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Ecumenism and Church Relations
- Ecumenism refers to the wide and multifaceted movement to advance Christian fellowship and the unity of the church. The contemporary ecumenical movement was preceded by nineteenth-century missionary and youth movements mobilizing Christians from various church backgrounds. Ecumenical pray...
- Author
- Minna Hietamäki
- Faith tradition
- Christianity
- Topics
- Theological movements
Lutheran Ecclesiology
- Lutheran ecclesiology is an outgrowth of a reform movement within the Western church and shares scriptural underpinnings with this broader tradition. The Lutheran reformers’ convictions about the church and the basic contours of an ecclesiology found binding expression in the Lutheran confe...
- Author
- Jonathan Mumme
- Faith tradition
- Christianity
- Topics
- Theological movements
Church Law in the United Kingdom
- This entry examines the laws and other regulatory instruments of a range of Christian churches in Great Britain, many of which also have a global reach. These legal instruments are pervasive in the lives of churches and regulate their ministry and government, doctrine, worship and rites of ...
- Author
- Norman Doe and Stephen Coleman
- Faith tradition
- Christianity
- Topics
- Spiritual life and practices
Pentecostal Theology
- A Pentecostal theology distinct from other Christian traditions was evident from the start of the modern-day Pentecostal revivals that occurred worldwide at the turn to the twentieth century. Yet, initially, Pentecostals viewed themselves as an ecumenical movement and did not develop an i...
- Author
- Wolfgang Vondey
- Faith tradition
- Christianity
- Topics
- Theological movements
Protestant Recovery of Deacons and Deaconesses
- The terms ‘deaconess’ and ‘deacon’ refer to an office of service in the church that exists today and dates back to the first century. The terms themselves are derived from the Greek verb, diakonein, and its cognate nouns diakonos and diakonia. Diakonein meant to serve or to minister. The no...
- Author
- Jeannine Olson
- Faith tradition
- Christianity
- Topics
- Spiritual life and practices
Jesus’ Preexistence and Incarnation
- This article defines the doctrinal concepts of ‘preexistence’ and ‘incarnation’ as they are applied to Jesus Christ. It explores the doctrine of the incarnation in Christian scripture as it was interpreted by the first seven ecumenical councils of the ancient church. It argues that these ...
- Author
- David Moser
- Faith tradition
- Christianity
- Topics
- Being and existence
Theology in Australia
- Theology, in Australia’s brief history, has been shaped by its colonial origins, the impact of the changing demographics of the Christian population, and the secular strand in Australian history. This article outlines the historical development of theology in Australia, the institutional fr...
- Author
- Peter Howard
- Faith tradition
- Christianity
- Topics
- Theological movements
Heresy: Early Development of the Concept
- After tracing the evolution in meaning of the Greek word hairesis from ‘choice’ to ‘false belief’, this entry examines the criteria according to which a belief was judged to be heretical, either by particular controversialists or by bodies which purported to legislate on behalf of the Chris...
- Author
- Mark Edwards
- Faith tradition
- Christianity
- Topics
- Law, Theological movements
Conciliarity of the Church
- Conciliarity is central to the identity of the Christian church. This article discusses the meaning of the word ‘conciliarity’ and its relation to ‘synodality’ through the lens of the church’s experience of councils (synods) at the local, regional, and universal levels. It offers ten scri...
- Author
- Nicholas Sagovsky
- Faith tradition
- Christianity
- Topics
- Theological movements
Bishops
- This article examines the phenomenon of bishops in Christian theology, church history, and the present role, work, and identity of a bishop. The article tries to answer the questions: ‘what does a bishop do?’ and ‘what is a bishop for?’ The approach to answering this question assesses scr...
- Author
- Paul Avis
- Faith tradition
- Christianity
- Topics
- Spiritual life and practices
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