Words I Should Know Their Meaning PART3 of 4

The word orthodoxy, from the Greek ortho ('right', 'correct') and doxa ('thought', 'teaching', 'glorification'), is typically used to refer to the correct worship or the correct theological and doctrinal observance of religion, or other forms of intellectual activity shared by organizations or movements, as determined by some overseeing body. The term did not conventionally exist with any degree of formality (in the sense in which it is now used) prior to the advent of Christianity in the Greek-speaking world, though the word does occasionally show up in ancient literature in other, somewhat similar contexts. Orthodoxy is opposed to heterodoxy ('other teaching'), heresy and schism. People who deviate from orthodoxy by professing a doctrine considered to be false are most often called heretics, while those who deviate from orthodoxy by removing themselves from the perceived body of believers, i.e. from full communion, are called schismatics. Not infrequently these occur together. The distinction in terminology pertains to the subject matter; if one is addressing corporate unity, the emphasis may be on schism; if one is addressing doctrinal coherence, the emphasis may be on heresy.

Derived from late classical and medieval Christian apologetics for orthodoxy, more specificity is often applied when defending a claim to orthodoxy or refuting heresy. Apostasy, for example is a violation of orthodoxy that takes the form of abandonment of the faith, be it for some form of atheism or for some other faith, a concept largely unknown before the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of Rome. The first well-known apostate is probably Julian, the last pagan emperor of Rome. A lighter deviation from orthodoxy than heresy is commonly called error, in the sense of not being grave enough to cause total estrangement while yet seriously affecting communion. Sometimes error is also used to cover both full heresies and minor errors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox

2. Neo-

is a prefix, derived from Greek that connotes a "new" or recent form of something, or a revival in a modern form.

Neo-orthodoxy is an approach to theology that was developed in the aftermath of the First World War (1914-1918). It is primarily associated with the Swiss Protestant Karl Barth (1886-1968). The other significant theologians in this movement were Emil Brunner (1899-1966) and Rudolf Bultmann (1884-1966).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-orthodox

3. Deists

typically reject supernatural events (prophecy, miracles) and tend to assert that God does not interfere with human life and the laws of the universe. Deists commonly respect divine revelation prominent in organized religion, along with holy books as conveying the reasoning and personal experience of others. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deist

Deist A person whose worldview embraces Deism [noun] [OW] a philosophy of natural religion, emphasizing morality, and, usually, denying interference by a Creator with the laws of the universe. Deism [CE] was a widely-held belief among the founding fathers of the U.S.A. Thomas Paine [1736-1809] [IEP], [author of "Age of Reason"] and Thomas Jefferson were Deists [Jefferson being a "Christian Deist"]. See also English Deism [IEP] and French Deism [IEP]. http://members.aol.com/porchnus/dict01.htm

Deist terminology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deist#Deist_terminology

Deist authors — and 17th- and 18th-century theologians in general — referred to God using a variety of vivid circumlocutions such as:

Supreme Being
Divine Watchmaker
Divine Author of the Universe
Nature's God — used in the United States Declaration of Independence
Father of Lights — Benjamin Franklin, when proposing that meetings of the Constitutional Convention begin with prayers

4. Pentecost

(Greek: πεντηκοστή [‘ημέρα], pentekostē [hēmera], "the fiftieth day") is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian liturgical year, celebrated the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday (the tenth day after Ascension Thursday), Historically and symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot, it commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus as described in the Book of Acts, Chapter 2. Pentecost is also called Whitsun, Whitsunday, or Whit Sunday in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking areas.

4.1. Name and origin

Pentecost is not derived from the Greek name for Shavuot, one of the three Pilgrimage Festivals required in the Law of Moses. It is described mainly in Leviticus 23:5-21 and Deuteronomy 16:8-10. As in Leviticus the Pesah (Passover) begins "in the fourteenth day of the first month (14 Aviv) at even", and the next day begins "the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord" which lasts for seven days (servile work being prohibited). This celebration also marks the beginning of harvest activities, therefore "a sheaf of the firstfruits" of the harvest will be waved by the priest before Yahweh "on the morrow after the sabbath". Then, verses 15 and 16 state:

And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:/ Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbaths shall ye number fifty days (Hebrew: hamishshim yom; Greek: πεντήκοντα ‘ημέρας, pentekonta hemeras) and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

The "new meat offering" consisted in two loaves made from the new wheat (to be waved). Sacrifices for the feast consisted of "seven lambs without blemish of the first year", one young bullock, two rams (this is the burnt offering), the sacrifice of "one kid of the goats for a sin offering", and "two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings". This hamishshim yom or pentekonta hemeras marked the end of the harvest. On the other hand, Deuteronomy (16:8-10) states:

Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein./ Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number seven weeks from such time as thou beginest to put the sickle unto the corn./ And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks [Hebrew: khag shavuot; Greek: ‘εορτην ‘εβδομάδων, heorten hebdomadon] unto the Lord thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.

