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The belief that the universe is contained within God. The universe
is a part of God, but not all of God. Pantheism
This is an identification
of the universe with God. With this view there is a blurring of the distinction
between the Creator and the creation. Pantheism tends to equate God with the process
of the universe and states that the universe is God and God is the universe. This
is a problem for Christians who believe that God is the creator of the universe
(Isaiah 44:24)
and therefore separate from it. Papyrus
A plant
growing along the Nile in Egypt during biblical times. It was used as writing
material. Papyrus scrolls were made by cutting and pressing sections of the papyri
plant together at right angles. The typical maximum length of a scroll was about
35 feet. The scribe, when using papyrus, would often use the natural horizontal
fibers of the papyrus plant as guidelines. He would take a blunt instrument and
score horizontal lines and then score two or more vertical lines as margins for
the edge of the sheet or to define columns on it. We get the word "paper" from
this word. Many of the biblical manuscripts were on papyrus. Parable
An illustrative discourse or story that uses
common events and culture and is meant to convey a meaning or lesson.
Jesus used parables extensively. Some of the OT parables are Trees Making
a King (2 Sam. 12:1-4);
The Thistle and the Cedar (2 Kings 14:9);
Israel, a Vine Planted by Water (Ezek. 24:1014),
etc. Some NT parables are The Sower (Luke 8:5-8); the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25:1-13);
The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37);
The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32),
etc. See Parables. Paradise
Biblically,
paradise is the place of uninterrupted bliss. The Garden of Eden was considered
a paradise. Jesus mentioned paradise while on the cross (Luke
23:43) and Paul also mentioned Paradise (2 Cor. 12:1-4).
See also: Heaven Parapsychology
The study of things not generally explainable by the scientific method.
Examples of subjects studied by parapsychologists would be telepathy, clairvoyance,
ghosts, etc. Parousia
(par-ooo-see’-a)
A Greek term that means “arrival” or “coming.” The term is often referred to as
the time of Christ’s return; hence, the Parousia, i.e., 2
Thess. 2:1. Pascal's Wager
The argument that believing in God is the most logical thing to do since if
there is a God and you deny him, then you are in trouble. If there is no
god and you accept him, there is no problem because it doesn't matter. Logically,
it is better to not deny that God exists than to deny he does. There is
truth to this argument, but the problem is that it does not define which "god"
to believe in. Pedobaptism
The practice of infant baptism. Pelagianism
The
teaching of a monk named Pelagius in the fifth Century. He taught that people
are free to choose good or evil and there is no inherited sin (through Adam).
Every infant born into the world is in the same condition as Adam before the fall
and becomes a sinner only by commiting a specific violation of the law. This is
opposed to the orthodox view that the sin of Adam implicated the entire human
race, a notion referred to as the doctrine of original sin. (Compare to Arminianism and Calvinism.) Penance
In
Catholicism, a process through which sins are acknowledged and forgiven. In the
Roman Catholic Church, penance is seen as one of the sacraments and is a means
of grace. More on the sacraments. Pentateuch
This
word is from the Greek penta, "five" and teuchos, "a tool".
It refers to the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
and Deuteronomy. All five were traditionally attributed to Moses and are also
known as "the Law". Pentecost
The
word comes from the Greek which means fifty. So, Pentecost was a celebration on
the fiftieth day after Passover. It was a culmination of the feast of weeks (Exodus 34:22,23).
Pentecost in the NT is the arrival of the Holy Spirit for the church (Acts 2). At Pentecost
the disciples of Jesus were gathered and upon the filling of the Holy Spirit,
they heard a great wind and spoke in tongues as tongues of fire that settled upon
them. The significance of the fire can be found in recognizing it as a symbol
of the dwelling of the Spirit of God (Exodus 19:18; 1 Pet. 4:14).
More
on Pentecost.
Permissive decree
In Christian theology, those events that God permits, but does not cause.
