Christianity Terminology

Papacy: The jurisdiction of the Pope, bishop of Rome. The papacy has moral authority of churches around the world. The characteristics and role of the papacy has drastically changed over time. This only exists in Catholicism (“Papacy”).

Parable: A morality tale popularly used in the Bible. Jesus was known for using parables about the Kingdom. Some of the most famous parables are the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) and the Lost Sheep (Matt. 18:10–14) (“Parable”).

Patriarchate: The office, duristiction, time in office, or residence of an ecclesiastical patriarch. There have been several over time and are often referred to as time periods during the history of the Church (Fortescue). This only exists in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Pentecost: A celebration of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus’ Apostles. This is celebrated 50 days after Easter. A gust of wind was said to come through, and the Apostles spoke in tongues. This is seen as the “birth” of the Church (Dennis).

Real presence (Eucharist): Translates to “to give thanks”. It is a primary doctrine of the Catholic Church. The church community comes together to witness the bread and wine consecrate into the body and blood of the Lord (“Eucharist”).

Resurrection: The belief that the bodies of the dead will come back to life. Christians believe Jesus has already resurrected. Christianity teaches the dead will resurrect with the return of Jesus on Judgement Day (“Resurrection”).

Rosary: It is a string of beads used to keep count of prayers. It includes a crucifix, which one uses to bless oneself with and say the Apostle’s Creed. After the Apostle’s Creed one says and Our Father, three Hail Marys, a Glory Be, and 50 Hail Marys, divided by a Glory Be (“Common Prayers).

Sacrament: Originates from the Latin sacramentum, meaning “oath,” “pledge,” or “bond.” Sacraments are acts of worship that are believed to allow individuals to access a special union with the divine and find God’s grace. There are seven main Christian sacraments (although various denominations acknowledge various combinations of these seven, and not all have seven): baptism, confirmation/chrismation, Eucharist/Communion/The Lord’s Supper, reconciliation/penance, matrimony, ordination, and anointing of the sick (Hellwig).

Sacramentals: Sacred signs/sacred objects that are associated with the sacraments and bring about certain spiritual effects: for example, the blessing and distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday is not a sacrament in itself, but signifies our recognition of and penance for our sins. Sacramentals are extremely valuable because they signify the Church’s intercession between man and God.  Sacramentals include prayers for health and are believed to bring grace and blessings (“Sacramentals”).

Saints: Originates from the Latin sanctus, meaning holy (“Communion of Saints”). Saints are revered individuals who are believed to be special advocates and intercessors for the Church and her members (“Patron Saints”).  Saints are often depicted in images or statues as having a tangible “nimbus,” or halo-like luminous shape around their heads to symbolize their piety (Verostko).

Sola fide: Latin for “faith alone.” This is the Protestant belief that good works cannot justify a person before God, and that only faith in God can bring forgiveness of sins. However, this belief does not mean that good works should not be done, or that the Christian should become complacent in their faith (Maronde).

Sola gratia: Latin for “grace alone.” This is the Protestant belief that only through the undeserved grace of God can a sinner find salvation – not through their own merit. God is gracious because of Himself and Jesus alone, and thus nothing humans do “earns” or “deserves” this grace (Preus).

Sola scriptura: Latin for “scripture alone.” This is the Protestant belief that only the Bible, not tradition or teachings from Church leaders, should be the basis of Christian faith and belief. The Bible is accessible and understandable to the average lay Christian, and thus each Christian should accept its authority above the authority of priests and bishops (Melton).

Soli Deo gloria: Latin for “To God Alone Glory.” This phrase is part of a series of phrases, the five solas of the Protestant Reformation. It explains that although there are many great people and Saints throughout history, glory should go to only one person, and that person is “God Alone.” (Piper)

Solus Christus: Latin for “Christ alone.” This phrase refers to the belief that only Christ alone is needed for salvation of the human race. It emphasizes that He is the one who saves us, and that our efforts alone would never be enough to do so. Therefore, Christ is the most significant figure in Christianity. (Piper)

Theology: Greek for the “talk about/words about God.” The study which explains the nature of God, the relationship of God with the world and humans, and salvation. It is a formal and reasoned discipline which discusses the beliefs of the faithful in a religion concerning God. It is actively developed by qualified church leaders (Alles).

Theotokos: The “begetter of God,” – a title given to Mary. This title was questioned by individuals, but was eventually reaffirmed during the Council of Ephesus which clarified how, since Jesus is both perfectly divine and perfectly human in a unique unity, Mary is accurately speaking, the mother of God. Mary as the Theotokos has become a central icon in Eastern Orthodoxy (Flinn).

