24 votes
Accepted

Is Xmas a secular name for Christmas?

Word origin As stated in previous answers, the "X" in "Xmas" comes from the Greek word for Christ, Χριστός. However, since precision is important, I want to clarify when the ...
ThaddeusB's user avatar
  • 7,785
23 votes
Accepted

What does "see" in "the Holy See" mean?

"See" comes from the Latin word sedes, which means "seat" or "chair". "Holy See" is Sedes Apostolica (lit. "Apostolic Chair") in Latin. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) gives this etymology for ...
Geremia's user avatar
  • 37.9k
20 votes

What does "see" in "the Holy See" mean?

What does “see” in “The Holy See” mean? Each bishop and archbishop has the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of an episcopal see. The Roman Pontiff (Pope) has complete jurisdiction of the Holy See, also ...
Ken Graham's user avatar
  • 66k
19 votes

Is Xmas a secular name for Christmas?

Great Britain monks used "X" for "Christ" nearly a thousand years ago. They used "X" for "Christ" while transcribing manuscripts in Old English. They did so because the Greek word for Christ, ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ,...
The Freemason's user avatar
18 votes
Accepted

What is the difference between "Catechism" and "Canon Law" in Catholicism?

Yes, the Catechism and Canon Law are two separate things The Catechism is a teaching tool for the bishops and various catechists to instruct the faithful. (Why do we receive the Eucharist? What ...
KorvinStarmast's user avatar
13 votes
Accepted

What does 'ages of ages' mean, specifically?

The phrase comes from the Bible. It’s a fairly wooden translation of the Greek idiom εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Many English translations instead use “forever and ever” or something along those lines,...
Susan's user avatar
  • 4,322
12 votes
Accepted

What basis is there for defining sin as "rebellion"?

I would like to add to the answers already posted a few observations about the theological lexical register of the Biblical writers that may bear on the OP's question. Is there any lexical support ...
Susan's user avatar
  • 4,322
12 votes
Accepted

How do various traditions define the term "sufficient grace"?

If you do research on Calvinism, Jansenism, Pelagianism, etc., you might find the term "sufficient grace" bandied about. The trouble is, depending on who's using it, it's defined differently, which ...
Mr. Bultitude's user avatar
12 votes

What is the difference between "Catechism" and "Canon Law" in Catholicism?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a book, promulgated in 1992 by Pope St. John Paul II, which seeks to explain the doctrine (that is, the body of teachings) that the Catholic Church holds. It ...
Wtrmute's user avatar
  • 2,795
11 votes
Accepted

What is a Sabbath day's walk?

The exact value of a "Sabbath day's walk" is 2,000 cubits, which works out to about 5/8 of a mile, or one kilometer. Commentator Craig S. Keener explains the logic and biblical basis: The figures ...
Nathaniel is protesting's user avatar
11 votes
Accepted

Why were ousia and hypostasis synonymous in the Nicene Creed?

This response has been extracted from a longer article of mine on the subject (linked at the end) , hence the discontinuous numbering of its sections. 1. Ousía in Greek philosophical discourse ...
Johannes's user avatar
  • 1,713
11 votes
Accepted

On nominal Christianity

"Nominal Christian" means being a Christian in name only. It's not really in dispute that there are nominal Christians. There are many people around the world who would mark "Christian&...
curiousdannii's user avatar
  • 19.8k
11 votes

Outside the technical definition, what is the term "Pharisee" synomynous with inside Christian Teachings?

The question asks about the usage of the English word 'Pharisee'. The Oxford English Dictionary has three entries for the English word. A member of a religious party within Judaism between the 2nd ...
Nigel J's user avatar
  • 22.8k
10 votes

What basis is there for defining sin as "rebellion"?

Sinning is described in the Bible as willfully transgressing God's law, and as turning away from him, the rightful ruler, to become his enemy and serve a different master. This seems to fit right into ...
Mr. Bultitude's user avatar
10 votes
Accepted

Has the term "born again" always been synonymous with baptism with the Christians of the Early Church?

Some Clarification You question specifically asks if there were any in the Early Church (~2nd to 4th century) who separated "born again" with baptism. Meanwhile, the site you quote claims that this ...
Joseph Hinkle's user avatar
10 votes

Is there a name for the belief that some individuals would always freely reject salvation no matter the world in which they are created?

