INTRODUCTION TO LIBERAL THEOLOGY Lexicon of Terms

A
Abrahamic Covenant: a special covenant made by God with Abraham (Genesis 15: 7-21) added to the Noahide Covenant circ!mcision" #nown partic!larly as the berit" is made the si$n o% the %!rther covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17) (A %!rther covenant is made with &srael at 'inai (()od!s 1*:5 2+:1-,)" in which God promises that &srael will be -is special people i% they will #eep -is commandments.) a a!e/: the Gree# word %or love. &n Christian !sa$e it denotes spirit!al and !nsel%ish love" contrasted with eros" carnal love. &t was translated into 0atin by caritas hence the ori$inal meanin$ o% 1charity2 in (n$lish a e of reason"# the a$e at which a child may be s!pposed to be capable o% discernin$ ri$ht %rom wron$ and there%ore o% bein$ responsible %or his cond!ct Amen": a -ebrew word meanin$ 1verily2" !sed to e)press assent at the end o% reli$io!s %orm!las" esp. prayers anthro!ocentric: centered on the h!man" o%ten !sed to describe an ethical system chie%ly concerned with h!man capacities and the h!man $ood anthro!omor!hism: ascribin$ h!man characteristics and personality to God antinomianism: literally" lawlessness $eneral name %or the view that persons are by $race %reed %rom the need to observe any moral law a!oca$%!tic& a!oca$%!ticism: a pattern o% tho!$ht in reli$ion centerin$ on dramatic transitions" whether e)istential or cosmolo$ical" %rom one 1a$e2 or mode o% e)istence to another (o%ten eschatolo$ical or soteriolo$ical in si$ni%icance) a!o$o %: a reasoned de%ense or recommendation" o%ten re%errin$ to the %orm o% Christian writin$s d!rin$ the years 123-253 C( a!o!hatic theo$o %": or ne$ative theolo$y. A way o% approachin$ God by denyin$ that any o% o!r concepts can be properly a%%irmed o% God. &t is contrasted with a%%irmative and symbolic theolo$y Arianism: a heresy that denied the %!ll divinity o% Christ b!t ascribed to him the special stat!s o% havin$ been created directly by God" so called a%ter its a!thor Ari!s (d 445 C(). 6he Nicene Creed (425 C() de%ined the 7rthodo) position o% coeternity and coe8!ality o% the 9ather and the 'on. Arminianism: a $eneral constellation o% views which claims that divine soverei$nty is compatible with a real h!man %ree will" that Christ2s atonement is !niversally o%%ered" and that certain stron$ %orm!lations o% the doctrine o% predestination are !ns!stainable" socalled a%ter the :!tch theolo$ian ;acob!s Armini!s (1553-153*) as'esis& asceticism: a system o% practices o% sel%-abenation desi$ned to combat vice and develop virt!e as!ect(s mentis: 0atin %or 1$a<e o% the mind"2 !sed by A!$!stine and others to describe #nowled$e atonement: the reconciliation o% a person or o% h!man#ind to God (Christian: thro!$h the sacri%icial death o% ;es!s Christ ;ewish: thro!$h certain rit!al practices s!ch as prayer) a(tonom%: $enerally" sel%-r!le" speci%ically" a person2s capacity %or moral sel%-determination axio$o %: theory o% val!e or the $ood

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B
Broa) Ch(rch: a pop!lar term coined on the analo$y o% >-i$h Ch!rch? and >0ow Ch!rch?" %or those o% the Ch!rch o% (n$land who ob@ected to positive de%initions in theolo$y and so!$ht to interpret the An$lican %orm!laries in a broad and liberal sense

C
canon& canonica$: a set o% o%%icially reco$ni<ed te)ts" o%ten re%erred to the complete Christian Aible" incl!din$ the 7ld 6estament and New 6estament caritas: 0atin %or charity or love" !sed in classical theolo$ical ethics to describe the >mother o% all virt!es? (6homas A8!inas) and the proper disposition toward God and nei$hbor catechism: $enerally" a system o% reli$io!s instr!ction speci%ically" a man!al !sed in s!ch instr!ction (compare 1catechesis2: oral instr!ction in reli$io!s matters) cate orica$: !nconditionally and !niversally necessary Christian Bib$e: the 7ld 6estament (the boo#s o% the -ebrew 'cript!res are arran$ed in a di%%erent order) and the New 6estament" alon$ with certain apocryphal writin$s %rom the intertestamental period (altho!$h the latter are $enerally denied any a!thority in doctrinal matters) Christocentric": $enerally" any set o% reli$io!s belie%s that is %oc!sed on the person o% Christ christo$o %: the doctrine o% the second person o% the 6rinity" ;es!s Christ >hi$h? Christolo$ies constr!e the atonement o% Christ as a %orm o% s!bstit!tion %or h!man sin (this Christolo$y is !s!ally correlated to a stron$ theolo$y o% $race and a low theolo$ical anthropolo$y) >low? Christolo$ies constr!e Christ as the hi$hest moral and reli$io!s e)amplar (this Christolo$y is !s!ally correlated to a hi$her theolo$ical anthropolo$y) co nitivism: the view in ethics that moral @!d$ments e)press belie%s that can be tr!e or %alse" and that s!ch tr!e belie%s (>moral %acts?) can be apprehended by the mind Common *ra%er& the Boo' of/: the o%%icial service-boo# o% the Ch!rch o% (n$land containin$ the daily o%%ices o% Bornin$ and (venin$ Crayer" the %orms %or the administration o% the 'acraments and other rites" the Csalter" and (since 1552)" the 7rdinal confession: statement o% %aith or %irm declaration o% reli$io!s convictions confessiona$: mode o% theolo$y that be$ins with %aith-claims rather than ar$!in$ %or them Con re ationa$ism": the %orm o% Ch!rch polity which rests on the independence and a!tonomy o% each local Ch!rch. &t has been held that the system is primitive and represents the earliest %orm o% Ch!rch order. Bodern Con$re$ationalism" however" dates %rom the De%ormation conscience: $enerally" the capacity %or moral @!d$ment in $eneral or partic!lar matters in Christian theolo$y" o%ten associated with the >divine spar#? in h!man bein$s conscienci+ation: the process o% actively c!ltivatin$ awareness o% moral realities and principles" partic!larly amon$ those who s!%%er in@!stice" o%ten associated with %eminist and liberationist theolo$y conscio(sness& se$f,conscio(sness: $enerally" awareness o% the world and sel% speci%ically" the mind2s capacity to re%lect !pon itsel% in introspective acts cosmo$o %: the interpretation o% the whole o% reality cosmo$o ica$ ar (ment/: a %amily o% ar$!ments each o% which ar$!es that the e)istence o% the world or !niverse (as opposed to its character) m!st be ca!sed by God

