Systematic Theology Vocabulary List

1. Worldview – the lens through which one looks at the world. Marxism, Humanism, Islam, Christianity, Secularism, etc are all examples of the different types of worldview.

2. Postmodernism – A term used to designate the intellectual and cultural developments in the late 20th century. Postmodernists reject modernist values, mistrust rational principles. They embrace pluralism, and place value in the diversity of worldviews and religions that characterizes contemporary society.

3. Pluralism – pluralism suggests that there are many paths to and expressions of truth about God and several equality valid means to salvation.

4. Orthodoxy – “right praise” or “right belief” (as opposed to heresy). 5. Praxis/Orthopraxy–literally meaning, “right practice,” is living out known and

experienced truth of the Christian faith in love and justice. 6. Biblical Theology –The goal is to understand the “theology” of a biblical book or author

in its original historical context. 7. Historical Theology – the discipline that seeks to understand and delineate how the

church interpreted Scripture and developed doctrine throughout its history, form the time of the apostles to the present day.

8. Systematic Theology – The attempt to summarize religious truth or the belief system of a religious group (Christianity) through an organized system of thought carried out within a particular cultural and intellectual context.

9. Natural Theology – Maintains that humans can attain particular knowledge about God through human reason by observing the created order.

10. Sola fide – Latin term for “faith only” or “faith alone.” This term refers to one being justified and receiving God’s grace through faith.

11. Sola gratia – Latin term for “grace only” or “grace alone.” This term refers to salvation as God’s free gift which was accomplished by Christ’s saving death and resurrection rather than by human action.

12. Sola Scriptura – Latin term for “Scripture only” or “Scripture alone.” This term refers to the principle that Scripture---not Scripture plus church tradition---is the source of Christian revelation.

13. Sola Christus – Latin term for “Christ only” or “Christ alone.” The term refers to Christ as the only one who can save one from their sins.

14. Sola Deo Gloria – Latin term for “Glory to God Alone.” One of the 5 doctrines of the Reformation. The term refers to everything being done for God’s glory alone or to God’s glory alone. It can also mean that God does things for his own glory.

15. Secularism/humanism – the belief system that denies the reality of God, religion, and the supernatural order. Reality is only this natural world. Humanism glorifies the human creature to the exclusion and denial of the Creator.

16. Theology/Theology Proper – A religious belief system about God or ultimate reality. This term often refers to the ordered, systematic study or interpretation of the Christian faith and experience of God based on God;s self-revelation.

17. Theism – the system of belief that presupposes the reality of God as the foundational concept informing all other beliefs. Any worldview anchored in the belief that there is a God.

18. General Revelation – A term used to declare that God reveals something about the divine nature through the created order. it only gives “general” information about God, which includes the fact of God’s existence and that God is power.

19. Special Revelation - God’s divine self-revelation evidenced specifically in salvation history and culminating in the incarnation as understood through Scripture.

20. Norma Normans Non Normata – This Latin phrase means “The norms of norms that cannot be normed.” It refers to the authority of Scripture. God’s word norms us, not vice versa.

21. Metanarrative – The idea that there is an overarching, all-embracing story of humankind into which all the more particular narratives fit. The biblical narrative in Christian teaching as the central metanarrative.

22. Bibliology - Deals with issues and character of the Bible. It attempts to understand what kind of book the Bible is, how it is authoritative for the Christian faith and practice and to what extent and in what manner the Bible is to be understood as divine revelation.

23. Inspiration - In referring to the Scriptures, this is the work of the Holy Spirit in enabling human authors of the Bible to record what God desired to have written in the Scriptures.

24. Mechanical View of Inspiration – This view of inspiration posits that the Holy Spirit overtook the human author and wrote down the Scriptures.

25. Dictation View of Inspiration - This view of inspiration posits the Holy Spirit told the human authors word for word what is to be written down.

26. Verbal Plenary View of Inspiration - Holds the position that God is the ultimate author of the Bible in its entirety. God superintends the work of human authors, meaning the human authors still use their writing styles in the formulation of Scripture.

27. Inerrancy – The idea that Scripture is completely free from error. Refers to the trustworthiness and authoritative nature of Scripture.

28. Infallibility – The characteristic of being incapable of failing to accomplish a predetermined purpose. Associated with Scripture, the bible will not fail in its ultimate purpose of revealing God and the way of salvation to humans.

29. Theopneustos - Greek for “God-breathed,” or “God-inspired” Generally this term is used to describe the divine dimension of Scripture either as divinely inspired documents or as the product of divinely inspired authors.

30. Canon – Literally meaning “standard” or “rule” the term is most closely associated with the collection of books that the church has recognized as the written Word of God and that functions as the rule or standard of faith and practice in the church.

