| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ECCLESIASTICAL YEAR | ECCLESIASTICAL YEAR – The ecclesiastical year, which according to Byzantine practice begins on the first of September, is divided between movable and immovable or fixed holy days. The movable holy days are determined by the date of Easter – the most important of all feast days -, which is in a class by itself. The… Read More |
| DOCETISM | DOCETISM – The name of a heresy saying that Jesus was God, but only “appeared” to be human. |
| JUDAIZING | JUDAIZING – The name of a heresy saying Christians should become Jews first or more Jewish. A movement in Novgorod and Moscow (Russia) at the end of the 15th c. that included translations of biblical books only from the Hebrew. The “Judaizers” were led by Zechariah (Slavic: Skharia), probably a Crimean Karaite Jew, who taught… Read More |
| MARCIONISM | MARCIONISM – The name of a heresy that is the rejection of Hebrew “god” in favor of New Testament “god.” |
| MONTANISM | MONTANISM – The name of a was a heretical movement that originated about 156 and was named after its founder Montanus. The beliefs of Montanism contrasted with Orthodox Christianity in the following ways: The belief that the prophecies of the Montanists superseded and fulfilled the doctrines proclaimed by the Apostles. The encouragement of ecstatic prophesying,… Read More |
| MANICHAEISM | MANICHAEISM – A heretical Persian Gnostic religion, highly dualistic. |
| SABELLIANISM | SABELLIANISM – The name of a heresy saying that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are only “modes” or “masks” of one divine Person. |
| NOVATIANISM | NOVATIANISM – The name of a heresy saying that people who apostasize or commit serious sin can never be absolved. |
| DONATISM | DONATISM – The name of a heresy saying that the personal moral unworthiness invalidates the sacraments of clergy (even if repentant). |
| CHILIASM | CHILIASM – The name of a heresy saying that Christ will reign for a literal 1,000 years after the Second Coming. |
| PNEUMATOMACHIANISM | PNEUMATOMACHIANISM – The name of a heresy saying that the Holy Spirit is not divine, but is a creature. |
| PELAGIANISM | PELAGIANISM – The name of a heresy saying that man can save himself without divine grace. |
| APOKATASTAIS | APOKATASTAIS – The name of a heresy saying that all will be saved, even if they reject God. In 543 the doctrine of apokatastasis was condemned by the Synod of Constantinople. |
| ORIGENISM | ORIGENISM – The name of a heresy with a set of Platonized cosmological teachings and speculations of Origen. |
| MONOENERGISM | MONOENERGISM – The name of a heresy saying that Jesus had only one energy, the divine. |
| FILIOQUISM | FILIOQUISM – The name of a heresy saying that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. |
| BARLAAMISM | BARLAAMISM – Rejection of hesychasm heresy, assertion that highest knowledge is mental/philosophical. |
| ETHNOPHYLETISM | ETHNOPHYLETISM – The name of a heresy saying that Church governance should be based on ethnic divisions, rather than geographic. |
| PRELEST | PRELEST – (plane) Spiritual deception, when a person strives for a high spiritual state or spiritual visions without having been purified of passions and relying on his own judgment. To such a one the devil grants great “visions.” Another more common, less spectacular form of spiritual deception, which offers to its victims not great visions… Read More |
| ECONOMY | ECONOMY – (oikonomia) 1) the management of a household. In theology the term refers first of all to God’s providence as the divinity extends itself beyond the inner life of the Trinity: all that pertains to the created worlds and to the divine actions taken on their behalf and for their salvation. The supreme example… Read More |
| IXTHYS | IXTHYS – A Greek acronym signifying “Jesus Christ Son of God , Savior” also spelling out the Greekword for “fish.” Christians, obliged to keep under cover during thepreconversion Roman Empire, would thus use the iconography of a fish for the purpose of declaring themselves to other believers. IXTHYS. A Greek acronym signifying “Jesus (Zesous) Christ… Read More |
| OCTOECHOS | OCTOECHOS – (OKTOECHOS) The Book of the Eight Tones, it is one of theliturgical books of the Orthodox Church. The Octoechos (or Paraklitiki) covers each of the eight tones, or melodic patterns, together with its accompanying hymns, sung throughout all the services for the seven days of the week, beginning on Saturday evenings. The cycle… Read More |
| NICEA I | NICEA I – (First Council of Nicea) Name of the First Ecumenical Council. It was held at Nicea in the year 325. Among its activities, it formulated the first part of the Creed, defining the divinity of the Son of God. |
| CONSTANTINOPLE I | CONSTANTINOPLE I – (First Council of Constantinople) Name of the Second Ecumenical Council. It was held at Constantinople in the year 381. Among its activities, it formulated the Second Part of the Creed, defining the divinity of the Holy Spirit. |