Glossary

Aa

Allegorical

Allegorical refers to an interpretive approach that understands a biblical passage as conveying a deeper symbolic or spiritual meaning beyond its literal, historical sense. While Scripture sometimes employs allegory (e.g., Galatians 4:21–31), allegorical interpretation should be guided by the biblical text itself and not used to override the author's intended historical and grammatical meaning.

Antichrist

Antichrist refers to one who opposes or seeks to replace Christ. In the New Testament, the term describes both those who deny Christ (1 John 2:18, 22) and, in many interpretations of biblical prophecy, a future world ruler who will oppose God and deceive the nations before Christ's return.

Apocrypha

Apocrypha refers to a collection of ancient Jewish writings composed between the Old and New Testaments that are included in some Christian Bibles but not in the Hebrew canon. Their authority varies among Christian traditions, with Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox generally accepting them as Scripture, while most Protestants regard them as valuable historical and devotional writings but not divinely inspired.

Apologetics

Apologetics is the branch of theology that provides a reasoned defense of the Christian faith by explaining and supporting the truth of biblical doctrine and answering objections to Christianity. It seeks to demonstrate that the Christian worldview is both intellectually credible and faithfully grounded in Scripture.

Apostasy

Apostasy is the deliberate abandonment or rejection of the Christian faith after having professed or embraced it. In theology, the term refers to falling away from the faith, though Christians differ on whether apostasy represents the loss of genuine salvation or reveals that true saving faith was never present.

Apostolic

Apostolic refers to that which relates to the apostles or is founded upon their teaching and authority as commissioned by Jesus Christ. In biblical theology, the term often describes doctrines, practices, and writings that faithfully reflect the teaching of the apostles as preserved in the New Testament.

↑ Top

Bb

Bema judgement

The Bema judgement, or the Judgment Seat of Christ. It is not about determining whether a believer goes to heaven or hell, as that question is settled at the moment of salvation. Instead, it is about evaluating a believer's life and distributing rewards based on their actions for God.

Berean

Berean refers to the Jews of Berea who were commended in Acts 17:10–12 for receiving the apostle Paul's teaching with eagerness while carefully examining the Scriptures each day to verify that what he said was true. Today, the term Berean describes a Christian who diligently tests all teachings against the authority of Scripture rather than accepting them uncritically.

Bishop

Bishop (Greek: episkopos, meaning "overseer") is a church leader entrusted with the spiritual oversight and care of a congregation. In the New Testament, the terms bishop and elder are generally understood to refer to the same office, emphasizing different aspects of its responsibilities.

↑ Top

Cc

Canonical

Canonical refers to interpreting a passage in light of the entire canon of Scripture—that is, the complete, authoritative collection of the books of the Bible. A canonical approach recognizes that individual passages should be understood in harmony with the overall message and progressive revelation of Scripture rather than in isolation.

Compatibilism

Compatibilism is a philosophical stance that asserts that free will and determinism are mutually compatible. It posits that it is possible to believe in both concepts without logical inconsistency, suggesting that human decision-making can be both determined and free .In reality it is no different than trying to posit that truth can be both false and true - somethings are simply in incompatible of one another

Corporate election

Corporate election is the view that God primarily chooses a people or community (such as the Church, "those in Christ") for His redemptive purposes, rather than selecting individuals unconditionally for salvation apart from faith. Under this view, individuals become part of the elect body by faith in Christ, sharing in the blessings and promises that God has ordained for His covenant people.

Counterfactuals

A counterfactual is essentially a consideration of an alternative reality—what might have happened under different conditions..Counterfactuals are expressed as conditional statements, often using subjunctive forms: for example, "If I had left earlier, I would have caught the train" or "If the match had been struck, it would have lit" These statements describe scenarios contrary to fact, exploring outcomes that did not happen.

Covenant

Covenant is a solemn, binding agreement established by God that defines His relationship with His people, including His promises, purposes, and the responsibilities of those who enter into it. Throughout Scripture, God reveals His redemptive plan through a series of covenants, culminating in the New Covenant established through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

↑ Top

Dd

Day of the Lord

Day of the Lord is a biblical term referring to a decisive period when God intervenes directly in history to judge evil, vindicate His people, and accomplish His redemptive purposes. Depending on the context, it can refer to historical acts of divine judgment, the future return of Christ, the final judgment, or the consummation of God's kingdom.