31. Apologetics – Formal defense of the Christian faith. 32. Attributes of God – characteristics or qualities that are essential to our understanding of

God as God relates to use as created beings.33. Communicable Attributes of God – Those attributes that God “shares” or

“communicates” with his creation. 34. Incommunicable Attributes of God - Those attributes that God cannot “share” or

“communicate” with his creation. 35. Omnipotence – Refers to God’s ability to do whatever is consistent with God’s own

character and being in effecting the divine plan for creation. 36. Omnipresence – Refers to God’s being present everywhere in creation at the same time.

All things are present to God.

37. Omniscience – Denotes God’s knowing all things. All events are present to the divine mind; God has direct cognition of everything in creation.

38. Providence of God - God’s gracious outworking of divine purpose in Christ within the created order in human history. Refers to God’s superintending activity over human actions and human history, bringing creation to its divinely determined goal.

39. Concurrence – A term referring to any theory that attempts to define the relationship between the divine sovereignty of God and the free actions and responsibilities of created human beings.

40. Creatio Ex Nihilo – Latin phrase that literally means “creation out of nothing.” It maintains a clear distinction between God and the created order and also maintains that God alone has eternal status.

41. Creation – A result of God’s spoken word. A biblical view of creation includes both the physical realm (the realm of objects, animals and people) and the spiritual realm (angels and demons).

42. Theistic Evolutionism – An understanding of the development of life on earth that arose out of the attempt to relate the interpretation of Genesis to the scientific theory of organic evolution by taking a nonliteral view of the creation account while wholeheartedly trusting its truthfulness to the Word of God. Evolution was the means through which God used in bringing about the divine purpose of creating life on this planet.

43. Panentheism – The belief that God’s being includes and permeates the entire universe so that everything exists in God.

44. Pantheism - Greek for “everything is God.” The belief that God and the universe are essentially identical.

45. Process Theology – God is in the constant change of process. 46. Compatibilism – The theory that human free will is consistent (compatible) with God’s

sovereign prerogative to determine or will all things that are to happen. Human freedom is analogous to God’s freedom and not identical with it. Human freedom is limited and God’s freedom is absolute.

47. Trinity – The Christian Understanding of God as triune. Trinity means that one divine nature is a unity of three persons and that God is revealed as three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

48. Tritheism - A distorted belief in three different Gods – Father, Son and Spirit – rather than one God who is unified and yet diversely three persons.

49. Christology – the Theological study devoted to answering two main questions: Who is Jesus? (His identity) and What is the nature and significance of what Jesus accomplished in the incarnation? (His work)

50. Sinlessness of Christ – The doctrine that Jesus was without sin, free from all transgression of the law and thus able to do the will of the Father in complete holiness.

51. Posse Peccare – Latin phrase for “Able to sin.” This applies to the doctrine of man before the fall.

52. Posse Non Peccare – Latin phrase “Not able to sin.” 53. Non Posse Non Peccare – Latin phrase for “Not able not to sin” 54. Imago Dei – Latin phrase meaning “Image of God.” Man is made in the image of God.

Therefore, it gives full dignity and worth to all men. 55. Federal headship – Adam acted as the “federal head” or legal representative of the rest

of humankind.

56. Natural headship – Adam is the “natural head” of humankind in that he is the father of the entire race. Taught by Augustine.

57. Original Sin/Original Righteousness – the state of alienation from God into which all humans are born. Original Righteousness refers to the state of innocence in which Adam and Eve are thought to have existed before their fall into sin.

58. Atonement – Refers to God’s act of dealing with sin. Means “at-one-ment.” Through Jesus, mankind’s sins are atoned for.

59. Moral Influence Theory of Atonement – This Theory advocated by Peter Abelard says the cross is a grand display of God’s love. Man’s response we turn to God in love and live for God rather than committing sin.

60. Ransom Theory of the atonement – The view that human sin people rightfully belong to, or come under, the authority of Satan and the remedy to this situation God offered His Son as a ransom in exchange for humankind.

61. Satisfaction Theory of the atonement – Originated with Anselm, this theory states that God the Father was dishonored by sin and thus satisfaction had to be made to God.

62. Penal Substitution Theory of the Atonement – This theory speaks of sin as breaking God’s law, which the punishment is death. On the cross Christ suffered the death penalty in the sinner’s place and so appeased the wrath of God..

63. Soteriology - the study of salvation. 64. Salvation – A broad term referring to God’s activity on behalf of creation and especially

humans in bringing all things to God’s intended goal. This term also entails God delivering humans from the power and effects of sin and the Fall through the work of Jesus Christ.

65. Faith – A biblical word that refers to both to intellectual belief and to relational trust or commitment.

66. Notitia – Latin for knowledge of, or acquaintance with, something or someone. It relates to faith in reference to believing Christ a person must first become acquainted with the gospel message.

67. Assensus – A Latin term referring to the intellectual assent to or acceptance of theological truth. This term does not guarantee biblical faith is present.

