nazareth — without ceasing to be God (John 1:14; Philippians 2:5–8).
Inerrancy — The belief that the original manuscripts (autographs) of Scripture, as inspired by God, are without error in all that they affirm, including matters of history and fact (2 Timothy 3:16; John 10:35).
Infallibility — The conviction that Scripture will not mislead or deceive in its teachings, particularly regarding faith and practice. Some use this term more broadly than inerrancy.
Inspiration (of Scripture) — The supernatural work of God through which the Holy Spirit guided the human authors of Scripture so that what they wrote is the very Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).
Intercession — Prayer offered on behalf of another. Christ is the perfect intercessor who continually prays for believers at the right hand of the Father (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25).
J
Judaizers — Early teachers who insisted Gentile believers must be circumcised and keep the Mosaic Law to be saved. Opposed at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) and throughout Galatians.
Judgment (Final) — The eschatological event in which God, through Christ, evaluates all humanity — every word, deed, and heart — and renders eternal verdicts of salvation or condemnation (Revelation 20:11–15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
Justification — God's legal declaration that a sinner is righteous in His sight, based solely on the atoning work of Christ received through faith, not on personal merit or works (Romans 3:24–26; Galatians 2:16).
K
Kenosis — From the Greek kenoo ("to empty"). The doctrine, based on Philippians 2:7, that the Son of God voluntarily set aside the independent exercise of certain divine attributes (e.g., omniscience) in taking on human form, while remaining fully divine.
Kerygma — The core proclamation of the early church: Jesus died for sins, was buried, rose on the third day, and is Lord — the foundational Gospel message (1 Corinthians 15:1–5).
Kingdom of God — God's sovereign rule over all creation, inaugurated in a new way through the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus, now present in the church, and to be fully consummated at Christ's return.
Kinsman-Redeemer (Goel) — The near relative obligated to redeem a family member's property, freedom, or line (Leviticus 25:25–55; Ruth 3–4). A central type of Christ, who took our nature to redeem us.
L
Law (Mosaic Law) — The covenant commands given through Moses at Sinai, encompassing moral, ceremonial, and civil dimensions. Christians debate its ongoing role, but agree the moral law reflects God's character and continues to function in revealing sin and guiding believers.
Legalism — Seeking to earn or maintain God's favor through law-keeping, or binding consciences with rules Scripture does not impose (Galatians 3:1–3; Colossians 2:20–23).
Logos — Greek for "Word." In John 1:1–14, Logos designates the eternal Son of God who was with God from the beginning and became flesh in Jesus Christ.
Lord's Prayer — The model prayer Jesus taught His disciples (Matthew 6:9–13), covering adoration, submission, petition, forgiveness, and deliverance. Known in liturgy by its Latin title Pater Noster.
Lord's Supper (Communion) — The ordinance or sacrament instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23–26) in which bread and cup are received as memorials (or, in Catholic/Orthodox tradition, as the actual body and blood of Christ) of His sacrifice.
Lordship Salvation — The position that saving faith necessarily includes submission to Christ as Lord, and that a faith producing no obedience is not the faith Scripture describes (Luke 6:46; James 2:17).
M
Means of Grace — The ordinary channels through which God communicates grace to believers: Word, prayer, baptism, and the Lord's Supper. These are not automatic but are accompanied by the Spirit.
Mediator — One who stands between two parties to reconcile them. Christ is the sole Mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:15).
Mercy Seat (Hilasterion) — The gold cover of the ark where atoning blood was sprinkled (Leviticus 16:14–15). Paul applies the term to Christ Himself in Romans 3:25.
Messiah — Hebrew for "Anointed One" (Christos in Greek). The long-expected deliverer promised throughout the Old Testament, fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, who was anointed as Prophet, Priest, and King.
Metanoia — The Greek word for repentance — literally a change of mind that reorients the whole person (Acts 2:38; 2 Corinthians 7:10).
Millennium — The thousand-year reign mentioned in Revelation 20. Views differ: premillennialism (Christ returns before a literal 1,000-year reign), postmillennialism (Christ returns after a golden age), and amillennialism (the period is symbolic of the current age).
Miracles — Extraordinary works of God that transcend ordinary natural processes, performed to reveal His power and authenticate His messengers (John 2:11; Acts 2:22; Hebrews 2:4).