Deacon

Deacon (Greek: diakonos, meaning "servant" or "minister") is a church officer appointed to assist in practical ministry and service, enabling the elders to focus on prayer and the ministry of the Word. Deacons are expected to meet high standards of Christian character and faithfulness.

Decalogue

The Decalogue – From the Greek dekalogos, meaning "ten words" or "ten sayings." This is the traditional theological term used to refer to the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5).

Depravity

Depravity in the biblical sense refers to the inherent corruption and moral failure of humanity due to sin. The concept originates from the Fall of Man, as narrated in Genesis 3, where Adam and Eve’s disobedience resulted in a fractured relationship with God and the introduction of sin into the world.

Determinism

Determinism is the belief that every event, decision, and action is fixed or caused by prior factors, making the course of history unfold according to an established order. In theology, theological determinism is the view that God has sovereignly decreed every event—including every human choice—to occur according to His eternal will.

Diaspora

Diaspora refers to the dispersion of the Jewish people outside the land of Israel, particularly following the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles. In the New Testament, the term also describes Jewish communities scattered throughout the Roman Empire.

Double Predestination

Double Predestination theology refers to the belief that certain individuals are not merely excluded from responding to God's grace and condemned to eternal punishment, but have been - predetermined - chosen before creation, by God to suffer wrath (eternal punishment).

Doxological

Relating to the praise, worship, and glorification of God. A doxological passage is one whose primary purpose is to magnify God's character and works rather than to explain theological processes or doctrinal details.

Doxology

Doxology is an expression of praise, glory, and worship offered to God, often concluding a prayer, letter, or section of Scripture. In the Bible, doxologies exalt God's greatness, wisdom, power, and majesty, directing all honor and glory to Him.

↑ Top

Ee

Ecclesiology

Ecclesiology is the branch of theology that studies the doctrine of the Church, including its nature, purpose, authority, ordinances, leadership, and mission. It examines what Scripture teaches about the identity of the Church as the body of Christ and its role in God's redemptive plan.

Eisegesis

Eisegesis is the practice of reading one's own ideas, assumptions, or theological beliefs into a biblical text rather than drawing the author's intended meaning out of the text itself. It stands in contrast to exegesis, which seeks to discover the original meaning of Scripture through careful attention to its grammar, context, historical setting, and literary structure.

Elder

Elder is a spiritual leader appointed to shepherd, teach, and oversee the local church. In the New Testament, elders are recognized for their spiritual maturity, godly character, and responsibility to care for God's people.

Entropy

Entropy—the tendency toward disorder—is not just a physical principle. It is a spiritual reality that applies to any created being with free will that is not perfect as per God is perfect. ✨ Entropy as the Condition that is not self‑sustaining, not self‑perfect, not Omniscient, Omnisapient, Omnipresent, Omnibenevolent, All just etc... are open to potentiality and thus all things created ex nihilo are subject to entropy.

Epistemic

Epistemic simply means "relating to knowledge, belief, or how we know what we know." It comes from the Greek word epistēmē, meaning knowledge. When we say something is epistemic, we mean it concerns the justification, acquisition, or evaluation of knowledge and belief. A foundational belief or assumption about reality that a person accepts as the basis for interpreting evidence.

Eschatology

Eschatology is the branch of theology that studies the "last things," including Christ's return, the resurrection, the final judgment, the eternal state, and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. It seeks to understand what Scripture teaches about the consummation of history and God's ultimate purposes for creation.

Etymology

The study of the origin of words and their historical development of their meaning

ex hylis

ex hylis, is a Latin term meaning to have created from pre-existing formless matter and or elements. It typically asserts that God created using material or elements that have eternally coexisted with God and therefore God did not create ex nihilo (from nothingness).

ex nihilo

Latin meaning "from or out of nothing". In reference to creation it means that God created out of nothing.

Exegesis

Exegesis is the careful process of drawing out the original meaning of a biblical text by examining its grammar, historical setting, literary context, and intended message. The goal of exegesis is to discover what the author intended to communicate, rather than reading one's own ideas or theological assumptions into the text.