Transubstantiation: The Catholic belief that the whole substance of the bread and wine in the Eucharist is transformed into the complete substance of the body and blood of Christ, while the appearance of the food remains the same. It was defined as an article of faith during the fourth Lateran Council and was a major topic of discussion during the Protestant Reformation (Flinn).

Trinity: Latin for “three unity.” This is the Christian belief that the three persons – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – are one God. It is a central teaching of the Christian Church that was explained during the Council of Nicea. Each is. Distinct person with one dshared divine essence and each is eterna (Flinn).

Vestments: Official clothing worn by priests during mass. Priests wear different colored vestments depending on the liturgical season. A common vestment is cassock worn by priests for day-to-day attire (Alles).

Works Cited

Alles, Gregory D., and Robert S. Ellwood. “Resurrection.” The Encyclopedia of World Religions, Revised Edition, Facts On File, 2006. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/249683?q=Resurrection. Accessed 30 Oct. 2017.

Alles, Gregory D., and Robert S. Ellwood. “Theology.” The Enclopedia of World Religions, Rev. ed., Facts on File, 2006. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/249064?q=Theology. Accessed 29 Oct. 2017.

Alles, Gregory D., and Robert S. Ellwood. “Religious Vestments.” The Encyclopedia of World Religions, Revised Edition, Facts On File, 2006. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/248655?q=vestments. Accessed 30 Oct. 2017.

“Communion of Saints.” New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd ed., vol. 4, Gale, 2003, pp. 34-36. Gale Virtual Reference Library, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=whea89578&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CCX3407702631&asid=0beddb953ba23eb4535944776e868ada. Accessed 24 Oct. 2017.

Dennis, Matthew. “Pentecost.” Encyclopedia of Holidays and Celebrations, Facts On File, 2006. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/419717?q=pentecost. Accessed 30 Oct. 2017.

Flinn, Frank K. “Common Prayers.” Encyclopedia of Catholicism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/263538?q=Rosary christianity. Accessed 30 Oct. 2017.

Flinn, Frank K. “Council of Ephesus.” Encyclopedia of Catholicism, 2nd ed., Facts on File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.come/HRC/Search/Details/235701?q=Theotokos.

Flinn, Frank K. “Eucharist.” Encyclopedia of Catholicism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/263476?q=Real presence eucharist. Accessed 30 Oct. 2017.

Flinn, Frank K. “Papacy.” Encyclopedia of Catholicism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/235565?q=papacy OR medieval church. Accessed 30 Oct. 2017.

Flinn, Frank K. “Parable.” Encyclopedia of Catholicism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/235567?q=parable. Accessed 30 Oct. 2017.

Fortescue, Adrian. “Patriarch and Patriarchate.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 2 Nov. 2017 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11549a.htm&gt;.

“Trinity in Catholicism.” Encyclopedia of Catholicism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/235600?q=Trinity. Accessed 2 Nov. 2017.

Hellwig, Monika K. “Sacrament: Christian Sacraments.” Encyclopedia of Religion, edited by Lindsay Jones, 2nd ed., vol. 12, Macmillan Reference USA, 2005, pp. 7958-7964. Gale Virtual Reference Library, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=whea89578&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CCX3424502691&asid=22ff966530d7989786c30dd68653cf0e. Accessed 24 Oct. 2017.

Maronde, Christopher. “Sola Fide.” Lutheran Reformation, The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, 16 June 2016, lutheranreformation.org/theology/sola-fide/.

Melton, J. Gordon. “Sola Scriptura.” Encyclopedia of Protestantism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/259154?q=sola scriptura. Accessed 25 Oct. 2017.

“Patron Saints.” New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd ed., vol. 10, Gale, 2003, pp. 969-976. Gale Virtual Reference Library, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=whea89578&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CCX3407708534&asid=4089baf51a93e1f0207cf6efdf998bbc. Accessed 24 Oct. 2017.

Piper, John. “Are the Five Solas in the Bible? Part 3: In Christ Alone.” Desiring God, 3 Oct. 2017, http://www.desiringgod.org/labs/in-christ-alone.                 Accessed 30 Oct. 2017.

Piper, John. “Soli Deo Gloria: Heart and Soul of the Reformation.” Desiring God, 30 Aug. 2017, http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/soli-deo-gloria.        Accessed 30 Oct. 2017.