The Hebrew name khag shavuot became the best-known name of the feast, while the Greek heorte hebdomadon remains practically unknown. The feast is also named in Hebrew texts khag hakatsir (feast of the harvest) and yom habbikurim (day of the first fruits).

The date of Pesah was changed during history in the month Nisan, but the procedure of calculating khag shavuot remained the same. However, a debate ignited between Sadducees and Pharisees regarding this procedure. The debate was due to the interpretation of the words "the morrow after the sabbath". The Sadducees considered the sabbath as the usual weekly day and, therefore, calculated the date of Pentecost as the fiftieth day from the Sunday after passover, a formula used today by the Christian Church. The Pharisees decoded the word "sabbath" from Leviticus 23:15 as referring to the first day of "the feast of unleavened bread", which was, at that time, 15 Nisan. Therefore, they numbered fifty days from 16 Nisan, no matter what day of the week it was. Their formula is nowadays in use in Judaism.

From the fact that this feast marked the end of harvesting we must not link it exclusively to agriculture, because it is a feast celebrating the relation between Yahweh and His worshippers; but we can note that the quoted Biblical texts are addressed to an agricultural civilization.

4.2. Significance

During history, the Pentecost has acquired great meanings. The Rabbinic Judaism (Babylonian Talmud, Pesahim, 68b; Midrash, Tanhuma, 26c) commemorated through khag shavuot the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, because, according to Exodus 19:1, this event took place on the fiftieth day after the departure from Egypt. Some Christians place on the day of Pentecost the birth of the Church, a phenomenon characterized by the Descent of the Holy Spirit. The harvest itself can be a metaphor of the Final Judgement, as shown by Jesus in Matthew 9:37-38:

Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;/ Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest.

Christians understand Pentecost as a powerful feast of the salvation, because it speaks about the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, about the founding of the Church, and about the Final Judgement. Pentecost can be seen parallel to Shavout, As Easter is to Passover. On Passover, the Jews were delivered from slavery in Egypt; On Easter, mankind was delivered from slavery to sin. On Shavout the Children of Israel received the Law; On Pentecost, the Church received the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Some basic numerology will enlighten us more: hamishshim yom is day 7²+1. 7² points to the Creation after eschaton, i.e. the "new heaven" and the "new earth" from Revelation 21:1; while the +1 shows Who is involved in the process: Yahweh, the Lord of the covenant (the mûlâ, Jewish circumcision, which is "a token of the covenant", must be done on the 7+1 day from birth), in Jewish mentality; Yahweh, the Lord of the covenant, through Jesus resurrected (the Resurrection took place in the 7+1 day of the week), in Christian mentality.

The events experienced by the Apostles in Jerusalem during khag shavuot were understood by the Apostles as the sending of the Holy Ghost, which had been promised by Jesus (John 14:26):

But the Comforter [παράκλητος], which is the Holy Ghost [το πνευμα το ‘άγιον], Whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

The Apostles were very aware that what happened to them was a Descent of the Holy Spirit, so, in his sermon, Peter quotes the entire 3rd chapter of the Book of Joel. There are, in fact, three major prophetic texts which speak about the Descent of the Holy Spirit: Ezekiel 36:27, Isaiah 44:3 and, of course, Joel 3:1-5 (KJV has Joel 2:28-32). The Christian dogma, based upon John 14:20, affirms that the Descent of the Holy Spirit signifies the extension of the divine body of Christ in all the believers, being the last fundamental act of the objective salvation (i.e. the salvation of mankind). The phenomenon was closely linked to the eschaton (the end of the world) by Joel and it is very symptomatic that Peter quoted, on this matter, no other but Joel:

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:/ And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My spirit./ And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke./ The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come./ And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Among Eastern Christians, in addition to the obvious historical events and the prophesies leading up to them, the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is also understood as a reversal of the events at the Tower of Babel. There, mankind was divided by the confusion of tongues; here, mankind is united by the gift of tongues.

5. Pentecost

Pentecost (Greek: πεντηκοστή [‘ημέρα], pentekostē [hēmera], "the fiftieth day") is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian liturgical year, celebrated the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday (the tenth day after Ascension Thursday), Historically and symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot, it commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus as described in the Book of Acts, Chapter 2. Pentecost is also called Whitsun, Whitsunday, or Whit Sunday in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking areas.