Expiation

Expiation is the aspect of Christ's atoning work by which sin and its guilt are removed or cleansed, making forgiveness and reconciliation with God possible. Whereas propitiation emphasizes the satisfaction of God's righteous wrath against sin, expiation emphasizes the removal of sin itself and its defilement through Christ's sacrificial death.

↑ Top

Ff

Framework

Framework is an organized structure or system of principles used to understand, interpret, or explain a subject. In theology, a framework provides a coherent way of organizing biblical teachings, but it should always remain subordinate to the authority and context of Scripture.

↑ Top

Gg

Glorification of God

When we speak of the glorification of God, the term “glorification” refers to the fulfillment of glorifying, as His glory is manifested, recognized and honored in creation. In other words, in both the act of glorifying God and the result of His glorification, we as believers – when abiding in accordance to His word – make visible the glory of our invisible God, to those around us.

Glorification of the Saints

The short answer is that “glorification” is God’s final removal of sin from the life of the saints (i.e., everyone who is saved) in the eternal state. At Christ’s coming, the glory of God —His honor, praise, majesty, and holiness—will be realized in us; instead of being mortals burdened with sin nature, we will be changed into holy immortals with direct and unhindered access to God’s presence, and we will enjoy holy communion with Him throughout eternity

Grace

Grace is an essential part of God’s character. Grace is closely related to God’s benevolence, love, and mercy. Grace can be variously defined as “God’s favor toward the unworthy” or “God’s benevolence on the undeserving.” In His grace, God is willing to forgive us and bless us abundantly, in spite of the fact that we don’t deserve to be treated so well or dealt with so generously.

↑ Top

Hh

Hades

The Greek word Hades refers to the temporary abode of the dead, equivalent to the Hebrew Sheol, where souls await resurrection or judgment

Hamartiology

Hamartiology is the branch of theology that studies the doctrine of sin, including its origin, nature, consequences, and effects on humanity and creation. It examines what Scripture teaches about the fall of mankind, human depravity, personal and corporate sin, and the need for redemption through Jesus Christ.

Hellenistic

Hellenistic refers to the culture, language, and intellectual influence of the Greek world that spread throughout the Mediterranean and Near East following the conquests of Alexander the Great. In biblical studies, the term often describes the Greek-speaking environment and cultural context in which the New Testament was written and the early Church first spread.

hermeneutics

Biblical hermeneutics is the study of the principles and methods used to interpret, understand, and apply the Bible accurately

holistic

A holistic approach seeks to understand something by considering the whole rather than focusing on isolated parts. In biblical interpretation, a holistic approach means interpreting individual verses in light of the entire counsel of Scripture, allowing the Bible as a whole to shape the meaning of each passage rather than building doctrine from isolated texts.

Holistically

Holistically means considering something in its entirety, taking into account all of its interconnected parts rather than examining one element in isolation. In biblical interpretation, to read Scripture holistically is to interpret each passage in harmony with the full testimony of God's Word, ensuring that individual verses are understood within the broader context of the whole Bible.

Holy

Holy or holiness is to be set apart. God’s holiness means He is completely set apart from sin and moral corruption. Being holy does not imply being saved, many people were made holy apart from salvation such as Aaron’s sons, the Levites including Korah and the nation of Israel

↑ Top

Ii

Immutability

God Is Unchangeable. Unlike everything in creation, God does not change in His essence, character, or promises.

Irresistible Grace

Irresistible grace is a Calvinist doctrine or theology, that emphasizes the sovereign grace of God in saving individuals. It teaches that when God extends His saving grace, it cannot be resisted, as it effectively overcomes a person's resistance to faith in Christ.

↑ Top

Jj

Justification

Justification is a theological term that refers to the act of God declaring a sinner to be righteous on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ. It is a legal declaration where God pardons the sinner of all unrighteousness and imputes the righteousness of Christ to the believer. This doctrine is central to Christian soteriology and is foundational to the understanding of salvation.

↑ Top

Kk

Kenosis

Kenosis comes from the Greek word kenoō ("to empty") and refers to Christ's voluntary self-emptying in the Incarnation, as described in Philippians 2:5–8. It does not mean that Jesus ceased to be God, but that He willingly set aside the independent exercise of His divine privileges and took on true human nature, humbling Himself in obedience to the Father.