An example of a permissive decree would be Adam's decision to eat the fruit from
the tree od knowledge in the Garden of Eden. This was against God's will, yet
God permitted it. Perseverance
To
endure to the end. Theologically, the term “perseverance of the saints” is the
teaching that salvation cannot be lost, that the saints will preserver to the
end. Person
A variety
of definitions can be offered from a human being to a legal organization with
rights. In biblical reference it is generically an individual capable of
free choice. In reference to the Trinity as three persons, the word
refers to the attributes of personhood: self-awareness, choice, can reason,
love, possessing a will and consciousness, etc. Humans possess these attributes
as well. Pharisee
The Pharisees were a Jewish sect from
the second century B.C. to the first century C. E. They considered the entire
old Testament to be authoritative, unlike the Sadducees who only accepted the
first five books. The Pharisees believed in life after death, the resurrection,
the existence of angels and demons, and that the way to God was through keeping
the law. "According to Josephus, the Pharisees were the group most influential
with the people, were noted for their accurate and therefore authoritative interpretations
of Jewish law, and had their own traditions and way of life to which they were
faithful. They had a simple standard of living and cultivated harmonious relations
with others.1 Philosophy
The
study of seeking knowledge and wisdom in understanding the nature of the universe,
humanity, ethics, art, love, purpose, etc. Pluralism
The
idea that diversity is of positive value for its own sake. A commitment to pluralism
involves respect for persons of different religious traditions, ethnic or cultural
backgrounds, social class, race or sexual orientation.
Pneumatology
The
study of the Holy Spirit, Her person, works, relation to the Creator and the Son,
relation to humanity and active role in salvation and sanctification. Polytheism
The
teaching that there are many gods. In the Ancient Near East the nation of Israel
was surrounded by people who worshipped many different gods. The Bible contains
a great deal of polemic, attacking these gods and condemning those who worship
them. In the contemporary context in which people have come to appreciate the
value of diversity, such a hostile attitude towards people of other faith traditions
is no longer acceptable. (See Monotheism.) Pope
In
Catholicism, the Pope is seen as Christ's representative on earth. He is regarded
as the successor of Peter. For more on the Pope and the
papacy. Postmillennialism
The belief that through the
preaching of the word of God, the entire world will be converted to Christianity
and this will usher in the kingdom of Christ. This is when Christ will return. Postmodernism
An important movement in contemporary
thought that emphasizes the contingency of knowledge and the impossibility of
having direct access to any absolute or objective truth. Postmodernism has influenced
theology, art, culture, architecture, society, film, technology, and economics.
Pragmatism
A method
in philosophy where value is determined by practical results. Prayer
A process
through which God is acknowledged, praised and celebrated. Many believe that prayer
involves direct communicaton with God and /or Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Mary, or
the saints. There are prayers of confession, intercession and petition. For
more on prayer. Pre-Adamites
The
teaching that there was a race of people before Adam and Eve who lived in the
Garden and that the fall of Satan caused a widespread destruction of the world.
The result of this destruction was so vast that the world needed to be re-made
with Adam and Eve being the first of the new order.
Pre-existence
The teaching that before our existence here on earth, we had a prior existence.
In Christian theology, pre-existence is generally not asserted or affirmed. Predestine, Predestination
The doctrine that God
has foreordained all things which will come to pass. Many of those who believe
in predestination maintain that since God is the one who decides who will enjoy
the benefits of salvation, it is not up the individual to identify who is included
within the kingdom of heaven and who is not. Belief in predestination was an important
part of Calvinist theology. (See also, Calvinism)
As generally presented, the idea is not seen as removing the element of individual
choice, freedom, or responsibility Premillennialism
This is a teaching concerning
the end times (eschatology). It says that there is a future millennium (1000 years)
where Christ will rule and reign over the earth. At the beginning of the millennium
Satan and his angels will be bound and peace will exist on the entire earth. At
the end of the 1000 years Satan will be released in order to raise an army against
Jesus. Jesus will destroy them and then the final judgment will take place with
the new heavens and the new earth being made. Preterition
The
act of passing over something, or neglecting it. In some branches of Reformed
theology, it is believed that God "passed over" certain people by not
electing them into salvation. Instead, only those elected to salvation will be
included in the kingdom of heaven.
Priest
A person ordained
to perform the sacraments. The word priest is preferred in the Roman Catholic
Church, some Anglican churches, and most branches of Orthodoxy. Most Protestant
denominations prefer "minister" or "pastor." For
more on the different families or denominations of Christianity. Prophet
Someone
who is the mouthpiece of God. He/She stands between God and the people to communicate
the word of God. When the prophet spoke the "word of God," he/she was
considered to be inspired. A prophet was considered God's servant (Zech. 1:6) and
messenger (2 Chron.