Preus, Stephen. “Sola Gratia.” Lutheran Reformation, The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, 13 June 2016, lutheranreformation.org/theology/sola-gratia/.

“Sacramentals.” New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd ed., vol. 12, Gale, 2003, pp. 479-481. Gale Virtual Reference Library, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=whea89578&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CCX3407709789&asid=a26b703d15b7a2ba99eb67a190b95299. Accessed 24 Oct. 2017.

—. “Transubstantiation.” Encyclopedia of Catholicism, 2nd ed., Facts on File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.coom/HRC/Search/Details/263446?q=Transubstantiation. Accessed 29 Oct. 2017.

VEROSTKO, R. J., and J. U. MORRIS. “Saints, Iconography of.” New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd ed., vol. 12, Gale, 2003, pp. 598-602. Gale Virtual Reference Library, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=whea89578&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CCX3407709942&asid=80919c135f5a545dbc58a1d5516a036d. Accessed 24 Oct. 2017.

Buddhism Terminology

Nirodha: This is the third of the Four Noble Truths, describing the logical outcome of the first two truths. Since attachment to impermanent, material things is the cause of suffering, logically the way to end suffering is to let go of one’s attachments. The method to eliminating suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path (Lopez).

Nirvana: The idea of Nirvana can be described as “the blown out candle,” where the lit candle is a symbol for the human condition. It means true bliss, emptiness, and freedom from suffering, and it is achieved through acceptance of the 3 Marks of Existence and training oneself not to become attached to impermanent earthly things. Nirvana describes this state of a person who has reached Enlightenment but is still living (as opposed to Parinirvana).

Parinirvana: Parinirvana contains the same idea of Nirvana, that is being of true bliss and freedom of suffering. The difference between nirvana and parinirvana is that in nirvana the person is still alive. However, parinirvana more specifically refers to a person who has achieved nirvana and has passed away. In addition, parinirvana is “without residue” and if reached, it means that a person has finally been released from the Samsara cycle.

Prajna: The Sanskrit word for wisdom, prajna is the intuitive experience of ultimate reality that is achieved through the state of Samadhi. It is one of the three types of learning required in order to attain enlightenment and reach liberation. In Buddhism, it means accepting and/or being convinced that the Buddhist teachings concerning life and the world are true (Alles, “Buddhist Meditation”).

Partitya-Samutpada: Translates to “dependent origination” or “dependent arising.” This belief is the middle ground between the belief in a permanent self (contradicted by anatta) and the belief that humans have no free will whatsoever. This fundamental understanding of human existence is key to achieving Enlightenment (Kalupahana).

Precepts: These are rules of moral conduct agreed upon by Buddhists. Over time, a Buddhist’s behavior will become more in line with the precepts, until acting this way becomes completely natural. There are several different categories for different types of Buddhists (e.g. laity, Bodhisattva, monks) but the most fundamental five are: “not killing, not stealing, not misusing sex, not lying, and not abusing intoxicants.” (Irons, “Precepts, Buddhist.”)

Puja: The term Puja refers to a ritual offering of food or other valuable items. This ritual is done to show honor and respect to a Buddhist deity. For example, on deity that one may offer to is Sakyamuni. In Vajrayanan Buddhism, the Puja ritual also includes recitations and visualizations.

Samadhi: This is the third of the Three Trainings, the concentration of an individual on clearing the mind in order to reach the truth. It is a self-absorbing concentration that unifies the person. It can be defined by “mental one-pointedness,” the practice of turning one’s focus and attention away from the outside environment and towards the internal (“Samadhi”).

Samsara: The Hindu concept of the eternal wheel of rebirth which was adopted and adapted by Buddha into Buddhism. In this wheel, souls are reborn based on karma until they reach perfection in nirvana. The concept of samsara emphasizes the fact that humans should not become attached to worldly things because they cannot permanently satisfy people (because nothing in life is permanently good) (“Samsara”).

Sangha: Sanskrit for “community” or “assembly,” this is the Buddhist monastic order comprised of monks and nuns. In the Mahayanan and Vajrayana branches, this also includes the laity. This is one of the Three Jewels or Refuges in which Buddhist find solace during their search for enlightenment. No centralized authority oversees the Sangha (Alles).

Sarnath: Buddha preached his first sermon at this location (Deer Park Sermon). This place is distinct for having deer, hence the name Deer Park. Buddha preached to his arhats, and they spread the words of his sermon.