↑ Top

Ll

Lexical

Lexical refers to the meaning of a word as determined by its vocabulary definition, usage, and the language in which it was written. In biblical interpretation, a lexical analysis examines how a particular Hebrew or Greek word is used throughout Scripture to help determine its intended meaning in a given context.

Limited Atonement

Limited atonement is a Calvinist theological doctrine that asserts that Christ's death on the cross was intended to secure salvation only for the elect, those whom God has chosen and predestined.

Logos

Logos (Greek: logos, meaning "Word," "reason," or "expression") is the title used in John 1:1–14 to identify Jesus Christ as the eternal Word of God through whom all things were created and by whom God has fully revealed Himself. The Logos is fully divine, eternally existing with God and as God, and became flesh in the Incarnation without ceasing to be God.

↑ Top

Mm

Manifest

show (a quality or feeling) by one's acts or appearance; demonstrate: be evidence of; prove: To make something otherwise not observable, observable.

Manifestation

show (a quality or feeling) by one's acts or appearance; demonstrate: be evidence of; prove: To make something otherwise not observable, observable.

Manifested

show (a quality or feeling) by one's acts or appearance; demonstrate: be evidence of; prove: To make something otherwise not observable, observable.

Masoretic Text

Masoretic Text is the traditional Hebrew text of the Old Testament preserved and carefully transmitted by Jewish scribes known as the Masoretes between the sixth and tenth centuries AD. It serves as the primary Hebrew source for most modern Old Testament translations.

Metaphorical

Metaphorical refers to language that conveys truth through comparison or symbolism rather than by literal description. In biblical interpretation, recognizing metaphorical language helps distinguish figures of speech from statements intended to be understood literally, while still affirming the truth the metaphor communicates.

Metaphysics

the branch of philosophy that deals with the first principles of things, including abstract concepts such as being, knowing, identity, time, and space:

Millennium

Millennium is the thousand-year reign of Christ described in Revelation 20:1–6, during which Satan is bound and Christ's kingdom is manifested according to God's redemptive plan. Christians differ in their understanding of the millennium, with premillennial, amillennial, and postmillennial views offering different interpretations of its nature and timing.

Mitzvot

Mitzvot (Hebrew: mitzvot, singular: mitzvah) are the commandments or divine instructions given by God in Scripture, particularly those found in the Law of Moses. In Judaism, the mitzvot encompass the traditional 613 commandments derived from the Torah and are understood as guiding God's covenant people in faithful obedience.

Moral attributes

God's Moral attributes are qualities that reflect God’s character and are - in limited ways - reflected in humanity as His image-bearers. God's Natural attributes on the other hand are qualities that belong uniquely to God and distinguish Him from all created beings.

↑ Top

Nn

Natural attributes

God's Natural attributes are qualities that belong uniquely to God and distinguish Him from all created beings. God's Moral attributes on the other hand are qualities that reflect God’s character and are - in limited ways - reflected in humanity as His image-bearers.

Natural Theology

Natural Theology is the study of what can be known about God through observation of creation, human reason, and the natural order apart from special revelation in Scripture. While it affirms that creation bears witness to God's existence and attributes (Romans 1:19–20), it cannot by itself reveal the gospel or God's plan of salvation, which are made known through His written Word and Jesus Christ.

Necessitarian Theory

Necessitarian Theory, also known as necessitarianism, is a metaphysical principle that asserts that all actual events and states of affairs are strictly necessary, denying the existence of contingency and asserting that the actual world is the only possible world. It posits that human actions and the will are predetermined by external or internal causes, thereby denying free will.

↑ Top

Oo

Omnibenevolence

The word omnibenevolent comes from the Latin word omni, meaning “all,” and the word benevolent, meaning “good” or “charitable.” When we say that God is omnibenevolent, we are saying that God is absolutely good and that no action or motive or thought or feeling or anything else about Him is not purely good. He is “all-good.”

Omnipotence

God Is All-Powerful. However, God’s omnipotence does not mean He can act contrary to His nature. God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19), deny Himself, or tolerate sin. His power is always exercised in perfect harmony with all of His natural and Moral attributes..

Omnipresence

God is spirit (John 4:24), He is not limited by physical boundaries. God is not confined by or subject to space or time. God is present everywhere in all time. God is ALL present.