Modalism (Sabellianism) — The heresy that Father, Son, and Spirit are successive modes of one person rather than three eternally distinct persons. Refuted by scenes where all three appear at once (Matthew 3:16–17).
Monergism — The view that God alone acts in regeneration, the sinner being passive until made alive. Contrasted with synergism, which holds that God and man cooperate.
Monotheism — The belief in and worship of one God alone — the defining conviction of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Christian monotheism is distinctly Trinitarian.
Mortification — The Spirit-empowered putting to death of indwelling sin — an ongoing duty, not a one-time act (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5).
Mystery (Mysterion) — In the New Testament, not a puzzle but a truth once hidden and now revealed — chiefly the inclusion of Gentiles in one body with Israel (Ephesians 3:3–6; Colossians 1:26–27).
N
Nephilim — The offspring of the "sons of God" and the daughters of men in Genesis 6:1–4, cited in the narrative leading to the Flood.
Nestorianism — The heresy that divides Christ into two persons — one divine, one human — rather than one person with two natures. Condemned at Ephesus (431).
New Birth — See Born Again. The supernatural regenerating work of the Holy Spirit that transforms a person spiritually and makes them a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; John 3:5–8).
New Covenant — The covenant established through Christ's blood (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8–9), fulfilling and superseding the Mosaic Covenant. It promises forgiveness of sins, the indwelling Spirit, and a personal knowledge of God for all believers.
Nicene Creed — A foundational statement of Christian faith formulated at the Council of Nicaea (AD 325) and expanded at Constantinople (AD 381), affirming the full deity of Christ and the Trinity against Arianism.
O
Omnipotence — The divine attribute of being all-powerful; God can do anything consistent with His nature and will (Genesis 18:14; Matthew 19:26; Revelation 19:6).
Omnipresence — The divine attribute of being present everywhere simultaneously; God is fully present in every place at all times (Psalm 139:7–10; Jeremiah 23:24).
Omniscience — The divine attribute of having complete, perfect, and infinite knowledge of all things — past, present, and future — including the thoughts of every heart (Psalm 139:1–6; 1 John 3:20).
Open Theism — The view that God does not exhaustively know future free choices, holding the future partly open. Contradicted by Scripture's predictive prophecy and by Isaiah 46:9–10.
Ordinance — An observance instituted by Christ for the church — baptism and the Lord's Supper. Preferred over "sacrament" where the rite is understood as symbolic obedience rather than grace-conveying.
Ordination — The formal setting apart and commissioning of individuals for ministry (pastor, elder, deacon), typically through prayer and the laying on of hands by church leaders (1 Timothy 4:14; Acts 13:3).
Original Sin — The inherited sinful nature and guilt that all human beings receive from Adam's first transgression. Every person is born in a fallen state, prone to sin and in need of redemption (Romans 5:12–19).
Orthodoxy — From the Greek for "right teaching." Adherence to the established, historically affirmed doctrines of Christianity. Also refers to Eastern Orthodoxy, the branch of Christianity that separated from Rome in AD 1054.
Ousia — "Essence" or "being." The one divine nature shared fully by Father, Son, and Spirit; distinguished from hypostasis (person).
P
Paedobaptism — The practice of baptizing the infant children of believers, argued from covenant continuity with circumcision. Contrasted with credobaptism, baptism upon profession of faith.
Pantheism — The belief that God and the universe are identical. Panentheism holds the universe is in God. Both collapse the Creator–creature distinction Scripture maintains absolutely.
Parable — A short narrative that uses familiar earthly images to convey spiritual truths. Jesus used parables extensively to teach about the Kingdom of God and challenge His listeners to respond in faith.
Parousia — The Greek term for the return or "presence" of Christ. Used in the New Testament to refer to the second coming of Jesus in glory (1 Thessalonians 4:15–17; Matthew 24:27).
Patripassianism — The modalist implication that the Father suffered on the cross — rejected because it erases the distinction between the persons.
Pelagianism — The heresy, opposed by Augustine, that humans are born morally neutral, can keep God's commands by natural ability, and need grace only as example and assistance.
Penal Substitution — The doctrine that Christ, in His death, bore the penalty for our sins as our substitute, satisfying divine justice so that God can justly forgive sinners (Isaiah 53:5–6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24).