Shakyamuni: A title given to Buddha meaning “the sage of the Shakya clan,” the clan to which Buddha was born into. It is a widely used term in Japan and China. Muni translates to “holy man or monk”(Dow and Mercatante).

Siddhartha Gautama: Born a Hindu prince into the Shakya clan in Lumbini in 563 BCE, but renounced his life of wealth and luxury in at age 29 and went off to live an ascetic life after witnessing the Four Sights. In Bohdgaya, Siddhartha became “enlightened” under a bodhi tree and became aware of the Four Noble Truths, the Middle Way, and the Noble Eightfold Path. He became the founder of Buddhism and is known as Siddhartha Guatama (“The One Who Has Achieved His Aim”), Shakyamuni (sage of Shakya clan), the Buddha (“The Awakened One”), and Tathagata (“The One Who Has Gone Beyond”).

Sila: The Buddhist concept of morality or right conduct. It is comprised of 3 stages: right speech, action, and livelihood. Over all, this involves avoiding killing, stealing, raping, lying, and other such actions (“Sila”).

Skandhas: “Aggregates”–Five Aggregates or Five Heaps that are components that make up an individual. Comprised of rupa, meaning “form;” vedana, meaning “sensation;” samja, meaning “perception;” samskara, meaning “mental formation;” and vijnana, meaning “consciousness” (Irons, “Skandhas”).

Suddhodana: The father of Siddhartha Guatama and the chief of the Shakya clan. When Siddhartha was born, Suddhodana’s seers prophesied that Siddhartha would either become a “universal monarch” or a great religious leader. Suddhodana wanted his son to become this “universal monarch,” so he kept Siddhartha within the palace, giving him all the earthly pleasures he could desire in the hopes that Siddhartha would only ever know luxury, and thus follow the path to become a “universal monarch.”

Sukkha: The Sanskrit word for “happiness” or “bliss.” These two words help characterize the feelings and emotions achieved when finally reaching nirvana. A large part of nirvana is reaching this eternal “happiness” and “bliss” knowing that you have finally achieved parinirvana, the idea of being released from Samsara.

 Tara: The popular mother goddess of Tibet who is worshipped for protection, typically from one of eight dangers: elephants, lions, serpents, thieves, vampires, sea monsters, fire, and chains. She is associated with Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion (aka The Lord Who Looks Down) and is said to have been created from his tears. Her cult was originally started in India, but became most popular in Tibet (Alles).

Tanha: The second of the Four Noble Truths which explains the origin of suffering. According to this, craving and attachment is the root for suffering, and thus humans cause their own suffering. Desire and craving stem from fundamental failure to accept the way things truly are, and without accepting how things are without wanting them to change, one will continue to suffer (Irons).

Tathagata: A title meaning “the one who has gone beyond” which the Buddha gave himself when he reached enlightenment. It conveys the essential buddha nature hidden in everyone. After he finds enlightenment, the Buddha refers to himself in the third person using this title.

Three Jewels/ Gems: Theses are “essential aspects” of Buddhism that Buddhist take refuge in. The first is the Buddha who was awakened and left the cycle of suffering, and the second are his teachings or Dharma. The third is Sangha or the Buddhist monastic order. Buddhist can use the Three Jewels/ Gems to sustain themselves and continue to be faithful (“Buddhist Three Treasures”).

Tripitaka: Also known as the Pali Canon or the “Three Basket” collection of Buddhist scriptures because the scriptures were written on palm fronds and woven into baskets. It is comprised of the “Vinaya Pitaka” (monastic rules), “Sutta Pitaka” (discourses), and the “Abhidhamma Pitaka” (supplements to the doctrines). The Tripitaka is primarily composed of Buddhist philosophy and psychology, as well as Buddha’s sayings and simple doctrinal discussions (Irons).

Trikaya: The “three bodies/manifestations” of a Buddha. This doctrine originates in Mahayana Buddhism. The Trikaya consists of dharmakaya, (“truth body”–the absolute, the inexplicable, beyond all perceptual forms) the sambhogakaya, (“bliss body”–the body that experiences the reward of enlightenment) and the nirmanakaya (“emanation body”–the physical body of a Buddha) (O’Brien).

Upaya: “Skillful means,” an activity that is used to communicate the ultimate truths of enlightenment to help others achieve nirvana. Upaya varies greatly depending on the situation and thus prajna and karuna are necessary to discern and apply the upaya that is appropriate for each situation and individual (Matsunaga).