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Co(nter,Reformation"# the revival o% the DC Ch!rch in (!rope" !s!ally considered as e)tendin$ %rom the middle o% the 15th cent. to the period o% the 6hirty Eears2 Far (151,+,) Covenant: (-ebrew" berith) God2s commitment to &srael and all h!man#ind" partic!larly involvin$ the callin$ o% people into relationship with God2s 'el% sometimes distin$!ished into the old and new covenants cree)": a concise" %ormal" and a!thori<ed statement o% important points o% doctrine. A%ter the Co!ncil o% Nicaea (425 C() creedal pro%essions o% %aith came to be !sed as standards o% orthodo)y criti-(e: rational e)amination %or the sa#e o% rootin$ o!t error and %irmly establishin$ tr!ths" not speci%ically implyin$ cens!re c($!abi$it%: bein$ morally or le$ally responsible %or a blameworthy action" o%ten implyin$ vol!ntariness o% the action C%nicism: (%rom Gree# #yno#os" >do$-li#e?) the >do$-philosophers"? so-called beca!se do$s are witho!t shame philosophical movement ina!$!rated in the second hal% o% the +th cent. AC( by :io$enes o% 'inope. &t advocated contempt %or conventional manners and morals as well as e)treme asceticism in p!rs!it o% sel%-s!%%iciency and indi%%erence to e)ternal conditions. &t held that the ri$ht way o% li%e was to have the simplest possible needs and to satis%y them in the most direct way whatever is nat!ral is honorable and decent" and can there%ore be done in p!blic witho!t shame

D
Dar.inism": the %orm o% the theory o% evol!tion p!t %orward by Charles :arwin /Death of Go)0 Theo$o %"# a movement in vo$!e in the 1*53s" esp. in the G'A. 6he phase >God is dead? has been !sed in vario!s ways. 9. F. Niet<sche held that to achieve their stat!s as a!tonomo!s bein$s men m!st abolish God and become responsible %or the world and creators o% moral val!es Deca$o (e: the 6en Commandments $iven to Boses by God at 'inai ((). 23) )e)(ction: a process o% reasonin$ in which the concl!sion is s!pposed to %ollow %rom the premises" i.e. the in%erence is lo$ically valid. A valid ded!ctive ar$!ment is one s!ch that i% we accept the premises we are lo$ically bo!nd to accept the concl!sion and i% we re@ect the concl!sion we are lo$ically bo!nd to re@ect one or more o% the premises )eism: belie% in the e)istence o% a s!preme bein$ who is re$arded as the !ltimate so!rce o% reality and $ro!nd o% val!e b!t as not intervenin$ in nat!ral and historical processes by way o% partic!lar providence" revelations and salvi%ic acts" etc." o%ten applied to a prominent school o% tho!$ht in (n$land in the 17th and 1,th cent!ries )eonto$o ica$: (%rom the Gree# deon" >d!ty?) relates to theories o% ethics holdin$ that the basic standards %or an action2s bein$ morally ri$ht are independent o% the $ood or evil ends prod!ced or p!rs!ed these standards are o%ten called >d!ty? or >obli$ation.? )eontic: (%rom the Gree# deon" >d!ty?) related to or centerin$ on ethical concepts o% d!ty" obli$ation or permissibility )ia$ectic: (a) 'ocratic dialectic is the process o% drawin$ o!t the tr!th by means o% 8!estions aimed at disclosin$ what the dialo$!e partner already #nows" or at e)posin$ the contradictions and m!ddles o% an opponent2s position: (b) %or Aristotle" a mode o% ar$!in$ %rom probable premises to rational concl!sions (c) a branch o% philosophy which e)poses specio!s ar$!ments (c%. Hant)" (d) in -e$el and Bar)" a process o% tho!$ht (embodied in 0(=&C7N 4

