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This refers to the method of conducting a Sunday morning church service where all the events surrounding the service are tailored with the unchurched in mind. The goal of this model is to attempt to make the “seeker” feel comfortable by making the service understandable and enjoyable. In this sense, the church is attempting to build a bridge with the unbeliever with the ultimate goal that they will hear the Gospel and be saved. The preaching model in the seeker churches follows suit. Every sermon is simply another way to present the Gospel. Deeper learning, fellowship, and discipleship are encouraged...

Libertarian Free Will (Latin liberum arbitrium) The belief that the human will is free from any necessitating constraint (necessitas coactio). This is often referred to as “the power of contrary choice.” In this, whatever decisions are made, its alternative decisions are viable options. The alternative to libertarianism is fatalism, divine determinism, or self-determinism. The reformers believed that the faculty of the will is free (vonutas), but this will is in bondage to its nature, as all wills are. The reformers rejected both libertarianism and fatalism, seeking a mediating position that allows the will to be free, but does not allow...

dei gratia Lat. “by God’s grace” A phrase used in recognition that all of life, sustenance, power, and hope are found in God’s unmerited bestowal of favor upon the undeserving. This phrase in used on the official coins of Britain and Canada with the abbreviation D.G.

Incarnation (Lat. in + carn, “in flesh”) A theological term describing the union of second person of the Trinity with humanity. Christ became “incarnate” in that he took on the flesh or human nature (John 1:14). The incarnation was a theological necessity for Christ to secure salvation and act as the mediator between God and man. Without the incarnation, man would be hopelessly unable to find representation that might serve as a substitute and an advocate on his behalf. In Christianity the incarnation is celebrated each year at Christmas.

Marcion of Pontus Referred to by Polycarp as “the first born of Satan,” Marcion was one of the most famous heretics of the early church and the leader of the sect known as the “Marcionites.” Marcion is known for his Gnostic leanings which he integrated into a version of Christianity. Marcion rejected the entire Old Testament, believing the God of the Hebrew Scriptures was full of wrath and hatred. In the New Testament, Marcion only accepted a modified version of the Gospel of Luke (excluding the birth narratives) and ten of Paul’s epistles. Tertullian said that he was the first...

Pneumantology (Gk. pneuma, “spirit,” “breath,” or “wind” + logos, “teaching about”) The study of the doctrine of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Pneumantology deals with the work of the Spirit in the lives of people, both believers and unbelievers. Included within this study is the regeneration, baptism of the Spirit, fruits of the Spirit, gifts of the Spirit, and, often, sanctification.

Orthodoxy [or‘-thuh-dawk’-see] (Greek orthos, “right, true” + Greek doxa, “opinion, thinking”) Orthodoxy has been widely acknowledged to refer to adhering to the teachings and traditions in an established faith or religion. With respect to Christianity, the concept generally means recognizing and accepting the fundamental teachings and doctrines held by all Christians of all time, everywhere. All three branches of Christianity (Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox) consider the early ecumenical confessions such as the Apostles’ Creed, Athanasian Creed, and Nicean Creed to be their primary sources relating to orthodoxy.

Abecedarians A 16th century German sect of Anabaptists led by Nicholas Storch who believed that all knowledge, even knowledge of the alphabet, prevents people from a true knowledge of God. Abecedarians believed that God would provide all necessary understanding through divine means such as visions and ecstatic experiences. According to them, all theology and “academic” learning amounted to an idolatrous abandonment of the Christian faith. Their name, Abecedarians, comes from their denial of the ABCs.

Sanctification Taken from the same Gk root meaning “holy” (hagios), sanctification is the doctrine in Christian soteriology (salvation) that is normally used to describe the growth process of a believer. To be sanctified literally means to be “set apart unto God.” Theologically, the force of the doctrine is less an idea of separation from sin, but a closeness to God that is necessarily separate from the sin. In this sense, sanctification is both a position and a process. The Christian has been sanctified (1 Cor. 6:11), but there is also a since in which he or she is working toward...

theotokos (Gk. theos, God + tokos, “parturition, childbirth”) Theotokos is a historic designation given to Mary in relation to her role as the mother of Christ. Theotokos means “God bearer.” This designation was approved by the third Ecumenical Council held at Ephesus in 431. Nestorius apposed the use of the term theotokos, preferring christotokos (”Christ-bearer), believing that Mary was the mother of the human nature of Christ, not the divine nature. Most, however, felt that this would divide Christ into two persons. Led by Cyril of Alexandria, the council chose theotokos to acknowledge a belief in the dual-nature of Christ....

