Five Faiths Project
CHRISTIANITY
Glossary
- ascension
- as recorded in the New Testament (Luke 24:50-51 and Acts 1:9-13), Christ’s post-resurrection ascent into heaven, viewed by his followers.
- baptism
- the ritual washing in water as a sign of the remission of sins and symbolic participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Ritual practices vary among differing sects and denominations in Christianity. In some traditions that practice is reserved for adults, in others infants are regularly baptized. In the early Christian church, adult baptism was the norm and it was seen as part of a process of instruction and initiation into the faith. Baptism continues to be an almost universal ritual throughout Christianity as a central rite of initiation into the faith.
- Bible
- Literally, in Greek, bible means collection of writings, or scrolls. With the addition of “the,” and within the confines of Christianity, the term refers to collected texts of the Old and New Testaments. The bible can refer to any collection of bound texts, or any sacred oral or written tradition. The Bible, as the sacred text of Christianity, contains writings from the sacred texts of Judaism, divided slightly differently, and titled the Old Testament, as well as selected writings from the first through fourth centuries CE. The New Testament of the Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant traditions contains twenty-seven books: four Gospels, twenty-one letters, the book of Acts and the book of Revelation. Other Christian traditions have larger or smaller collections within their New Testaments. (refer to Christian CD, story #1 for a story taken from New Testament texts)
- Christ
- (from the Greek, lit. meaning: “the anointed one”) Christ was the title given to Jesus in the New Testament. This name points to the belief among his followers that he was in fact the Messiah, or redeemer, whom God promised to send in the Old Testament. Christ is commonly used as another name for Jesus. (refer to slide image: Christ before Caiaphas)
- Christianity
- the religious tradition of all those who follow and believe the teachings of Jesus as recorded in the writings of the New Testament.
- denominations
- organized groups of religious congregations, generally used with regard to Protestant denominations: Baptists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, etc.
- disciples
- persons who subscribe to the teachings of a master or leader and assist in spreading these teachings to others. The term disciple does not only refer to the disciples of Jesus, although one of its offered meanings is a companion of Jesus.
- incarnation
- (Latin: lit. meaning: “being flesh”) Although the term incarnation is not found in the New Testament, the concept is found in John 1: 14, “and the Word became flesh.” The Word in this passage is commonly understood to be the Logos, or Word of God. Incarnation is the specific and unique event of the Logos/Word of God becoming human in the person of Jesus.
- Jesus
- the individual preacher and rabbi, regarded by Christians as the Son of God, but also recognized by Muslims as a prophet, many Jews as a teacher and as an avatar by many Hindus.
- Mary
- the mother of Jesus. Often referred to as the Blessed Virgin, or the Mother of God, depending on the practice and belief of denominations and major streams of Christianity. (refer to Christian poster, story # 4 on the CD, and slide of Virgin and Child)
- miracles
- actions performed by God (with or without human involvement) that break the normal patterns of nature. Miracles are recorded in the sacred texts of virtually all faith traditions. In Christianity, miracles play an important role in the life and ministry of Jesus in as much as they are demonstrations of God’s love for the world.
- prophecies
- inspired statements, utterances and discourses which reveal the will or messages of God.
- resurrection
- a rising from the dead, a return to life
- saint
- an individual officially recognized by the Roman Catholic, Orthodox or other Christian church as being worthy of public veneration and as having the ability to intercede in human affairs. Also can refer to any believer who has died and gone to heaven, or to any baptized believer in Jesus as Christ. The uses of this word vary depending on the particular Christian institution or individual employing it. (refer to Christian CD, story #2 and slide images of St. Francis and Virgin and Child with Saints)
- sect
- a group forming a distinct unit within an existing organization based on certain understandings or refinements of commonly held beliefs or practices. Sect can also be applied to a religious body which has broken away from a previously organized denomination or institution.
- Trinity
- a theological term and doctrine held by Orthodox, Roman Catholic and some Protestant denominations, referring to the nature of the relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as three persons in one Godhead.
- visions
- within the context of this material, a vision is a supernatural event in which an individual or group sees that which otherwise could not be seen. It may be described as a mystical experience in which one experiences the sight of a supernatural being or the supernatural realm.