world history) o% overcomin$ the contradiction between thesis and antithesis" by means o% synthesis the synthesis in t!rn becomes contradicted" and the process repeats itsel% !ntil %inal per%ection is reached )ocetism: an early heresy that held that Christ only appeared to be h!man and only appeared to s!%%er )o matics: coherent and systematic presentation and e)amination o% all Christian doctrines" sometimes distin$!ished %rom ethics or moral theolo$y the meanin$ o% the term depends on one2s theolo$ical position: (a) %or Aarth" the d!ty o% the a$reement o% the Ch!rch2s proclamation with the revelation attested in -oly 'cript!res (b) %or 'chleiermacher" do$matics is the science which systemati<es the doctrine prevalent in a Christian ch!rch at a $iven time" where doctrines are !nderstood as the acco!nt o% Christian reli$io!s a%%ections set %orth in speech

E
ecc$esia$& ecc$esiastica$: o% or havin$ to do with the ch!rch ecc$esio$o %: the doctrine o% the ch!rch and o% its ori$ins" character" p!rposes" etc. in relation to its members and in relation to the broader world ec$ecticism": any system o% theolo$y or philosophy which selects elements %rom di%%erent schools or traditions and combines them Ec(menica$ 1ovement: the movement in the Ch!rch towards the visible !nion o% all believers. 6he modern ec!menical movement may be dated %rom the (dinb!r$h Con%erence o% 1*13 e$ection: an act o% the divine will in which it shows pre%erence to some over others o%ten !sed to re%er to God2s choice o% &srael as a special people and" in Christian theolo$y" to re%er to God2s inscr!table choice to save some and condemn others be%ore their birth En$i htenment: a movement o% tho!$ht" chie%ly centered on the 1,th cent!ry" stressin$ the epistemolo$ical independence o% h!man reason %rom t!tela$e by a!thority and tradition e!istemo$o %: the theory o% #nowled$e eschato$o %: teachin$s abo!t the eschaton" or the end o% the world e()aimonia: Gree# word %or >happiness"? b!t sometimes translated >%lo!rishin$? in order to ma#e the 8!estion o% h!man well-bein$ seem more a matter o% how well a person is doin$ than how $ood he or she is %eelin$. 6he two translations also re%lect two conceptions o% h!man well-bein$ in%ormin$ ancient and contemporary views o% ethics: (a) hedonism" the view (held by (pic!r!s) that %eelin$ $ood or pleas!re is the essence o% h!man well-bein$" and (b) per%ectionism" the view that doin$ well or e)cellin$ at thin$s worth doin$ is the essence o% h!man well-bein$ (adherents to this view incl!de Clato" Aristotle" the 'toics" ;.'. Bill and Niet<sche) evan e$ica$: o% or related to the $ospel or Ford the term came to re%er to all Crotestants in the De%ormation b!t s!bse8!ently narrowed to incl!de those who espo!sed and e)perienced @!sti%ication and script!ral a!thority in an intensi%ied way exe esis": the act o% e)plainin$ a te)t" in theolo$y !s!ally a sacred te)t. 6he p!rpose may be either to describe the a!thor2s meanin$ or to apply that meanin$ to a contemporary sit!ation existentia$ism: any school o% tho!$ht stressin$ the priority o% the problem o% e)istence (partic!larly" a!thentic individ!al bein$) over that o% essence" o%ten associated with #ier#e$aard" 'artre" Niet<sche" etc.

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exit(s,re)it(s: pattern o% tho!$ht centered on the ori$inal %lowin$-o!t o% all created thin$s %rom God and their event!al ret!rn to God

2
2eminist Theo$o %": a theolo$ical movement o% vario!s strands !nited in a determination to sec!re social @!stice %or women. &ts ori$ins may be traced to 1*th cent. social campai$ns" b!t it was only a%ter the end o% FF &&" and partic!larly in the 1*,3s" that it posed a serio!s challen$e within the Christian tradition. -ere the central iss!e is the !nease abo!t associatin$ the %emale or %eminine with the $odli#e. 'ince it is a$reed that God transcends both se) and $ender" %eminist theolo$ians ar$!e %or a h!manly incl!sive theolo$y fi)eism: any system which teaches the incapacity o% the intellect to attain #nowled$e o% divine matters and correspondin$ly p!ts an e)cl!sive emphasis on %aith based on revelation f(n)amenta$ism": a movement in vario!s Crotestant bodies reactin$ a$ainst evol!tionary theories" liberal theolo$y" and biblical criticism in a wider sense the term is applied to other reli$io!s and political $ro!ps (e.$. >B!slim 9!ndamentalism?)