Asceticism (Gk. ask?sis, “athlete”) Describes the life of self-denial, primarily in the abstaining from life’s pleasures that might distract from a life of devotion to God. Vows of abstinence from sex, marriage, foods, alcohol, shelter, wealth, and many other “mundane” pleasures accompany the ascetic life. Monks and nuns are among those in the history of the Church who have vowed themselves to such lives. Many Christians, while advocating self-discipline and periods of abstinence, believe that the ascetic life is not only contrary to the will of God, but follows a dualistic worldview, believing the material pleasures of the world are...

Named after Moses Amyraut, a theologian of the 17th century, Amyraldism is a form of Calvinism that distinguishes itself by a belief in universal atonement. Its variation from the traditional Calvinistic understanding of limited atonement comes in its formulation of divine decrees. Whereas traditional Calvinism places God’s decree to elect before his decree to atone for the sins of the elect (thereby making the atonement limited to the elect), Amyraldism places God’s decree to atone for the sins of all mankind before his decree to elect some (thereby making the atonement universal). While this view is sometimes referred to as...

Sacerdotalism (Lat. sacerdos, “priest”) Sacerdotalism is the belief in an established hierarchy that separates man from God. In such a system the priesthood stands as an essential mediator between God and man. This priesthood, according to sacerdotalists, is a necessary component in worship, receiving communion, confessing sin, baptism, and other acts of administering grace. This “chaste” system is generally rejected by most Protestants who traditionally hold to the doctrine of the “priesthood of all believers” (1 Pet. 2:5). Protestants believe that the only mediator between God and man is Christ (1 Tim. 2:5). Advocates of sacerdotalism reference the priesthood established...

Presuppositionalism A method of Christian apologetics normally employed by Reformed theologians that seeks to give a defense of the Christian faith by offering an offensive method of engagement. Presuppositionalists believe that one must presuppose the Christian worldview and the Scriptures in order to dispel the worldview of the unbeliever. Presuppositionalist criticize “evidentialists” for seeking to give credence to the unbelievers worldview by meeting them on neutral ground. The presuppositionalist believes that there is no such thing as neutral ground. As well, while the evidentialist will attempt to give arguments to increase the probability of their beliefs, presuppositionalist believe that one...

ad hominem (Lat. ad, “to” + hominem, “the man”) In rhetorical argumentation, an ad hominem is a method of argumentation in which a person attacks the character of the opponent(s) instead of dealing with the evidence or the substance of the argument. If someone were to attack the credibility of Reformation appealing to the character of Martin Luther as neurotic and incapable of making valid judgments, this would be an attack on his character in order to discredit his argument and, therefore, an example of an ad hominem. also: argumentum ad hominem and ad hom for short

Omnipresence (Lat. omni- “all” + praesent, “present”) The belief among theists (Christians, Muslims, Jews) that God, being transcendent above time and space is present everywhere. This is not to be confused with pantheism which believes that God is “in” everything since the theistic God is completely separate from all of creation. Some have describes this as the belief not so much that God is everywhere, but that everything is necessarily in God’s immediate presence. This understanding seems to be the most consistent with Christian theology and philosophy and avoids the common mis-identification with pantheism. (See Psalm 139:7-10).

Rapture, the Doctrine of Lat. raptus, “to take” or “to seize” The doctrine of the rapture describes the belief among many Christians that Christ will return for the Church prior to a time of judgment called the tribulation. Upon Christ’s return, Christ will take all those who are his to heaven while he judges those who remain on the earth for seven years. The primary passage which adherent refer to is 1 Thess. 4:17, “We who are alive and remain shall be caught up [Lat. raptus] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” Those...

Henotheism Gk. heis “one” + theos “god” Coined by Max Müller, henotheism is the belief in one primary god while also believing in the existence or possible existence of other gods. Normally the henotheist will have primary devotion for the ultimate deity, while leaving room for secondary allegiance to the lesser gods. It would seem that he Israelites, during the post Davidic kingdom years, were henotheists in belief and practice as they had Yahweh as their primary God, but also followed after lesser deities. also: inclusive monotheism and monarchical polytheism

Theodicy Gk. theos, “god” + dík “justice” A term coined in 1710 by German philosopher Gottfried Leibniz in a book entitled Theodicic Essays on the Benevolence of God, the Free will of man, and the Origin of Evil, theodicy refers to the justification of God. Most specifically, theodicy is an explanation as to why evil can exist in a world where a good God rules. Therefore, theodicies are put forward by Christian theists to vindicate the justice of God.

Theology Gk. theos, “God” logos “discourse” A reasoned study of God. Theology is a set of intellectual and emotional commitments with regard to God and man which dictate one’s beliefs and actions. Theology is intellectual in that is provides for a reasoned study and defense of one’s beliefs about God. Theology is emotional in that we approach the subject as humans with deep subjective commitments to our personal experiences and feelings about God.