36:15). The term Law and Prophets refers to the writings of the Hebrew Bible
divided into two categories. The Law is the Pentateuch, or Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Prophets are all the rest of the HB books. Propitiation
This
means the turning away of wrath by an offering. It is similar to expiation but
expiation does not carry the nuances involving wrath. In some theological circles,
the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is considered to be not only a propitiation,
but the one propitiation that is sufficient for all. The saving act of suffering
on the cross "turned away" the wrath of God so that God could pass "over
the sins previously committed" (Rom. 3:25). Purgatory
Purgatory
is the belief that there exists a place after death where some of the sins of
people are purged. After a period of time, the person is then set free and enters
heaven. "Gifts or services rendered to the church, prayers by the priests, and
masses provided by relatives or friends in behalf of the deceased can shorten,
alleviate or eliminate the sojourn of the soul in purgatory."1
This is a
view rejected by most Protestants. The Roman Catholic Church is currently revaluating
this teaching. Rapture
The
Rapture is a term most commonly used to describe an event in certain systems of
Christian eschatology (study of the end times) whereby all true Christians are
taken from Earth by God into Heaven. Although almost all forms of Christianity
believe that those who are "saved" will enter the Kingdom of Heaven,
the term "rapture" is usually applied specifically to those theories
saying that Christians alive before the end of the world will be taken into heaven,
and there will be an intermediate time frame where non-Christians will be still
left on earth before Christ arrives to set up his earthly kingdom. (See
Tribulation.) Rationalism
A branch of philosophy where truth is determined by reason. Reconcile,
Reconciliation
Reconciliation is changing
for the better a relationship between two or more persons. Theologically it refers
to the change of relationship between God and humanity made possible in the life
and work of Jesus. Redemption
Redemption
means to free someone from bondage. It often involves the paying of a ransom,
a price that makes redemption possible. The Israelites were "redeemed"
from Egypt. Some Christians believe that their redeption was may possible by the
sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Others emphasize the life and teaching of Jesus
as being equally important. Regeneration
The act of God whereby God renews the
spiritual condition of the faithful. It is a spiritual change brought about
by the work of the Holy Spirit so that the person then possesses new life.
Regeneration is a change in the moral and spiritual character of a person, whereas
justification is a change in the relationship with God. Reincarnation
The belief in the birth and rebirth of a person's soul over and over again in
different bodies throughout history. Some forms of reincarnation include
incarnations into animals, plants, or inanimate objects. The purpose of
reincarnation is to allow the individual to learn spiritual lessons through life
so that he/she may return to God from whence the soul came. Reincarnation
is closely tied to Karma. Relativism
The
view that truth is relative and not absolute. Truth varies from people to
people, time to time and there are no absolutes. Religion
An organized system of belief and practice that generally seeks to understand
the purpose, meaning, and goals of life. Religion often focuses on humanity's
relationship to the eternal, the absolute, or the infinite, but equal attention
to given to human relationships, society, culture and the quality of life in the
here and now. Repentance
To
repent means "to turn." In the NT repentance means to turn away from
sin and toward God. For more on sin. Resurrection, resurrection bodies
Resurrection means to be raised from the dead (John 5:28,29). The word
is used in different contexts in the Bible. Lazarus was raised from the dead (John
11:43). This is a resurrection, but it is not identical with the resurrection
that occurs during the end times for all people. Whereas Lazarus was revived to
live for some additional length of time on earth, the believer is "raised"
into enternal life. In some biblical passages, this is pictured as ocurring during
the "end times," rather than immediately after death. Christians generally
believe in the bodily resurrection and there is much duscussion about the "resurrection
body" referred to in the NT.
The resurrected
body is not subject to death or sin. We know very little about it except what
was manifested by Jesus after His resurrection; namely, that He was able to move
about as He desired -- in and out of rooms without the use of doors. Other than
that, the rest is conjecture. (See 1 Cor. 15). For
more on heaven, the afterlife and the kingdom of God. Revelation
This
means the disclosure of something that was unknown. There are two types of revelation:
natural and special. Natural revelation is that which is revealed about God through
what we can see in creation (Rom. 1:20 ).
This is available to all people through powers of reason and perception. Through
creation we may learn that there is a God, that He/She is in control and concerned
for the welfare of all.
Special revelation is
that which is given through Prophets, the Bible, and even visions and dreams (Num.
12:6-8). Righteousness
Righteousness
is an attribute of moral and ethical purity belonging to God alone (John 17:25 ).
No one in the world is righteous in the eyes of the Lord, that is, except the
faithful. Christians believe that the faithful are "counted righteous"
in the eyes of God. This righteousness is ymade possible by the saving activity
of God in and through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Rosary
In Catholicism, a string of beads containing
five sets with ten small beads. Each set of ten is separated by another bead.
It also contains a crucifix. It is used in saying special prayers, usually to
Mary where the rosary is used to count the prayers. ___________________ 1. "Achtemeier, Paul J., Th.D., Harper's Bible Dictionary,
(San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.) 1985.
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