G
Gnosticism: a %orm o% mysticism %o!nd in ;!daism" Christianity and pa$anism in the Doman world in partic!lar" a doctrine o% vario!s sects combinin$ Christian and pa$an elements" that came into prominence aro!nd the 2nd cent. central importance attaches to 1$nosis2" revealed b!t secret #nowled$e o% God and o% his nat!re" enablin$ those who possess it to achieve salvation. Altho!$h Gnosticism too# many %orms" it $enerally distin$!ished the '!preme :ivine Aein$ (!s!ally seen as $ood( %rom the demi!r$e (!s!ally seen as evil)" which was a secondary power responsible %or creation and involved in the material world os!e$: literally" >$ood news? more speci%ically (a) the central content o% the Christian revelation" the $lad tidin$s o% redemption" (b) a title %or the written boo#s in which this revelation was set %orth" (c) one o% the %o!r acco!nts o% ;es!s2 li%e accorded !ni8!e a!thority and canonical stat!s (Batthew" Bar#" 0!#e" ;ohn) race: the $i%t or assistance o% God Great A.a'enin : name o% a widespread reli$io!s revival in the G.'." the be$innin$s o% which may be %o!nd amon$ the :!tch De%ormed Ch!rches c. 1725" closely associated with the preachin$ o% ;onathan (dwards" Geor$e Fhite%ield" and others a series o% conversionary revivals o% Christian reli$ion in the Gnited 'tates c. 1723-53

H
ha io ra!h%: the writin$ o% the lives o% the saints Ha$f,3a% Covenant& The: a doctrine c!rrent in the 17th and 1,th cent" American Con$re$ationalism that e)pressed the relationship to God o% those members o% the comm!nity who had had no describable reli$io!s e)perience hamartio$o %: derived %rom the Gree# hamartia" meanin$ error" o%%-the-mar# doctrines or teachin$s re$ardin$ sin" 'in" h!man bro#enness" incompleteness" %law" error" wea#ness" and whether these are a matter o% i$norance" the will" inherited" transmitted" b!ilt-in" ac8!ired" nat!ral" c!lt!ral" etc.I Hebre. 4cri!t(res: ;ewish canonical te)ts" o%ten divided into the 0aw" the Crophets (incl!din$ the historical boo#s)" and the Fritin$s in the Christian Aible" the Crophets appear at the 0(=&C7N 5

end o% the 76" pointin$ to the New 6estament and its narrative abo!t the %!l%illment o% prophecy with the comin$ o% Christ he)onism: any school o% tho!$ht which de%ines h!man happiness (see eudaimonia) in terms o% pleas!re" o%ten associated with (pic!reanism" -obbesianism" and later !tilitarianism (e.$. Aentham) henotheism: the belie% that God may ta#e any %orm at any time and still have the same essential nat!re one name %or God may be !sed in a circ!mstance where a partic!lar aspect o% God is bein$ represented or worshipped a di%%erent name may be $iven to or !sed to describe a di%%erent aspect in a di%%erent circ!mstance hermene(tics: (a) the science o% interpretation" especially o% 'cript!res (b) the branch o% theolo$y that deals with the principles o% Aiblical e)e$esis Ho$iness Co)e/: the collection o% le$al material in 0ev. 17-25" so named by A. Hlostermann in 1,77. 6here are indications that it is a prod!ct o% the (vil in Aabylon Ho$iness 1ovement: a predominantly American reli$io!s movement centered on the belie% that complete sancti%ication ta#es place instantaneo!sly in a sin$le crisis e)perience by the late 1*th cent. physical healin$ was commonly e)pected" and the e)perience o% sancti%ication was called >baptism with (or sometimes o%) the -oly 'pirit.? h(manism: intellect!al movement connected with the Denaissance that emphasi<ed a liberal ed!cation based on $rammar" rhetoric" history" poetry" and ethics st!died %rom classical Gree# and Doman te)ts >Christian h!manism? denotes the %!sion o% this movement with evan$elical piety" partic!lar in the writin$s o% (rasm!s o% Dotterdam h%$omor!hism: $enerally" the doctrine that thin$s are made !p o% %orm and matter (material prima) h%!othetica$: conditional or dependent on some desired end2 applied $enerally to >i%-then? statements

I
i)ea$ism: in $eneral" the doctrine that all reality is somehow mind-correlative speci%ically" (a) in Clatonism" the view that only !niversals or ideas possess $en!ine reality (b) in transcendental idealism (Hant)" the view that the condition o% the possibility o% e)perience is that ob@ects con%orm to the synthetic a priori cate$ories o% mind conse8!ently" we can only #now appearances and not the thin$-in-itsel% (c) in absol!te idealism (e.$." -e$el)" the view that Absol!te 'pirit !nderlies the !n%oldin$ o% all nat!re and appearances" and that this thin$-in-itsel% is #nowable. i)eo$o %: $enerally" any set o% ideas associated with a partic!lar political view speci%ically" in Bar)ist disco!rse" the intellect!al prod!ct o% relations o% prod!ction and cons!mption which systematically distorts and conceals those relations ima o )ei: Gree# %or >ima$e o% God? accordin$ to the -ebrew bible" h!manity is created in the >ima$e and li#eness o% God? (see Gen: 1:25-27) immanence: presence within o%ten speci%ically applied to God2s omnipresence in the created !niverse and contrasted with God2s transcendence imitatio )ei: Gree# %or >imitation o% God? im!erative: a statement abo!t what o!$ht to be done (see >cate$orical? and >hypothetical?) in)(ction: an in%erence or series o% in%erences %rom a %inite n!mber o% partic!lar cases to a $eneral concl!sion

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6(stification: (a) the act whereby God ma#es or prono!nces persons ri$hteo!s" (b) the chan$e in the h!man condition whereby persons pass %rom a state o% sin into a state o% ri$hteo!sness" (c) God2s ac8!ittal o% p!nishment and merci%!l %or$iveness o% sin

7
'er% ma": the Gree# word %or preachin$. 6he element o% proclamation as contrasted with >didache? or instr!ctional aspects

