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amillenialism–the view that the thousand-year reign of Christ described in Revelation 20 is an invisible, spiritual reality rather than a literal earthly kingdom. Amillenialists believe that the kingdom exists right now, and the thousand years is not to be taken literally; so the next event on the prophetic calendar will be the return of Christ, followed immediately by the final judgment.
antinomianism-comes from two Greek words, anti, meaning “against”; and nomos, meaning “law.” Antinomianism means “against the law.” Theologically, antinomianism is the belief that there are no moral laws God expects Christians to obey.
automatic writing-writing said to be produced by a spiritual, occult, or subconscious agency rather than by the conscious intention of the writer.
bibliology-the branch of theology concerned with the inspiration and authority of Scripture.
centering/contemplative prayer– a meditative practice where the practitioner focuses on a word and repeats that word over and over for the duration of the exercise. The purpose is to clear one’s mind of outside concerns so that God’s voice may be more easily heard. Centering prayer, also known as contemplative prayer and listening prayer, is the practice of relaxing, emptying the mind, and letting one’s self find the presence of God within. It involves silence, stillness, patience, sometimes repeating something, and the practice of “not knowing” as the person seeks God’s presence. This cannot be Christianized by “throwing bible words at it.” (Source)
Further Reading:
Contemplating Contemplative Prayer: Is It Really Prayer?
Going Beyond Scripture: Why it’s Time to Say Good-Bye to Priscilla Shirer and Going Beyond Ministries
True Woman Conference Speaker Priscilla Shirer Hears God’s Still, Small Voice
Priscilla Shirer and Contemplative/Centering Prayer
Discerning the Voice of God with Priscilla Shirer
Research: Contemplative Spirituality
The Be Still DVD: An Ode To Silence
Richard Foster
Beth Moore on the Be Still DVD:“[I]f we are not still before Him [God], we will never truly know to the depths of the marrow of our bones that He is God. There’s got to be a stillness.“—Beth Moore
Christology-the branch of theology concerned with the person and work of Christ.
epistemology-the study of knowing. It deals with the nature of knowledge, how do we know things, what do we know, why we know, is what we know true, and what are the limits of knowledge.
eschatology-the branch of theology that deals with future things.
eisegesis-the interpretation of a passage based on a subjective, non-analytical reading. The word eisegesis literally means “to lead into,” which means the interpreter injects his own ideas into the text, making it mean whatever he wants.
exegesis-the exposition or explanation of a text based on a careful, objective analysis. The word exegesis literally means “to lead out of.” That means that the interpreter is led to his conclusions by following the text.
glorification– the future and final work of God upon Christians, where he transforms our mortal physical bodies to the eternal physical bodies in which we will dwell forever.
hamartiology– is the study of sin. Hamartiology deals with how sin originated, how it affects humanity, and what it will result in after death.
Hebrew Roots Movement-
hermeneutics-the branch of knowledge that deals with interpretation, especially of the Bible or literary texts.
hyper-preterism-the view that all prophetic evens spoken of in Scripture were fulfilled b y A.D. 70. Hyper-preterism echoes the error of Hymenaeus and Philetus, who taught that the Second Coming was already past, thus overthrowing the faith of some (2 Timothy2:17-18). Hyper-preterists usually spiritualize the meaning of Christ’s return, denying that claim with Acts 1:11 (“This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven”) by denying that Christ ascended bodily into heaven. Some even go so far as to deny that He rose bodily from the dead, to avoid having to explain how the Ascension might have been anything other than bodily. So hyper-preterism eventually entails the denial of several cardinal doctrines of Christianity. This view is not the same as preterism, though both views are based on a similar misunderstanding of Matthew 24:34 (“This generation will be no means pass away till all these things take place).
hypostatic union-the union of the two natures (Divine and human) in the person ofJesus. Jesus is God in flesh (John 1:1,14; 10:30-33; 20:28; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 1:8). He is fully God and fully man (Col. 2:9); thus, he has two natures: God and man. He is not half God and half man. He is 100% God and 100% man. He never lost his divinity. He continued to exist as God when he became a man and added human nature to Himself (Phil. 2:5-11). Therefore, there is a “union in one person of a full human nature and a full divine nature.” (Source: www.carm.org)
justification– the action of declaring or making righteous in the sight of God.