Omnisapience

Omnisapience is the theological or philosophical concept of being infinitely or perfectly wise. Derived from the Latin roots omni ("all") and sapientia ("wisdom"), it represents not just knowing everything (omniscience), but also the perfect ability to apply that knowledge for the best possible outcomes

Omniscience

Omniscience means that God possesses complete and perfect knowledge of all things: actual and possible. God does not learn, discover, or forget. All knowledge is eternally present to Him. God knows our past, our present, and our future. He understands our motives, fears, and unspoken prayers. God is ALL knowing

Ordinance

Ordinance is a practice instituted and commanded by Jesus Christ for His Church as an outward act of obedience and remembrance. Most Protestant churches recognize baptism and the Lord's Supper as ordinances, viewing them as symbolic acts that testify to the believer's faith rather than as means of imparting saving grace.

Orthopraxy

Orthopraxy refers to right practice or right living, emphasizing obedience to God's commands and the faithful application of biblical truth in daily life. While orthodoxy focuses on right belief, orthopraxy focuses on living out those beliefs in a manner that honors God.

↑ Top

Pp

Pagan

Pagan refers to a person or people who worship false gods, idols, or follow religious beliefs outside the worship of the one true God revealed in Scripture. In the Bible, the term is commonly used to describe the nations surrounding Israel whose beliefs and practices often stood in contrast to God's covenant and His revealed will.

paradigms

A paradigm is a typical example, model, or overarching framework of assumptions, beliefs, and values through which a group or individual interprets the world. It acts like a "lens" that shapes how we perceive reality, define problems, and determine acceptable solutions

Pentateuch

Pentateuch (from the Greek meaning "five books") refers to the first five books of the Bible—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Also known as the Torah or the Books of Moses, the Pentateuch records creation, the fall, God's covenant with Abraham, Israel's deliverance from Egypt, the giving of the Law, and the foundation of God's covenant relationship with His people.

Perfection

Strong's Number #G5046, Greek "teleios" from G5056; complete (in various applications of labor growth mental and moral character etc.); neuter (as noun with G3588) completeness: - of full age man perfect. Thayer's Definition: brought to its end, finished. wanting nothing necessary to completeness. an exemplification of supreme excellence as in an unsurpassable degree of accuracy or excellence. Needing no improvement perfect, that which is perfect. consummate human integrity and virtue of men, fu

Perseverance of the Saints

The perseverance of the saints is a theological doctrine that asserts that those who are truly saved by grace through faith in Christ will continue in faith and will not permanently fall away. This concept, rooted in the understanding of God's sovereign grace, emphasizes that true believers will be kept by His power and will persevere until the end of their lives.

Philosophy

Philosophy is the systematic study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, and reason. In one word it is the act of reasoning. Theology is for all intent and purpose a branch of Philosophy dealing with all things pertaining to God and His Word. Just as there is good theology and bad theology, so too is there bad philosophy and good philosophy.

Predetermined

Predetermined means decided or established beforehand, prior to the event itself. In theology, the term often refers to what God has ordained or determined in advance according to His purposes, though Christians differ on the extent to which this applies to human choices and historical events.

Presbyter

Presbyter (Greek: presbyteros, meaning "elder") refers to a mature spiritual leader responsible for teaching, shepherding, and governing the local church. The term is often used interchangeably with elder in the New Testament.

Propitiation

Propitiation is the aspect of Christ's atoning work by which God's righteous wrath against sin is fully satisfied through Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross. As a result, those who place their faith in Christ are forgiven, reconciled to God, and no longer remain under His condemnation.

Protoevangelium

Protoevangelium (Greek: prōtos = "first," euangelion = "gospel") is the theological term for the first announcement of the gospel, found in Genesis 3:15, where God promises that the woman's offspring will ultimately crush the serpent's head. Christians have long understood this verse as the earliest prophecy of Christ's victory over Satan through His death and resurrection.

providence

In the Bible, providence refers to God's active, sovereign care over all creation. It means God is continuously preserving the universe, providing for His creatures, and guiding human history toward His ultimate purposes, all while working through both natural events and human choices

↑ Top

Qq

Qualification

Qualification is a statement that limits, clarifies, or modifies the meaning or scope of another statement to prevent misunderstanding or overgeneralization. In biblical interpretation, a qualification helps define the intended meaning of a passage by recognizing contextual details that may limit or explain an otherwise broad statement.