L
$ectionar%/: a boo# containin$ the e)tracts %rom 'cript!re to be read in p!blic worship. 6he apportionment o% partic!lar e)tracts %or partic!lar days be$an in the +th cent. Libera$ Evan e$ica$ism/: the o!tloo# o% those within the Ch!rch o% (n$land who" while maintainin$ their spirit!al #inship with the (van$elical Devival" have been concerned to restate old tr!ths in terms %elt to be more consonant with modern tho!$ht $ibera$ism: Liberation Theo$o %": a theolo$ical movement that came to prominence in the Con%erence o% 0atin American bishops held at Bedellin in Colombia in 1*5,. 6he term >liberation? sprin$s %rom disli#e o% the term >development? which is !nderstood to imply an imposed sol!tion. 6he salient %eat!res o% the tho!$ht o% liberation theolo$ians are: 1) the idea that the Ch!rch2s primary d!ty in a sit!ation o% oppression is to s!pport the poor 2) liberation is seen as an essential element in salvation" since salvation is concerned with the whole person" not @!st his or her spirit!al needs 4) the ()od!s is ta#en as a biblical paradi$m" since individ!al trans%ormation can come only thro!$h social trans%ormation +) Christ2s apparent lac# o% involvement in politics is co!ntered by the s!$$estion that -is teachin$ was hi$hly political or that -is con%rontation was with social str!ct!res 5) the priority o% pra)is" that is the conviction that ri$ht belie% can only iss!e %rom ri$ht action 5) the view that str!ct!res that coerce are no less violent than the !se o% physical %orce $o os: Gree# %or >word? or >reason? in classical anti8!ity" o%ten associated with !niversal reason $overnin$ and permeatin$ the world (c%. 'toicism) in Christian theolo$y" o%ten associated with the second person o% the 6rinity and the %i$!re o% Fisdom $ove": in Christian theolo$y" the principle o% God2s action and man2s response. 6his Christian love (called in the N6" a$ape) is a matter o% will rather than the emotions its mani%estations are described in 1 Cor. 14:1-,.

1
1anicheanism: Gnostic system o% belie% which pro%esses an e)treme %orm o% moral and metaphysical d!alism between $ood li$ht and evil dar#ness and the need %or liberation thro!$h esoteric #nowled$e and ascetic practices %rom the powers o% dar#ness or materiality so-called a%ter its %o!nd Bani (215-275 C() and o%ten associated with later Gnostic sects maxim: a r!le o% action adopted by an a$ent

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merit": desi$nates a person2s ri$ht to be rewarded %or a wor# done %or God. Aoth the 76 and the N6 promise rewards to the @!st %or their $ood wor#s this doctrine was rep!diated by the De%ormers" esp. 0!ther" who ta!$ht the sin%!lness o% all h!man wor#s 1essiah: a person invested by God with special powers and %!nctions messianism: $enerally" the belie% that a reli$io-political %i$!re will appear at the end o% time to lead society to @!stice" shared by ;!daism" Christianity" and &slam metaethics: the systematic analysis o% the meanin$" nat!re or $ro!nd o% basic moral concepts" belie%s or @!d$ments not directly concerned with partic!lar 8!estions o% normative or applied ethics b!t with the %orm o% moral in8!iry in $eneral meta!h%sics: a philosophical theory o% the most %!ndamental constit!ents or the most $eneral characteristics o% reality as s!ch metem!s%chosis": the doctrine that so!ls mi$rate %rom one body to another !ntil complete p!ri%ication has been reached. &t is %o!nd in vario!s reli$io!s 1onism/: the philosophy that see#s to e)plain all that is in terms o% a sin$le reality. Baterialism is a %orm o% Bonism 1onotheism/: belie% in one personal and transcendent God mora$: (ad@) a term !sed to identi%y characteristics (principles" val!es" %ormal descriptions o% h!man actions) havin$ to do with h!man action constit!ted by a rational principle mora$ anthro!o$o %: systematic acco!nt o% the moral %eat!res o% h!man nat!re o% the h!man condition m%sticism: %orm o% reli$io!s practice distinctive %or its belie% in !nion with the divine nat!re by means o% ecstatic contemplation" and in the power o% spirit!al access to domains o% #nowled$e closed o%% to ordinary tho!$ht

N
nat(ra$ $a.: (a) in ancient Gree# and Doman tho!$ht" a principle or r!le that applies !niversally and is not based on c!stom or convention b!t rather on the inherent lo$os-str!ct!re o% reality to which rational creat!res have access" o%ten contrasted with the laws o% partic!lar societies (b) in a Christian theolo$ical conte)t" the law implanted in nat!re by the Creator which rational creat!res can discern by the li$ht o% nat!ral reason" o%ten contrasted with the revealed law nat(ra$ theo$o %: $enerally" the body o% #nowled$e abo!t God which may be obtained thro!$h the !se o% intrinsic h!man capacities (partic!larly h!man reason) witho!t the aid o% revelation Neo,7antianism: a $eneral term %or any doctrine in metaphysics or ethics owin$ its inspiration to Hant" b!t more partic!larly a term %or vario!s philosophical trends o% this #ind prominent in Germany between 1,73 and 1*23 that e)hibited a $eneral tendency to separate the h!man %rom the nat!ral sciences" and to red!ce emphasis on the no!menal developed partly as a reaction to the prevailin$ nat!ralism o% the time" and ethically in opposition to evol!tionary ethics neo-Hantianism was especially in%l!ential in the social tho!$ht o% :!r#heim and Feber Neo,Ortho)ox%: a Crotestant Christian reaction a$ainst 1*th cent. liberalism in theolo$y" partic!larly associated with Harl Aarth" re@ectin$ the liberal belie% that it is possible to ar$!e %rom e)perience to God" or" more e)tremely" that theolo$y is dis$!ised anthropolo$y" and insisted that the Ford o% God constit!tes a !ni8!e event o% sel%revelation that cannot be s!bordinated to h!man @!d$ment 0(=&C7N ,