68. Fiducia – Literally “trust.” In Latin, this term refers to the essential nature of faith; that is, to exercise faith is to engage in trust or commitment.

69. Election – A biblical word used to speak of God’s choosing of individuals or people to bring about God’s good purposes.

70. Efficacy/Efficacious – A term that describes the ability of something to fulfill the purpose for which it is made or given. The term is usually used in reference to the purposes and grace of God. God’s grace is efficacious as it is able to bring about salvation in those to whom it is directed.

71. Prevenient Grace – A designation of God’s gracious initiative on behalf of humans. The term refers to the gracious action of God, displayed in the person and work of Christ but present in the lives of human beings through the agency of the Holy Spirit, which precedes all human response to God’s initiative.

72. Ordo salutis – Latin, meaning “order of salvation.” The succession of events in God’s salvific program.

73. Calvinism – The theological system of thought from John Calvin. The Synod of Dort set forth the summary of the major tenets of Calvinism. TULIP. Total Depravity,

Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance of the Saints.

74. Semi-Pelagianism – Middle ground between Pelagius and Augustines views. They maintain that faith begins interdependently of God’s grace, although such grace is necessary for salvation, predestination becomes divine foreknowledge.

75. Pelagianism – Supported and taught by Pelagius. He proposed that human effort and merit could bring about salvation without divine grace.

76. Depravity/Total Depravity - refers both to the damaged relationship between God and humans and to the corruption of human nature.

77. Unconditional Election – Election is based on God’s sovereign, eternal decree rather than merely on divine foreknowledge of whether they will freely reject or accept salvation through Jesus Christ.

78. Limited Atonement – Sometimes called “particular redemption” the view that Jesus’ death secured salvation for only a limited number of persons (the elect).

79. Irresistible Grace – The Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of those whom God has chosen such that they cannot, or at least will, resist the saving grace God imparts.

80. Perseverance of the Saints – The mandate of Scripture to remain steadfast in the love of God and to patiently endure hardship particularly in the face of persecution.

81. Arminianism – A system of theology posited by James Arminius. It was a response to Calvinism, especially the view of predestination.

82. Justification/Justification by faith – A forensic (legal) term related to the idea of acquittal, justification refers to the divine act whereby God makes humans, who are sinful and therefore worthy of condemnation, acceptable before a God who is holy and righteous.

83. Sanctification – From the Hebrew and Greek, “to be set apart” from common use, “to be made holy.” The nature of sanctification is twofold in that Christians have been made holy through Christ and are called to continue to grow into and strive for holiness by cooperating with the indwelling Holy Spirit.

84. Glorification – That last stage in the process of salvation. Believers attain complete conformity to the image and likeness of the glorified Christ and are freed from both physical and spiritual defect.

85. Ecclesiology – The area of theological study concerned with understanding the church. It seeks to set forth the nature and function of the church as well as mission, ministry, structure and role in the overall plan of God.

86. Ordinance – an authoritative decree or law. 87. Baptism – The practice of sprinkling with, pouring on or immersing in water as an act of

Christian initiation and obedience to Christ’s own command. 88. Lord’s Supper – A designation for the sacrament or ordinance of the church otherwise

known at Communion or the Eucharist. 89. Transubstantiation – Term used in Roman Catholic theology meaning “essential

change” the belief that by the power of God at the consecration of Mass, the bread and wine change substance into the actual substance of Jesus’ body and blood.

90. Consubstantiation – The body and blood of Jesus is present “in, with and under” the actual bread and wine. Taught primarily in the Lutheran tradition

91. Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist – The belief that Jesus Christ is actually physically and sacramentally present in the bread and the wine at the Lord’s Table.

92. Congregationalism – a system of church government that assumes that Christ’s authority comes directly from the local congregation.

93. Pneumatology – The division of Christian theology dealing with the Holy Spirit. This division explores the person and work of the Spirit, especially the Spirit’s involvement in salvation.

94. Eschatology/Eschaton – From the Greek that means “last.” Eschaton refers to the ultimate climax or end of history wherein Christ returns to earth to establish his eternal kingdom of righteousness.

95. Eternity – Eternity is the realm in which there is no beginning and no end. Eternality, then, is the characteristic or attribute associated with God alone, because God has no beginning point and no ending point.

96. Dispensationalism – A system of theology popularized mainly in the twentieth-century North America, especially through the influence of the Scofield reference bible.

97. Annihilationism – The belief that all the wicked will be judged by God and thrown into the lake of fire, where they will cease to exist. All annihilationist agree that no one person will suffer eternally a conscious existence of hell.

98. Amillennialism – The belief that the thousand years mentioned in Revelation 20 do not represent a specific period of time between Christ’s first and second coming.

99. Premillennialism – The view that the millennium follows the return Christ. 100.Postmillennialism – The view that Christ’s second coming will follow the millennium;

that is his return is postmillennial.