Varajana: “The diamond vehicle”is the third main branch of Buddhism; it’s also known as  Tibetian Buddhism. This branch focuses on harnessing energy of desire for good, and they use mandalas, mantras, and mudras. This branch uses desire to reach enlightnement. The Dalai Llama is the model, and the laity is the audience.

Yadsodhara: Married her cousin Siddhartha at age 16, thus becoming the princess of the Shakya clan. She bore one son named Rahula when she was 29 years old. She eventually became the first bhikkuni (nun) and helped found Buddhist nun orders throughout northeastern India.

Zen: A branch of Mahayanan Buddhism that developed in Japan. It fouceses on a form of meditation that empasizes using “present-mindedness” to reach enlightenement (“Zen Buddhism”). Zen Buddhists use the practice of meditation to understand their “own nature” (“Zen Buddhism”)

Works Cited:

Alles, Gregory D., and Robert S. Ellwood. “Prajna.” The Encyclopedia of World Religions, Rev. ed., Facts on File, 2006. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/249392?q=prajna. Accessed 16 Sept. 2017.

— “Sangha.” The Encyclopedia of World Religions, Revised Edition, Facts On File, 2006. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/249372?q=Sangha. Accessed 26 Sept. 2017.

— “Tara.” The Encyclopedia of World Religions, Revised Edition, Facts On File, 2006. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/249074?q=Tara. Accessed 29 Sept. 2017.
“Buddhist Meditation.” Britannica School, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2017, school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Buddhist-meditation/17911. Accessed 16 Sept. 2017.

Dow, James R., and Anthony S. Mercatante. “Buddha.” The Facts On File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition, Facts On File, 2004. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/426011?q=shakyamuni. Accessed 18 Sept. 2017.

Irons, Edward A. “Buddhist Three Treasures.” Encyclopedia of Buddhism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/241963?q=three treasures jewels buddhism. Accessed 25 Sept. 2017.

— “Precepts, Buddhist.” Encyclopedia of Buddhism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/433616?q=precepts. Accessed 29 Sept. 2017.

— “Puja.” Encyclopedia of Buddhism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/241684?q=Puja. Accessed 29 Sept. 2017.

— “Skandhas.” Encyclopedia of Buddhism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/241861?q=Skandhas. Accessed 25 Sept. 2017.

— “Tanha.” Encyclopedia of Buddhism, 2nd ed., Facts on File, 2016. World Religions Online, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/241832?q=Tanha. Accessed 16 Sept. 2017.

— “Zen Buddhism.” Encyclopedia of Buddhism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/241705?q=Zen buddhism. Accessed 30 Sept. 2017.

—. “Tripitaka.” Encyclopedia of Buddhism, 2nd ed., Facts on File, 2016. World Religions Online, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/241500?q=tripitaka. Accessed 16 Sept. 2017.

Kalupahana, David J. “Pratītya-Samutpāda.” Encyclopedia of Religion, edited by Lindsay Jones, 2nd ed., vol. 11, Macmillan Reference USA, 2005, pp. 7363-7366. Gale Virtual Reference Library, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=whea89578&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CCX3424502495&it=r&asid=07b2b306be3a8cd3af08e8d2af4f9125. Accessed 29 Sept. 2017.

Lopez, Donald S. “Nirvana.” Britannica School, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2017, school.eb.com/levels/high/article/nirvana/55914. Accessed 16 Sept. 2017.

Matsunaga, Daigan, and Alicia Matsunaga. “Upaya in Mahayana Buddhist Philosophy .” Japanese Journal of Religious Studies , vol. 1, 1 Mar. 1974, pp. 52–72. Accessed 30 September 2017

O’Brien, Barbara. “The Trikaya: The Three Bodies of Buddha.” ThoughtCo, 21 Feb. 2017, http://www.thoughtco.com/trikaya-three-bodies-of-buddha-450016. Accessed 30 September 2017

“Samadhi.” Britannica School, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2017, school.eb.com/levels/high/article/samadhi/65178. Accessed 16 Sept. 2017.

“Samsara.” Britannica School, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Feb. 2015, school.eb.com/levels/high/article/samsara/65236. Accessed 16 Sept. 2017.

“Sila.” Britannica School, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2017, school.eb.com/levels/high/article/s%C4%ABla/67740. Accessed 16 Sept. 2017.

Terminology

Over the course of the year, we will be forming a glossary of important terms for the five major religions we will be studying. See if you know all the words!