nonmora$: (ad@.) a term o%ten !sed to identi%y a class o% val!es not involvin$ @!d$ments abo!t the h!man person or h!man action (e.$." >6his is a $ood car?) norm: standard" r!le" or principle no(mena: ob@ects and events as they are in themselves available to h!man bein$s thro!$h o!r sensory >e8!ipment? (hence" necessarily distorted) and thro!$h o!r powers (and limits) o% concept!al !nderstandin$ n(mino(s: word coined by D!dolph 7tto to denote the elements o% a non-rational and amoral #ind in what is e)perienced as the >holy.? 6he n!mino!s is held to incl!de %eelin$s o% awe and sel%-abasement as well as an element o% reli$io!s %ascination

O
onto$o %: re%lection in philosophy and metaphysics on >bein$?Jon what tr!ly e)ists" what persists thro!$ho!t time" or on what !nderlies appearance by way o% e)istent reality ortho)ox: (a) o% or related to the (astern" Gree#" or Greco-D!ssian ch!rch (b) o% or related to ri$ht belie%" as contrasted with heretical

*
!anentheism: the doctrine that all thin$s are in God b!t that God and the world are not identical (God is more than the world) !an!s%chism: the 1*th cent. doctrine that everythin$ in the !niverse is endowed with a meas!re o% conscio!sness !antheism: the doctrine that the !niverse as a whole is identical with God (God is not more than the world) !aranesis: rhetorical %orm o% teachin$" e)hortation" or instr!ction !aro(sia: Gree# %or >presence? or >arrival?. &n (n$lish" the word is !sed to denote the %!t!re ret!rn o% Christ (later called the 'econd Comin$) to @!d$e the livin$ and the dead" and to terminate the present world order. Crimitive Christianity believed this event to be imminent *atristic: o% or related to the so-called Ch!rch >9athers?" i.e. those Christian writers between the end o% the 1st cent. and the close o% the ,th cent. *e$a ianism: the heresy that denies ori$inal sin and holds that h!man bein$s can ta#e the initial and %!ndamental steps toward salvation by their own e%%orts" apart %rom divine $race !enance: literally" >p!nishment? (a) an act per%ormed to show sorrow %or sin" to atone %or the sin by one2s own act" and to avert p!nishment remainin$ a%ter remission ($) the sacrament consistin$ o% s!ch acts" incl!din$ repentance" con%ession" satis%action" and absol!tion !ersona$ism: recent development in Doman Catholic 6heolo$y stressin$ the transcendental %reedom o% h!man bein$s and the priority o% a$ents over actions !henomena: ob@ects and events as they are e)perienced by h!man bein$s !henomeno$o ica$: havin$ to do with descriptions o% how ob@ects and events appear to h!man bein$s !hronesis: Gree# %or >pr!dent? practical wisdom" or #nowled$e o% the proper ends o% li%e (a) distin$!ished by Aristotle %rom theoretical #nowled$e and mere means-end reasonin$" or cra%t" and itsel% a necessary and s!%%icient condition o% virt!e (see practical reason) (b) %or 6homas" the %irst principles o% practical reason (commandments" nat!ral law) are seen as analo$o!s to the %irst principles o% spec!lative reason