↑ Top

Rr

Read this article to me

Some browsers have the option to read articles aloud Open an article or webpage. Right-click anywhere on the page. Select Read aloud. Or press: Ctrl + Shift + U Once it starts, you can: Pause Skip forward or backward Change the reading speed Choose different voices or languages

Redeemed

In the Bible, being redeemed refers to God's gracious act of delivering a person from sin and its consequences through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. It encompasses themes of deliverance, atonement, forgiveness, and restoration, symbolizing God's merciful act of rescuing a person from bondage to sin and death

Redemption

In the Bible, redemption refers to God's gracious act of delivering humanity from sin and its consequences through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. It encompasses themes of deliverance, atonement, forgiveness, and restoration, symbolizing God's merciful act of rescuing people from bondage to sin and death

Regeneration

Another word for regeneration is rebirth, related to the biblical phrase “born again.” Our rebirth is distinguished from our first birth, when we were conceived physically and inherited our sin nature. The new birth is a spiritual, holy, and heavenly birth that results in our being made alive spiritually. Man in his natural state is “dead in trespasses and sins” until he is “made alive” (regenerated) by Christ. This happens when he places his faith in Christ

repentance

The word repentance in the Bible literally means “the act of changing one’s mind.” True biblical repentance goes beyond remorse, regret, or feeling bad about one’s sin. It involves more than merely turning away from sin. Eerdmans Bible Dictionary includes this definition of repentance: “In its fullest sense it is a term for a complete change of orientation involving a judgment upon the past and a deliberate redirection for the future.”

Reprobation

Reprobation theology (Similar to Double Predestination) refers to the belief that certain individuals are excluded from responding to God's grace and condemned to eternal punishment

Resurrection

Resurrection, from the Greek word anastasis, literally means “a standing up” or “rising up” and refers to the act of coming back to life after death. In the Bible, it represents not only a return to physical life but also a profound spiritual transformation, offering hope, redemption, and eternal life to believers

righteousness

In the Bible, righteousness is not just moral perfection or rule-keeping; it fundamentally means being in right relationship with God, others, and all of creation. It involves living justly, honestly, and faithfully according to God's instructions

↑ Top

Ss

Sacrament

Sacrament is a sacred rite or ordinance instituted by Christ that visibly signifies and spiritually represents God's grace to believers. Different Christian traditions understand the nature and efficacy of the sacraments differently, but the two most widely recognized are baptism and the Lord's Supper (Communion).

Sensus Plenior

Sensus Plenior (Latin for "fuller sense") is the view that a passage of Scripture may contain a deeper, divinely intended meaning beyond what the human author fully understood at the time of writing. This fuller meaning is revealed progressively through later biblical revelation and is always consistent with, rather than contradictory to, the original meaning of the text.

Septuagint

Septuagint (abbreviated LXX) is the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament produced several centuries before Christ. It was widely used by Greek-speaking Jews and was frequently quoted by New Testament authors.

Sheol

The Hebrew word Sheol refers to the temporary abode of the dead, equivalent to the Greek Hades, where souls await resurrection or judgment

Soteriology

Soteriology is the branch of theology that studies the doctrine of salvation, including humanity's need for redemption, the work of Christ, faith, grace, justification, sanctification, and glorification. It seeks to understand how God saves sinners and applies the benefits of Christ's atoning work according to Scripture.

synergism

In Christian theology, synergism refers to the cooperative effort between God and humanity in the process of salvation. It emphasizes that human participation is essential for salvation, suggesting that both divine grace and human will work together to achieve redemption.

Synthesis

Synthesis is the process of combining individual ideas, passages, or pieces of evidence into a unified and coherent whole. In biblical theology, synthesis involves bringing together everything Scripture teaches on a subject to form a balanced doctrine that reflects the full counsel of God's Word.

Systematic

Systematic refers to an organized, methodical approach that arranges biblical teachings into a coherent and logical framework. In theology, a systematic approach gathers all that Scripture teaches on a particular subject and synthesizes it into a unified doctrine while remaining faithful to the biblical text.

↑ Top

Tt

Tacitus

Tacitus (c. AD 56–120) was a Roman historian and senator who, in his Annals (15.44), recorded that Christus (Christ) was executed under Pontius Pilate during the reign of Emperor Tiberius. His account is considered one of the most important non-Christian historical references confirming the existence of Jesus and the early Christian movement.