Pentecost — The Jewish harvest festival (Shavuot) at which the Holy Spirit was poured out on the early church as recorded in Acts 2, empowering believers for witness and marking the birth of the church.
Perichoresis — The mutual indwelling of the three persons of the Trinity — each fully in the others without confusion (John 14:10–11; John 17:21).
Perseverance of the Saints — The doctrine that those genuinely regenerated by God will be preserved by His grace to the end and not ultimately fall away from salvation (John 10:28–29; Romans 8:38–39; Philippians 1:6).
Perspicuity — The clarity of Scripture: its essential message of salvation is plain enough for any ordinary reader, though not every passage is equally easy (Psalm 119:130; 2 Peter 3:16).
Postmillennialism — The eschatological view that the Gospel will progressively transform the world, ushering in a long era of Christian flourishing before Christ returns at the end of history.
Predestination — God's sovereign, eternal determination of the destiny of His creatures — specifically, His appointment of the elect to salvation (Romans 8:29–30; Ephesians 1:4–5).
Premillennialism — The eschatological view that Christ will return before a literal thousand-year reign on earth, during which He rules from Jerusalem. Includes both historic and dispensational varieties.
Preterism — The view that most or all prophecies of Revelation and the Olivet Discourse were fulfilled in the first century, chiefly in AD 70. Full preterism, which places the resurrection in the past, falls outside orthodoxy.
Priesthood of All Believers — The New Covenant reality that every believer has direct access to God and offers spiritual sacrifices, needing no human priest (1 Peter 2:5, 9; Hebrews 4:16).
Propitiation — Christ's atoning sacrifice viewed as satisfying God's righteous wrath against sin, turning His wrath to favor (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10).
Providence — God's continuous, sovereign governance of all creation — sustaining and directing all events, both ordinary and extraordinary, toward His ultimate purposes (Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11).
Q
Quietism — A spiritual movement (17th century, associated with Madame Guyon and Miguel de Molinos) emphasizing passive contemplation and complete surrender to God as the path to spiritual perfection. Often criticized for downplaying active discipleship.
R
Ransom — The price paid to secure release. Christ gave His life "a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45; 1 Timothy 2:6), redeeming believers from sin and death.
Rapture — The belief, especially within dispensationalism, that living and deceased believers will be caught up to meet Christ in the air at His return (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). Debate exists over timing (pre-, mid-, or post-tribulation).
Reconciliation — The restoration of the broken relationship between God and humanity through Christ's atoning work, removing the enmity caused by sin (2 Corinthians 5:18–19; Colossians 1:20–22).
Redemption — The act of purchasing freedom by payment of a price. Christ "redeemed" sinners from the bondage of sin and death by giving His life as the ransom price (Mark 10:45; Ephesians 1:7; Galatians 3:13).
Regeneration — See Born Again. The sovereign, instantaneous work of the Holy Spirit by which He imparts spiritual life to the spiritually dead, enabling genuine repentance and faith (Titus 3:5; John 3:3).
Remnant — The faithful minority God preserves through judgment — a recurring Old Testament theme that Paul applies to believing Israel "chosen by grace" (Isaiah 10:20–22; Romans 11:5).
Repentance — A genuine, Spirit-worked change of mind and heart that turns from sin toward God; an essential component of saving faith (Acts 2:38; Luke 13:3; 2 Corinthians 7:10).
Reprobation — The other side of election — God's passing over of those He does not choose to save, leaving them to the just consequences of their sin (Romans 9:18, 22).
Restitution — Making material amends for wrong done. Commanded in the Law (Exodus 22:1–4) and evidenced in Zacchaeus as fruit of genuine repentance (Luke 19:8).
Resurrection — The bodily rising from the dead. Christ's resurrection is the cornerstone of Christianity (1 Corinthians 15:14–17). Believers are promised bodily resurrection at His return (1 Corinthians 15:20–23; John 11:25).
Revelation — God's disclosure of Himself and His will to humanity. Includes general revelation (creation, conscience) and special revelation (Scripture, the incarnate Christ).
Righteousness — Conformity to God's moral standard and character. Before God, believers possess a forensic (imputed) righteousness in Christ; they also pursue ethical righteousness in daily life (Romans 4:5–6; Philippians 3:9).