5.1. Name and origin

5.2. Significance

Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;/ Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest.

The events experienced by the Apostles in Jerusalem during khag shavuot were understood by the Apostles as the sending of the Holy Ghost, which had been promised by Jesus (John 14:26):

5.3. The events

5.3.1. The Descent of the Holy Spirit

The events took place on the day of the Pentecost, in Jerusalem, at 09:00 ("the third hour of the day", according to Jewish timekeeping). The community of Christ's disciples, approximately 120 people, was gathered "into an upper room" in a building that Tradition locates on Mount Zion. The Tradition also says that it was the same room where Jesus ate His Last Supper. The tremenduous phenomenon is very well described in Acts 2:1-4:

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The phrase "a rushing mighty wind" is almost a literal translation of the Hebrew word ruah, meaning in Hebrew texts the Spirit of God. The experience is a powerful mystic one, hence the sensation of sacred possession (misinterpreted by passers-by as drunkenness) and the advent of supernatural gifts: the speaking with other tongues (glossolalia) and prophesying. During the Apostolic times, many of the people who received Christian baptism experienced the same extraordinary gifts. Therefore, according to some, the real Christian baptism is a personal Pentecost.

The Baptism of the three-thousand

According to the Book of Acts, the experience of the Pentecost was noticed by all in the large crowd, causing confusion and inspiring awe.

When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language…. Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? …Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" Acts 2:6-12

Then the Apostle Peter, standing with the eleven other apostles, spoke to the crowd. He explained that these strange events had been predicted by the prophet Joel, and that Jesus' resurrection from the dead and exaltation to heaven had been prophesied by David. Peter explained that these events confirmed David's prophecy. Peter then exhorted his listeners to turn to Christ. When Peter was asked what men should do he responded by saying "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." About three thousand responded to Peter's sermon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecost

6. Pentecostalism

is a movement within Evangelical Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as shown in the Biblical account of the Day of Pentecost. Pentecostalism is similar to the Charismatic movement, but developed earlier and separated from the mainstream church. Charismatic Christians, at least in the early days of the movement, tended to remain in their respective denominations

There are two large streams of Pentecostal churches. The majority believe that one must be saved by believing in Jesus as Lord and Savior for the forgiveness of sins and to be made acceptable to God. Pentecostals also typically believe, like most other evangelicals, that the Bible has definitive authority in matters of faith. To this first group, speaking in tongues is the sign of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, but not necessary for salvation. The other group emphasize an "Acts 2:38" based salvation message which says that a person needs to repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and then receive the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit is necessary for salvation and is always accompanied by speaking in tongues. Of the Acts 2:38 based churches, they fall into four categories of "Jesus Name", "First", "United" or "Oneness" Pentecostals which baptize in Jesus name only, and those that baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost "Matthew 28:19".

Typically, Pentecostals that do not believe speaking in tongues is necessary for salvation--the vast majority-- are from Trinitarian traditions. Those who believe that it is necessary are generally from Oneness churches that teach that Jesus is the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. In the very early part of the 20th century, the Pentecostal movement also used the term 'Apostolic'. However, after the rise of the Oneness Pentecostal movement, this title came to be associated with Oneness Pentecostalism in the US. In some parts of Africa, 'Apostolic' is a term used to refer to the Pentecostal movement in general.

Because many Pentecostal denominations are descended from Methodism and the Methodist Holiness Movement, Pentecostal soteriology is generally Arminian rather than Calvinist.

Theologically, most Pentecostal denominations are aligned with Evangelicalism in that they emphasize the reliability of the Bible and the need for the transformation of an individual's life with faith in Jesus. Pentecostals also adhere to the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy. Pentecostals differ from fundamentalists by placing less emphasis on personal spiritual experience and more emphasis on the Holy Ghost's work within a person than other Protestants.

One of the most prominent distinguishing characteristics of Pentecostalism from the rest of Evangelicalism is its emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit. Most Pentecostals believe that everyone who is genuinely saved has the Holy Ghost with them. But unlike most other Christians they believe that there is a second work of the Holy Ghost called the baptism of the Holy Spirit, in which the Holy Ghost dwells more fully in them, and which opens a believer up to a closer fellowship with God and empowers them for Christian service. Some Pentecostals have modified the view teaching that Spirit baptism is not considered a second chronological work of grace, but a second aspect of the Holy Ghost's ministry. His first ministry is to save and sanctify the believer by working in them; His second ministry is to empower the believer for service by working through them. Most Pentecostals cite speaking in tongues, also known as glossolalia, as the normative proof, and evidence of the Holy Ghost baptism. Some Pentecostals have adopted a more liberal view claiming that there are other evidences of Holy Ghost baptism. The doctrine of tongues as the initial evidence of receiving the Holy Ghost is uniquely Pentecostal and is one of the few differences from Charismatic theology which generally claims diverse evidences.

