Although these terms may be defined in the contexts in which they appear throughout the book, concise definitions are offered here for readers’ help and memory retention.
amillennialism Belief that there will not be a specific period of Christ’s rule and reign on earth within history apart from his spiritual presence with his community, the church.
apologetic In theology and philosophy, the defense of a belief system using reason and evidence.
atheism Denial of the existence of any God or personal supreme being. “Intellectual atheism” is the formal, philosophical expression of this denial.
atonement An act that reconciles God and humanity. The word usually applies to Jesus’s death on the cross.
beneficence God’s perfect goodness.
condemnation The consequence of sin in which the unrepentant sinner stands guilty before God. This condition causes alienation between the human person and God and can lead to hell.
conversion The experience of turning from one belief or way of life (or both) to another one. Classical Christianity believes that becoming Christian involves a radical change that is a work of God in a person’s life in response to faith. It is called being “born again” or “conversion.” Also, the life-changing encounter with God that inaugurates a radical break with our old, fallen existence and a new life in fellowship with God.
cosmological Having to do with the nature of the universe that we experience by our senses. The “cosmological proof” for God’s existence begins from the existence of the world or universe as our senses reveal its existence, and argues that it must have a divine cause.
creeds Formal statements of belief. These are usually considered to be very few, and only those statements of belief almost universally accepted by Christians are given the stature of “creeds.” Most denominations also have their own “confessions of faith” or “statements of faith” that go beyond the basic creeds, such as the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, to include distinctive denominational beliefs.
de facto God’s actual control over events within his creation (“de facto sovereignty”).
de jure God’s right to control every event within his creation (“de jure sovereignty”).
depraved nature The human condition due to the “fall” into sin. Humans are born bound to sin and in need of grace to transform them and restore them to the image of God.
depravity Our inability or powerlessness to remedy our sinful condition by ourselves.
dispensationalism A kind of biblical interpretation that understands God’s plan of salvation for Jews as different from his plan of salvation for gentiles. A “dispensation” is a way of working out a plan and “dispensing” something to others (in this case salvation).
dynamic atonement A view of Jesus’s mission that focuses on his defeat of evil, enslaving powers such as Satan and the fallen nature of humans as a result of sin.
edification Spiritual uplifting and support.
ekklesia A Greek word translated “church” in the New Testament. It literally means the “called out ones” or “assembly.” In the New Testament it designates the church as God’s special people in community.
empowerment The aspect of salvation in which the Holy Spirit gives us the power to live according to the pattern that characterized Jesus’s life in relation to God.
enslavement The consequence of sin in which the person is unable to free himself or herself from its power.
eschatology The study of the final things—the culmination and consummation of God’s plan and way of dealing with the world.
eternality God’s everlastingness and freedom from temporal limitations.
Eucharist Literally “thanksgiving.” Another word for the Lord’s Supper or “communion”; often used in sacramental churches.
expiation An effect of Jesus’s death on the cross in which humanity’s sinfulness is covered over and set aside so that reconciliation between God and humanity can take place.
freedom The ability to live according to God’s purposes for us.
glorification The future transformation of saved persons in which we will be like Christ in every way.
holiness The condition of being set aside as special for a divine purpose. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in “sanctification” whereby the person becomes more like Christ.
illumination That work of the Holy Spirit by which the Spirit causes the Bible to “come alive” and become meaningful for life in the present.
imago Dei The “image of God” in humans by which they reflect something of God in a limited and imperfect way.
immanence God’s presence in and with creation. Not a spatial concept but a relational concept that expresses God’s gracious involvement with the world of nature and history.
incarnation The divinity or deity of Jesus Christ in which he is God in human flesh.
inerrant Without error; trustworthy. The Bible’s “inerrancy” means that the information it provides is accurate to the extent that is necessary to serve the purposes of its author.
infallible Not liable to deceive; trustworthy.
inspiration That work of the Holy Spirit in influencing the authors and compilers of Scripture to produce writings that adequately reflect what God desired to communicate to us.
intellectualism The tendency to emphasize the mental understanding of something to the exclusion of the personal, emotional, intuitive approach. For example, in theology “intellectualism” would be any approach that tends to reduce religion to a set of rational beliefs to be grasped by the mind.
intercession Praying on behalf of others.