S
Sabbath — The seventh day of rest instituted at Creation (Genesis 2:2–3) and codified in the Mosaic Law (Exodus 20:8–11). Christians observe spiritual Sabbath rest in Christ (Hebrews 4:9–10), and many worship on Sunday as the "Lord's Day."
Sacerdotalism — The belief that a priest is necessary to mediate grace between God and the people — denied by the New Testament's one Mediator and universal priesthood.
Sacrament — In Catholic and Orthodox traditions, a sacred rite that conveys grace through the physical element (there are seven). Most Protestants recognize two ordinances (baptism and the Lord's Supper) as symbolic acts of obedience commanded by Christ.
Saint — Every believer, set apart by God. In the New Testament always a present status of living Christians, never a posthumous honor (1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1).
Salvation — God's comprehensive work of rescuing sinners from sin, death, and judgment, and restoring them to fellowship with Himself through Jesus Christ. Encompasses justification, sanctification, and glorification.
Sanctification — The ongoing process by which the Holy Spirit conforms believers to the image of Christ — growing in holiness and dying to sin — between conversion and glorification (1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
Satan — A created angelic being who rebelled against God and became the adversary of humanity. The New Testament identifies him as the ruler of this age, a deceiver and accuser, who has been defeated through Christ's cross (John 12:31; Revelation 12:10).
Scripture — The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, accepted by Protestants as the inspired, inerrant, and sufficient written Word of God and the final authority for faith and practice.
Semi-Pelagianism — The view that a person can take the first step toward God unaided, with grace then assisting — rejected as making salvation ultimately dependent on human initiative.
Seraphim — Burning ones; angelic beings surrounding God's throne in Isaiah 6, crying "Holy, Holy, Holy" and covering their faces before Him.
Shekinah — A rabbinic term for God's manifest dwelling presence. Its New Testament counterpart is John 1:14, where the Word "tabernacled" among us.
Sin — Any thought, word, deed, or state of being that falls short of God's holy standard or violates His law (Romans 3:23; 1 John 3:4). Includes acts of commission and omission, as well as the inherited sinful nature.
Sola Fide / Sola Gratia — Justification is by faith alone, through grace alone — received, not earned (Romans 3:28; Ephesians 2:8–9).
Sola Scriptura — Scripture alone is the final and infallible authority for faith and practice — not denying the value of tradition and teachers, but denying that any of them may stand over the text.
Solus Christus / Soli Deo Gloria — Salvation is through Christ alone, and all glory belongs to God alone (Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 10:31).
Soteriology — The branch of theology that studies salvation (soteria): its nature, grounds, and application, including justification, regeneration, sanctification, and glorification.
Soul — The immaterial aspect of a human being, distinct from the body, capable of relationship with God and surviving physical death. Debate continues over whether humans are dichotomous (body + soul) or trichotomous (body + soul + spirit).
Sovereignty of God — The absolute authority and rule of God over all creation, history, and human affairs — working all things according to the counsel of His will (Psalm 115:3; Ephesians 1:11; Daniel 4:35).
Special Revelation — God's specific self-disclosure through Scripture and the person of Jesus Christ, communicating truths about salvation not discoverable through nature or reason alone.
Substitution (Vicarious) — The principle that Christ stood in the place of sinners and suffered the consequences due to them, acting as their representative substitute (2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13).
Supralapsarianism / Infralapsarianism — Competing accounts of the logical order of God's eternal decrees — whether election precedes or follows the decree to permit the Fall. A question of logical, not chronological, sequence.
Synergism — The view that regeneration involves cooperation between divine grace and human will. Contrasted with monergism.
T
Theism — The belief in a personal God who is distinct from creation yet actively involved in the world; the foundational conviction shared by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Theodicy — The branch of theology that addresses the problem of evil and suffering — how a good and omnipotent God can permit them — seeking to justify God's ways in the face of pain.
Theology — From the Greek theos (God) + logos (word/study). The systematic study and articulation of the nature and works of God, based on divine revelation.
Theonomy — The view that the civil laws of Moses remain binding on modern civil governments. A minority position, distinct from affirming the abiding relevance of the moral law.
Theophany — A visible, tangible appearance or manifestation of God in the Old Testament, often in the form of fire, cloud, the Angel of the LORD, or a human-like figure (Exodus 3:2–6; Ezekiel 1).