0(=&C7N

!iet%: $enerally" the a%%ective or e)periential dimension o% reli$io!s %aith !ne(mato$o %: the doctrine o% the -oly 'pirit *ositivism": any %orm o% philosophical o!tloo# which re@ects metaphysics" especially when the physical sciences are re$arded as o%%erin$ the norm o% #nowled$e !ractica$ reason: reasonin$ that @!sti%ies action" either in the pra$matic sense that i% & desire x and per%ormin$ action a is the means to x" then & sho!ld do a (also called instr!mental reasonin$) or in the moral sense that i% a o!$ht to be done" then & o!$ht to do a re$ardless o% my desires (Aristotle calls the %ac!lty o% practical reasonin$ phronesis) !ra matism: the theory that a proposition is tr!e i% holdin$ it to be so is practically s!ccess%!l or advanta$eo!s" that belie%s are habits o% actin$ rather than representations o% reality" and that practical reason is epistemically prior to theoretical reason !raxis: $enerally" action or activity !rece!t: an obli$ation that holds %or all persons" as contrasted with a >co!nsel o% per%ection"? which is bindin$ only %or persons acceptin$ a certain vocation or reli$io!s vows !recritica$: !sed to re%er to thin#ers or ideas thatJeither historically or in spiritJare pre-Hantian or >naively realistic? in epistemolo$ical" anthropolo$ical or ethical matters !re)estination: the doctrine that God has ordained in advance the eternal destiny o% h!man bein$s !remora$: (ad@.) term !sed to di%%erentiate $eneral prima %acie val!es or disval!es relevant to the $ood or $oods o% h!man li%e (e.$." sel%-preservation" %ood" shelter" etc.) see also >nonmoral? and >moral? !revenient: (ad@.) literally" >comin$ be%ore? in Christian theolo$y" re%errin$ to the 8!ality o% divine $race that precedes the %ree determination o% the will by the individ!al person !roairesis: Gree# %or >choice? some recent translators o% Aristotle pre%er >deliberative desire"? as not to import a more modern sense o% %ree will and to !nderline the contin!ity between desire and reason in the %ormation o% virt!e *rocess Theo$o %/: a modern theolo$ical movement which emphasi<es the processive or evol!tionary nat!re o% man and the world" and holds that God is in the process o% development thro!$h interco!rse with the chan$in$ world. &t ori$inated in the G'A" esp. in the Gniversity o% Chica$o d!rin$ the 1*232s and 1*432s. &ts concept o% God stresses God2s relationships with creation" God2s capacity to s!rpass God2s 'el% (b!t in respect to other entities to remain >!ns!rpassable?)" God2s >bi-polar? nat!re" and root attrib!te as love not !ncreatedness *(ritanism: a re%orm movement within (n$lish Crotestantism that emphasi<ed the centrality o% 'cript!re and held strict Calvinist positions on ori$inal sin and predestination later imported to the Gnited 'tates where it was in%l!ential on the early American ethos" partic!larly colonial political tho!$ht

R
re)em!tion/: this idea is common to many reli$ions" bein$ based on the desire o% h!man bein$s to be delivered %rom sin ref$exive& ref$exivit%: in lo$ic" a relation" s!ch as identity" that somethin$ has to itsel% in philosophies o% the s!b@ect" the idea that the >&? comes to #now itsel% in its relations to somethin$ else (the other person" action" society) thro!$h which the >&? de%ines itsel% in -e$el" the radical view that the >sel%? is dialectically identical to the >not-sel%?

0(=&C7N

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Reforme): (ad@.) o% or related to the teachin$s o% ;ohn Calvin and later Calvinism (compare >De%ormation? as an ad@ective: o% or related to the teachin$s and traditions o% Crotestantism in $eneral) re!entance: the ac#nowled$ment o% one2s sins" co!pled with a t!rnin$ to God. &t incl!des sorrow %or the sin committed" con%ession o% $!ilt" and the p!rpose o% amendment rhetoric: the st!dy o% how to !se lan$!a$e well" especially when addressin$ an a!dience" amon$ the seven liberal arts in the medieval c!rric!l!m ri orism: $enerally" any moral system tho!$ht to be strict" demandin$" or in%le)ible

4
sacrament derived %rom the 0atin sacramentum which was !sed to translate the Gree# word %or >mystery? sacraments are th!s the means by which Christians parta#e in the >mystery o% Christ? and the means o% $race this participation is accomplished thro!$h certain visible" symbolic acts (e.$. the washin$ o% Aaptism" the meal o% the (!charist) sanctification: ma#in$ holy or bein$ made holy scho$astic: o% or related to the medieval schools o% theolo$y or the theolo$ical method o% disp!tation s'e!ticism: the view that nothin$ can be #nown with certainty sin: the brea#in$ God2s laws or the $eneral e)istential condition o% havin$ %ailed to always do the ri$ht and $ood thin$ 4ocia$ Gos!e$ 1ovement: a movement" chie%ly amon$ American liberal Crotestants d!rin$ the years 1,73-1*23" to Christiani<e society by applyin$ the biblical principles o% love and @!stice to s!ch instit!tions as the %amily" the state" and the economy" see#in$ to redeem corporate as well as individ!al li%e so!histr%: $enerally" reasonin$ that is %allacio!s and dishonest speci%ically" the movement in ancient Greece that practiced ar$!in$ both sides o% a 8!estionJconvention and rhetorical s#ill were considered morally determinative (the best ar$!ment won even i% rep!$nant) soterio$o %: the doctrine o% salvation s(mm(m bon(m: 0atin %or >hi$hest $ood? s%$$o ism: an ar$!ment in which a concl!sion %ollows necessarily %rom a $eneral or ma@or premise and a partic!lar or minor premise s%$$o ism& !ractica$: a syllo$ism in which the ma@or premise states a $eneral r!le %or cond!ct" the minor premise speci%ies the salient %eat!res o% a partic!lar sit!ation" and the concl!sion is a statement abo!t what o!$ht to be done

T
te$eo$o ica$: $enerally" end-see#in$ speci%ically" o% any system o% tho!$ht that %oc!ses on the ends proper to partic!lar bein$s and their activity in see#in$ those ends theocentric: centered on God" o%ten !sed to describe an ethical system that is primarily concerned abo!t divine a$ency" divine p!rposes" and the h!man relationship to the divine theo$o ica$ anthro!o$o %: how one !nderstands the h!manJthe h!man condition" or h!man nat!re" and h!man p!rposes in relation to the divine theo$o %: $enerally" a constr!ctiveKnormative" critical" practical" comparative in8!iry into reli$io!s disco!rses and practices $iven its scope" it is necessarily interdisciplinary"

