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A Layman's Reference Guide to Selected |
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Theological "-ism"s, "-ology"s, "-tion"s
and Other Terms |
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by Randy Smith |
A B C D E F G H I-J K-L M N O P-Q R S T U-Z
Title Page Acknowledgments Bibliography Scripture Index
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From the Latin term occultus, meaning "hidden, secret, dark, mysterious, concealed." Things of the occult transcend man's senses or natural experience. The occult is divided into three categories. Divination - to foresee or divine by foretelling the future. Acts of divination include astrology, cartomancy (laying of cards), palmistry (palm reading), psychometry (channeling), dreams and visions. Divination taps secret knowledge. Magic - seeks to use superhuman power from spirit agencies, such as Satan and demons. Magic taps secret power. The magician seeks to compel a god, demon or spirit to work for him. Spiritism - to seek contact with the spirits of deceased humans. Spiritism is specifically prohibited by God (Lev. 20:6, 27) and punishable by death. King Saul sought contact with Samuel through the witch of Endor. For this he died (1 Sam. 28:3, 9). (Dickason, p.213-217) Omnipotence of God - see Supremacy of God One of the attributes of God. His omnipresence means that He is everywhere. There is no place that God is not and also not in control of. God exists everywhere in space and time, at the same time, because God exists outside of time. He is omnipotently present in the past, present and future, simultaneously. Omniscience of God - see Knowledge of God Ontological Trinity - see Trinity Though there is no specific New Testament term, ordination is the term used to describe admission to ministerial office or function. Generally, ordination takes the form of a public ceremony where there is prayer and the laying on of hands by those in authority to recognize the one ordained. There is disagreement on whether the laying on of hands is simply an identification with the one ordained or whether this has the effect of imparting spiritual power. (Harrison, p.387) The Latin term, meaning "order of salvation." The term was brought into theological usage in 1737 by Jakob Karpov to differentiate between views of Roman Catholicism and Reformed theologians. The Catholic church holds to the "ordo salutis" as being: 1) Baptism, in which the soul is regenerated; 2) Confirmation, in which the person receives the gift of the Holy Spirit; 3) the Eucharist, in which the person partakes of the very body and blood of Christ via the transubstantiated wafer; 4) Penance, in which the death of Christ is applied to those who have fallen after baptism; 5) Extreme Unction, which prepares the recipient for death by cleansing him of the remains of sin. Reformed theology holds to the following "ordo salutis": 1) The Effectual Calling of God; 2) Regeneration; 3) Faith, leading to 4) Justification and 5) Sanctification, ultimately leading to 6) Glorification. (Ibid., p.388) The school of thought based upon the teaching of Origen (185-253) of Alexandria. Origen had a large impact on the Christology of the early church. Unfortunately the impact he made was mostly negative. Origen misunderstood the doctrine of Eternal Generation and the Kenosis. He also held to heretical thought concerning Scripture. While Origen believed that Scripture is inspired (see Inspiration), he believed it was divided into three senses; literal, moral, and allegorical. Because of the Greek influence of the time, Origen saw much of Scripture as allegorical, thereby leading to misinterpretation. (Ibid., p.35) Original righteousness means that before the Fall Adam's nature was uncorrupted and perfect. The original state of man was that of a state of innocence. Before the Fall Adam and Eve had no experience with evil and they had a disposition that was inclined toward obedience toward God. However, God created Adam and Eve uncorrupted but corruptible; perfect, but peccable (able to sin). There are three views concerning Original Righteousness. 1) The Pelagian view is that Adam was created morally neutral. As a result, righteousness is acquired, giving each person the ability to make himself righteous; 2) The Catholic view (also held by Semi-Pelagians and Arminians) is that original righteousness is alien to human nature rather than native. This view says that man, as he was originally constituted, was by nature without positive holiness, but also without sin. As a result, nothing essential or intrinsic to Adam's nature was lost at the Fall; 3) The Protestant view is that original righteousness is native to man and that at the Fall the nature of man was effaced but not erased. Righteousness was part of the essence of human nature. As a result, what we (humanity) are today is not what we used to be or what we were created to be. (Sarles, Anthropology, p. 3-1) Original sin and original righteousness (see Original Righteousness of Man above) are two perspectives of the same argument. As described above, there is disagreement among the various theological camps concerning the state of Adam's nature prior to the Fall. Means literally "straight" or "proper," that which is in accord with correct doctrine or practice as established by an authority. (Erickson, p.121) From the Greek word orthodoxia, meaning "right" (ortho) and "opinion" (doxia), it means "right belief" as opposed to heresy or heterodoxy. (Harrison, p.389) From the Greek words ortho, meaning "right" and praxis, meaning "practice." It literally means the "right practice." |