Total Depravity — See Depravity. The Reformed doctrine that every aspect of fallen human nature is corrupted by sin, making genuine God-seeking impossible apart from divine grace.
Tradition — The accumulated teachings, practices, and interpretations of the church passed down through generations. In Catholic and Orthodox Christianity, tradition is a co-authoritative source of doctrine alongside Scripture; Protestants hold Scripture as the supreme norm (sola Scriptura).
Transcendence — God's existence above and beyond creation, not contained by it or dependent on it — held together with His immanence (Isaiah 55:8–9; 1 Kings 8:27).
Transubstantiation — The Roman Catholic teaching that during the Mass, the bread and wine are substantially changed into the actual body and blood of Christ while the outward appearances remain.
Trinity — The central Christian doctrine that the one God eternally exists as three distinct persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — each fully divine, equal in nature, and yet personally distinct (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
Tritheism — The error of treating Father, Son, and Spirit as three separate gods. Trinitarian orthodoxy affirms one being in three persons, not three beings.
Typology — The interpretive method of reading Old Testament persons, events, or institutions as types (foreshadowings) that find their fulfillment and fuller meaning (antitype) in Christ and the new covenant (e.g., the Passover lamb → Christ; Adam → Christ, Romans 5:14).
U
Union with Christ — The intimate, spiritual bond between the believer and Jesus Christ by which all spiritual blessings flow — regeneration, justification, sanctification, and future glorification. Described using "in Christ" language throughout Paul's letters (Ephesians 1:3; John 15:5).
Universalism — The belief that all people will ultimately be saved; that God's love ensures that no one will remain in hell forever. Generally regarded as outside the bounds of orthodox Christianity.
V
Vicarious Atonement — Christ's death understood as substitutionary — suffering in the place of sinners the penalty their sin deserved (Isaiah 53:5–6; 1 Peter 3:18).
Virgin Birth — The historical miracle by which Jesus was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, without a human father, ensuring His sinless nature and His identity as the eternal Son of God (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 1:34–35).
Vocation — Calling. Includes the general call to salvation and holiness, and the particular calling to one's work and station as a sphere of service to God (1 Corinthians 7:17; Colossians 3:23).
W
Westminster Confession — The 1646 Reformed confession of faith produced by the Westminster Assembly, with its Larger and Shorter Catechisms. Widely influential in English-speaking Protestantism.
Word of God — God's self-revelation in speech. Refers to (1) Jesus Christ, the eternal Logos (John 1:1); (2) the Bible, the written revelation of God; and (3) the proclaimed Gospel message (Romans 10:17).
Works (Works-Righteousness) — The attempt to earn right standing with God through moral effort or religious deeds. Scripture is clear that no one is justified by works; salvation is by grace alone through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8–9; Galatians 2:16).
Worship — The whole-life response of reverence, love, and service offered to God in acknowledgment of His worth and glory. Includes formal corporate gathering (liturgy, song, prayer, preaching) and informal daily devotion (Romans 12:1).
Wrath of God — God's holy and just anger toward sin and unrepentant sinners; not arbitrary or capricious, but the necessary response of perfect holiness to moral evil. Appeased through Christ's propitiation (Romans 1:18; John 3:36).
X
Xenolalia (Xenoglossia) — The miraculous ability to speak in a foreign human language one has not learned, demonstrated at Pentecost in Acts 2 when the disciples spoke in the native languages of those present. Distinguished from glossolalia (speaking in tongues as an unknown or heavenly language).
Y
YHWH (Yahweh) — The personal name of the God of Israel, rendered LORD (in small capitals) in most English Bibles. Revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14–15), it likely derives from the Hebrew verb "to be," expressing God's eternal self-existence and covenant faithfulness.
Z
Zealot — A first-century Jewish political movement that advocated violent resistance to Roman occupation. One of Jesus' twelve apostles, Simon, was identified as a Zealot (Luke 6:15), showing the breadth of those Jesus called to Himself.
Zion — Originally the hill in Jerusalem on which the city of David was built. In the Psalms and prophets, Zion becomes a rich symbol for God's presence among His people, the heavenly Jerusalem, and the eschatological gathering of the redeemed (Psalm 48; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 14:1).