Tanakh

Tanakh is the traditional Jewish name for the Hebrew Scriptures, derived from the initials of its three sections: Torah (Law), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). Christians generally refer to this same body of inspired writings as the Old Testament, although the books are arranged differently.

Teleology

Teleology is the study of evidences of design in nature. Includes doctrine (as in vitalism) that ends are immanent in nature, or in explaining phenomena by final causes. The fact or character attributed to nature or natural processes of being directed toward an end or shaped by a purpose. The use of design or purpose as an explanation.

The rapture

The rapture (Greek "rapturo" refers to the event when believers in Christ are caught up to meet Him in the air, symbolizing deliverance and eternal union with God.

The Tribulation

The Tribulation, often referred to as the Great Tribulation, is a significant 7-Year period of intense suffering and divine judgment described in the Bible, particularly in the books of Daniel and Revelation.

Theistic determinism

Theistic determinism, also known as theological determinism, is a theological doctrine that asserts that God, through an unconditional eternal decree, determines every event in the world's history, including all human actions and decisions.

theistic evolution

Theistic evolution is the belief that God created and guides life through the natural process of evolution, harmonizing religious faith with scientific understanding.

Theodicy

Theodicy is the branch of theology and philosophy that seeks to explain how the existence of evil and suffering is compatible with the goodness, justice, and sovereignty of God. It addresses the question of why a good and all-powerful God permits evil in the world.

Theological

Theological refers to anything relating to the study of God, His nature, His works, and His relationship with creation as revealed in Scripture. A theological discussion seeks to understand and explain biblical truth concerning doctrines such as God, salvation, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, and the last things.

Theological systems

Theological systems are organized frameworks of doctrine that seek to explain and harmonize the teachings of Scripture on various subjects. While these systems can help clarify biblical truth, they should always remain subject to Scripture itself and be revised whenever they conflict with the plain meaning of the biblical text.

Theological tradition

Theological tradition refers to a system of beliefs and interpretive principles that has been developed and passed down within a particular branch or school of Christianity. While theological traditions can provide valuable insights and historical perspective, they should always be tested against the authority of Scripture to ensure they accurately reflect the biblical text.

Theology Proper

Theology Proper is the branch of theology that specifically studies God the Father—His nature, attributes, character, works, and relationship to creation. It seeks to understand who God is as He has revealed Himself in Scripture, distinguishing this study from other theological disciplines such as Christology (the study of Christ) or Pneumatology (the study of the Holy Spirit).

Torah

Torah is the Hebrew word meaning "instruction" or "law" and most commonly refers to the first five books of the Bible (Genesis through Deuteronomy), traditionally attributed to Moses. It contains God's covenant laws, commandments, and foundational revelation to Israel.

Total Depravity

Total Depravity is the theological concept that as a result of the Fall, every part of our nature—mind, will, emotions, and body—is affected by sin, rendering us incapable of achieving righteousness on our own. Calvinism takes this concept further teaching that humans are incapable of responding to the Gospel or choosing God without divine intervention

Typology

Typology is a method of biblical interpretation in which a person, event, institution, or object in the Old Testament (a type) foreshadows or points to a greater fulfillment in the New Testament (the antitype). Unlike allegory, typology is grounded in the historical reality of the biblical text and recognizes patterns intentionally woven into Scripture by God that culminate in Christ and His redemptive work.

↑ Top

Uu

Unconditional Election

Unconditional Election is a doctrine in Calvinism that refers to God's sovereign choice to predestine certain individuals for salvation, independent of their actions or merit. This doctrine asserts that God chooses who will be saved based on His own will, not on any human qualities or responses.

Universal

Universal refers to something that applies to all people, all things, or every instance without exception, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In biblical interpretation, whether a statement is universal depends on its grammatical, literary, and contextual evidence rather than on theological assumptions alone.

↑ Top

Ww

White Throne Judgment

God's final judgment where every person is judged according to their deeds. This judgment occurs at the end of time, and those who did not accept Jesus as their Savior will stand before God to be judged. Ultimately, this judgment determines the eternal fate of individuals, leading to either eternal life or the second death, which is separation from God

↑ Top