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drawin$ %rom historical #nowled$e" philosophical traditions" sacred te)ts" reli$ions" literat!re and the arts" and the sciences theo$o %& com!arative: intentionally operates across reli$io!s traditions theo$o %& f(n)amenta$: the interpretation o% the meanin$ o% a reli$io!s tradition that ta#es serio!sly the correspondence between it and philosophy and the social sciences its $oal is to de%end and interpret the tr!th claims o% the tradition in the broadest possible conte)t theo$o %& of nat(re: how one !nderstands the character" p!rposes" direction o% nat!re and history in relation to the presence or absence o% God (co!ld be teleolo$ical" cyclical" ill!sory" etc.) theo$o %& !ractica$: e)plication o% a reli$io!s tradition in re%erence to the demands o% pra)is in order to brin$ the si$ni%icance o% the tradition to bear on political" moral" social" economic" ecolo$ical circ!mstances (e.$. lit!r$ical and pastoral theolo$ies" liberation and political theolo$ies" ecotheolo$y" %eminist theolo$y" womanist theolo$y (A%rican-American %eminist theolo$y)" m!@erista theolo$y" B!@erista theolo$y (0atin American %eminist theolo$y)" Asain-American theolo$y" blac# theolo$y" 8!eer theolo$y" etc.) theo$o %& s%stematic: reinterprets the tradition in li$ht o% the present sit!ation %or the sa#e o% increasin$ !nderstand within the tradition it does not !s!ally loo# o!tside the tradition %or reso!rces (6hande#a is c!rrently wor#in$ on a systematic theolo$y %or GGs) transcen)ence: the 8!ality o% bein$ beyond the world" beyond concrete partic!lars" or beyond the limits o% any possible e)perience" o%ten contrasted with >immanence? transcen)enta$: speci%ically" the type o% a priori ar$!mentation or analysis that centers on establishin$ the necessary conditions %or the possibility o% somethin$ Transcen)enta$ism: an American mid-1*th cent." h!manistic philosophy that developed in part o!t o% New (n$land Gnitarianism it promoted respect %or h!man capabilities the movement was in part a reaction a$ainst increasin$ ind!striali<ation in the late 1,th and early 1*th cent!ries" and a$ainst the deh!mani<ation and materialism that %re8!ently accompanied it in the early 1*th cent." dissatis%action with the spirit!al inade8!acy o% established reli$ion was on the rise some early Gnitarian ministers J especially Filliam (llery Channin$ J had t!rned away %rom harsh" !n%or$ivin$ Con$re$ational Calvinism and preached a more h!manistic" emotionally e)pressive" and socially conscio!s %orm o% reli$ion t%!o$o %: (a) literally" a theory o% %i$!res" (b) a method o% Aiblical interpretation that %inds %oreshadowin$s o% the Christian dispensation in the events and persons o% the 7ld 6estament" (c) any classi%ication or $ro!pin$ o% diverse partic!lars accordin$ to overarchin$ distin$!ishin$ characteristics e.$." (rnst 6roeltsch2s typolo$y o% Christian con%essions into ch!rch-types" sect-types" and mystical-types" and -. Dichard Nieb!hr2s typolo$y o% Christian theolo$ies as Christ-a$ainst-C!lt!re" Christ-o%-C!lt!re" Christabove-C!lt!re" Christ-trans%ormin$-C!lt!re" and Christ-and-C!lt!re-in-Carado)

U
(ti$itarianism: a moral theory accordin$ to which an action is ri$ht i% and only i% its per%ormance will be more prod!ctive o% pleas!re or happiness" or more preventive o% pain or !nhappiness" than any alternative

8
va$(e: a 8!ality o% bein$ $ood" or an ob@ect that possesses this 8!ality

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virt(e: $enerally" an e)cellence or $ood 8!ality a $ood 8!ality inherin$ in a h!man disposition to act vo$(ntarism: $enerally" a position seein$ reason and intellect as s!bservient to the will some Christian philosophers have some been described as vol!ntarist %or e)ample" (a) the tho!$ht o% 't. A!$!stine beca!se o% its emphasis on the will to love God (b) the post6homistic tho!$ht o% ;ohn :!ns 'cot!s" a late medieval scholastic" who insisted on the absol!te %reedom o% the will and its s!premacy over all other %ac!lties and (c) the position o% the 9rench writer Alaise Cascal" who in reli$ion s!bstit!ted >reasons o% the heart? %or rational propositions

3
3or) of Go): (a) see >$ospel"? (b) accordin$ to Harl Aarth" it has a three%old %orm comprisin$ revealed Ford o% God (;es!s Christ)" written Ford o% God ('cript!re)" and the spo#en Ford o% God (preachin$)

N76(: &% / does not appear ne)t to a word" its de%inition was drawn %rom the 0e)icon developed by Helly Arot<man (and revised and e)panded by Bichael ;ohnson and Hevin ;!n$) %or :r. Filliam 'chwei#er2s >-istory o% 6heolo$ical (thics"? a two-co!rse se8!ence o%%ered at the Gniversity o% Chica$o2s :ivinity 'chool &% / appears ne)t to a word" its de%inition was drawn %rom the 7)%ord2s Concise Dictionary of the Christian Church written by (. A. 0ivin$stone" p!b. in 2333 'everal words were drawn %rom the lect!re notes o% :r. Bichael -o$!e 0(=&C7N 14