interpretive framework The set of foundational categories that determine how we experience and interpret the world around us. Everyone has such a framework and lives out of it in identifying himself or herself and encountering the world.
justification An aspect of salvation in which we are declared righteous by God even when we are still sinners.
liberation An aspect of salvation in which the Holy Spirit frees us from bondage to sin, death, and Satan.
millennium/millennial The “millennium” is a one-thousand-year reign of Christ on earth. “Millennial” refers to views that embrace this hope. Christians who believe in a millennium disagree about its details.
monism A worldview or philosophy that believes in the underlying oneness of everything.
monotheism Belief in one God who is personal, transcendent (other than the world), and immanent (present with the world).
objective atonement A view of Jesus’s mission that focuses on his death as paying the price or taking the punishment for humanity’s sinfulness.
ontological Having to do with “being” and its structures. Ontology is the branch of philosophy that studies concepts such as “being” and “nonbeing” and investigates the nature of existence and nonexistence. The “ontological proof” of God’s existence begins from the concept of a “being greater than which none can be conceived” and proceeds to its necessary existence.
ordinance An act that Christ ordained (instituted for the church to continue) and, therefore, that Christians practice as a sign of obedience to him. The most common ordinances are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Some churches consider a foot-washing ceremony an ordinance.
ordination The act whereby the church sets apart persons whom the sovereign Spirit has called, gifted, and empowered for pastoral ministry.
paedobaptists Those Christians who practice infant baptism.
plenary As in “verbal, plenary inspiration.” The whole as contrasted with only one part. Thus, “plenary inspiration” means that the whole of Scripture is inspired, not only some parts of it.
polytheism Belief in more than one God or divine being.
postmillennialism Belief in a one-thousand-year kingdom of God on earth before Christ’s second coming. In this view the “millennium” will be a spiritual reign of Christ on earth as a Christianized world.
preexistence Jesus’s eternal significance as the divine Word of God within God’s eternal plan, purpose, and being.
premillennialism Belief in a literal one-thousand-year reign of Christ on earth after his visible return (second coming).
progressivism A secular view of history that looks to inevitable human progress as the basis for hope for the future.
reconciliation A result of Jesus’s mission in which the enmity or hostility between God and humanity is overcome and set aside so that they can have a good relationship.
redemption An effect of Jesus’s death on the cross in which humanity’s enslavement to wickedness and evil powers and principalities is overcome.
regeneration That aspect of salvation that is often called “born again.” The Holy Spirit effects a new, reconciled relationship between the person and God.
reincarnation Belief that after death some aspect of a person returns in another physical body and that this process is governed by “karma” (a law of spiritual cause and effect).
sacrament An outward and visible sign of an inward, invisible grace. Sacramental Protestant churches recognize two sacraments: baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Eucharist). The Roman Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments, including those two plus marriage, ordination, confirmation, last rites, and confession (penance).
salvation The Spirit’s work in bringing us into full conformity with the likeness of Jesus Christ. It involves various aspects, all of which are works of God’s grace.
sanctification The ongoing process whereby the Holy Spirit makes us holy by setting us apart, transforming us into the likeness of Christ, and leading us into service to God.
self-transcendence The ability of human creatures to go beyond their present condition and, within certain limits, change themselves by challenging, questioning, exploring, learning, and so on.
sin Failure to fulfill God’s intention. A condition of humanity since the fall as well as individual decisions and actions.
sovereignty God’s rulership over the ultimate course of history.
subjective atonement A view of Jesus’s mission that focuses on his death as offering an example and influence that stimulate humans to repent and love God.
teleological Having to do with ultimate ends or purposes for things. The “teleological proof” for God’s existence begins with the evidence of order and purpose in nature and argues that God must exist in order to explain them.
transcendence God’s otherness “over” or “beyond” the world of creation. Not a spatial concept but a relational concept that expresses God’s freedom.
rinitarian Having to do with the Trinity—Christianity’s form of monotheism. One being (substance) who is God eternally existing as three distinct persons who all share equally in God’s nature.
ultimate reality The being considered most real within a given worldview or philosophy of life. Usually it is the being, force, or substance considered eternal, self-existent, and causing other things to exist. It may also be that which any individual considers most important within his or her own value and belief system.
universalism Belief that in the end God will reconcile everyone to himself and gather everyone into fellowship with him.
volitional Having to do with the will; voluntary.