Modalism (also known as Sabellianism)-probably the most common theological error concerning the nature of God. It is a denial of the Trinity. Modalism states that God is a single person who, throughout Biblical history, has revealed Himself in three modes or forms. Thus, God is a single person who first manifested Himself in the mode of the Father in Old Testament times. At the incarnation, the mode was the Son, and after Jesus’ ascension, the mode is the Holy Spirit. These modes are consecutive and never simultaneous. In other words, this view states that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit never all exist at the same time–only one after another. Modalism denies the distinctiveness of the three persons in the Trinity even though it retains the divinity of Christ.
Present-day groups that hold to forms of this error are the United Pentecostal and United Apostolic Churches. They deny the Trinity, teach that the name of God is Jesus, and require baptism for salvation. These modalist churches often accuse Trinitarians of teaching three gods. This is not what the Trinity is. The correct teaching of the Trinity is one God in three eternal coexistent persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Source)
Further reading: Modalist, Oneness and T.D. Jakes; What Is Sabellianism, Modalism and Monarchianism?; Blurring the Dividing Line: The Legacy of Phillips, Craig and Dean;
Pneumatology is the study of God the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity- Comes from two Greek words which mean “wind, air, spirit” and “word” – combining to mean “the study of the Holy Spirit.”
Pragmatism– the philosophical position that what works is best. In other words, the value of something is established by its practicality, functionality, and usefulness. Therefore, that which is impractical is rejected as having lesser value or no value as compared to that which works. Pragmatism has been considered in various fields of study such as law, politics, psychology, religion, and education.
propitiation– carries the basic idea of appeasement, or satisfaction, specifically towards God. Propitiation is a two-part act that involves appeasing the wrath of an offended person and being reconciled to them.” Propitiation is that “by which it becomes consistent with his character and government to pardon and bless the sinner.”
postmillennialism– the view that the church will establish the earthly kingdom of Christ through preaching (and according to some, through political means). Postmillenialists believe Christ will reign over a literal earthly kingdom, but most believe He will do so from a heavenly throne, after which He will return to earth and institute final judgment.
premillennialism– the view that Christ will return to earth to establish an earthly, millennial kingdom, over which He will reign from an earthly throne.
preterism– the view that the Tribulation prophecies of Matthew 24 were all fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Preterists maintain that Matthew 24:34 (“This generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place”) proves that all the prophecies of disaster in the Olivet Discourse were fulfilled in the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. This view should be distinguised from the more extreme view known as hyper-preterism. Unlike hyper-preterism, mainstream preterism does not deny the future bodily return of Christ to earth or the literal resurrection of the dead. The more mainstream variety of preterism is often labeled “partial preterism” by advocates of hyper-preterism.
soteriology-the study of the doctrine of salvation.
Subordinationism– a heresy concerning the Trinity. Subordinationism (Jesus is different in nature from the Father) should not be confused with subordination (the Son submitting to the Father). Subordinationism is a heresy concerning the Father and Son though sometimes theHoly Spirit is included. The error has different forms, but it is primarily the teaching that the Son is not eternal and divine (Arian Subordinationism) and is, therefore, not equal to the Father in being and attributes. This is, of course, wrong, and it is in contrast to the Biblical doctrine of the Economic Trinity (relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) which does not deny their equality of nature and attributes. Another form of Subordinationism states that though the Son is divine, He is not equal to the Father in being, attributes, and rank. This error was rejected at the Council of Nicea. Essentially subordinationism states that the Son is inferior to the Father.
Subordinationism is not the same as Christ’s subordination to the Father (1 Cor. 15:28) which concerns Jesus’ continued state of being a man (1 Tim. 2:5) by which he lives forever to intercede for us as a high priest (Heb. 6:20, 7:25). (Source)
.substitutionary atonement-refers to Jesus Christ dying as a substitute for sinners. The Scriptures teach that all men are sinners (Romans 3:9-18, 23). The penalty for our sinfulness is death. Romans 6:23 reads, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
theology proper/paterology– the study of God and His attributes. Theology proper focuses on God the Father. Paterology comes from two Greek words which mean “father” and “word” – which combine to mean “the study of the Father.”
Sources:www.carm.org
The Second Coming. MacArthur, John. pgs 217-221
The Golden Peach 