Thanks to Isaac Middlemiss and Luke Hill's inputs, I can answer my own question. There are at least two relevant terms: Transworld damnation: The proposal of transworld damnation is not the doctrine ...
Mark's user avatar
  • 1,314
9 votes
Accepted

What is the origin of the word "Nativity" as a title for Christ's Advent?

In Catholic culture it comes from the Latin. "Festum Nativitatis Domini Nostri Jesu Christi" (the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ) and the shorter form, "Dies Natalis Domini" (the ...
Ken Graham's user avatar
  • 66k
9 votes
Accepted

Is God's sovereignty a term associated with Reformed theology?

While the idea of God's sovereignty is closely associated with Reformed theology, other traditions also deal with it. Here are a few examples from prominent authors from various traditions. Lutheran: ...
Nathaniel is protesting's user avatar
9 votes
Accepted

Is there a term for a theological principle that if a New Testament text is unclear about something, that point is not important for salvation?

It's a corollary of the Protestant doctrine of the clarity or perspicuity of scripture, that the essentials of faith are explained in the scriptures so clearly that anyone can understand them. As the ...
curiousdannii's user avatar
  • 19.8k
9 votes
Accepted

What's the difference between apostasy and heresy?

Apostasy and Heresy are always defined relative to the perspective of a religion or a religion's sect/denomination. Since we are dealing with many denominations and many religions, this answer is ...
GratefulDisciple's user avatar
8 votes

Why are Matthew, Mark, and Luke called the synoptic gospels?

Matthew, Mark and Luke are very similar: they record many of the same miracle stories, parables, and sermons. John by contrast has fewer miracles (most of which are unique), no parables at all, and is ...
curiousdannii's user avatar
  • 19.8k
8 votes

What does TULIP stand for?

The tulip acronym stands for the following: Total depravity, the idea that man can do only evil without God. Unconditional election, the idea that the saved are chosen by God without any ...
fredsbend's user avatar
  • 12.9k
8 votes
Accepted

What do Evangelical Protestants mean by "receive Jesus"?

For Evangelicals, "receiving Jesus" can be considered to be functionally equivalent to one or more of the following: Regeneration Being born again Receiving the (indwelling) Holy Spirit Being ...
bruised reed's user avatar
  • 12.5k
8 votes
Accepted

What is the "Magnificat"?

The Magnificat (also known as the Canticle of Mary) is the section of scripture found in Luke 1:46-55, in which Mary the mother of Jesus praises the Lord. The term "Magnificat" comes from the Latin ...
Josh Withee's user avatar
8 votes
Accepted

When the early church was formalising the canon, what did they understand by the word 'Inspired'?

Further Clarification The original person who asked the question asked for additional clarification on these two questions: 1) Are inspired works closed as canon is? 2) Are there potentially other ...
Ken Banks's user avatar
  • 234
8 votes
Accepted

Are Roman Catholic priests ever addressed as pastor?

Typically, in the United States, the priest to whom the parish is entrusted is referred to as "the pastor". The Latin word is "parochus", which the Code of Canon Law translates as &...
Matt Gutting's user avatar
  • 18.4k
8 votes

What specific thing in the Bible separates the Old Testament from the New Testament?

There's a little bit of history to the titles Old Testament and New Testament that needs to be explained. We begin with the Greek word διαθήκη (diatheke) which has two major distinct sub-senses and ...
curiousdannii's user avatar
  • 19.8k
8 votes
Accepted

When Christians say "the Lord" in everyday speech, do they mean Jesus or the Father?

For most Christians "The Lord" or "Lord" will usually mean either God the Father or Jesus. Sometimes they may mean the Holy Spirit or just "God", meaning (for ...
DJClayworth's user avatar
  • 31.3k
8 votes

Do Christians believe that Adam and Eve were Christians?

Abraham was the first Hebrew. 'Jews' come from Judah, the son of Jacob, Abraham's grandson. Disciples were first called 'Christians' in Antioch during the first century. God revealed himself to Adam ...
Nigel J's user avatar
  • 22.8k

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