Pentecostals believe it is essential to repent for the remission of sins and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior in order to obtain salvation. Many believe that the baptism of the Holy Ghost is an additional gift that is bestowed on believers, generally subsequent to an intermediary step termed sanctification. Sanctification refers to a work of grace wherein the effects of past sins are ameliorated and the natural tendency toward a sinful nature is likewise set aside through the working of the Holy Ghost. Other Pentecostals believe that Holy Ghost Baptism is a necessary step in God's plan of salvation citing Peter's answer to the crowd on the Day of Pentecost. The crowd asked Peter what they must do to be saved, and Peter told them to repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and that they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37-8).

Pentecostals vary in their beliefs of the types of speaking in tongues (1 Cor. 12:28). Following are some possible distinctions. First, there is the evidence at the baptism of the Holy Ghost. This is when a believer speaks in tongues when they are baptized with the Holy Ghost. This may or may not be the only time an individual ever speaks in tongues. Secondly, there is the gift of tongues. This is when a person is moved by God to speak in tongues during a church service or other Christian gathering for everyone to hear. The gift of tongues may be exercised anywhere; but many denominations believe that it must only be exercised with a person who has the gift of "interpretation of tongues" present (whether that be another person or the one who gives the tongue). The interpreter may interpret the tongue into the language of the gathered Christians so that they can understand the message (1 Cor. 14:13, 27-28).

Many Pentecostals, particularly after the growth and influence of the Charismatic movement believe that speaking in tongues can be used as a prayer language at any time one chooses, provided he has been baptized in the Holy Spirit. Certain groups of Pentecostals emphasize the idea of speaking in tongues only when the Holy Spirit comes upon an individual, and have a problem with the idea of speaking in tongues 'at will.' God gives a wide variety of spiritual gifts. It may be that these doctrinal differences resulted from certain church leaders taking their own experiences and making doctrines out of them.

7. charismatic movement

began with the adoption of certain beliefs typical of those held by Pentecostal Christians — specifically what are known as the biblical charisms or spiritual gifts: glossolalia (speaking in tongues), prophesying, supernatural healing, etc. — by those within mainstream Protestant and Roman Catholic churches. Many charismatic Christians went on to form separate churches and denominations. The writings of John Fletcher were influential in beginning this movement, which was sparked by the Azusa Street Revival in California, which took place in 1906. Though charismatic theology finds its roots in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, charismatics can now be found within numerous theological movements and in multiple denominations.

Charismatic is an umbrella term used to describe those Christians who believe that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit seen in the first century Christian Church, such as faith healing, miracles, prophecy, and glossolalia (speaking in other tongues or languages), are available to contemporary Christians and ought to be experienced and practiced today. The word charismatic is derived from the Greek word χαριςμα ("gift," itself derived from χαρις, "grace" or "favor") which is the term used in the Bible to describe a wide range of supernatural experiences (especially in 1 Corinthians 12-14).

Often confused with Pentecostalism (which inspired it), charismatic Christianity tends to differ in key aspects: most charismatics reject the preeminence given by Pentecostalism to glossolalia, reject what they consider to be legalism sometimes associated with Pentecostalism, and often stay in their existing denominations such as Roman Catholic Charismatics.

Because of the continual cross-over between Pentecostalism and the modern charismatic movement, it is increasingly difficult to speak of charismatics and Pentecostals as being part of separate movements. Yet because neither movement is monolithic, it is inaccurate to speak of them as being one movement. The difference is primarily one of origins. Beliefs of the two groups are very similar; each movement, however, is unique in its historical beginnings. Having been conceived in unique contexts, the difference may secondarily be described in terms of contrasting church cultures evidenced through each movement's manners and customs (i.e., worship styles, preaching styles, altar ministry methods). Until a more acceptable broad nomenclature is used, it needs to be understood that both movements share a great deal in common, and yet can sometimes be clearly differentiated.

Charismatic movement and Pentecostalism

The charismatic movement shares many similarities with Pentecostalism, and the stages of the latter seem to have been a prerequisite for the further developing of the said topic. The influence of Pentecostalism upon the charismatic movement cannot be denied. Both acknowledge the power of the Holy Spirit. Faith healing has major acceptance among adherents of both faiths, and both are known for their fiery services. Even still, many differences will allow a person to discern a charismatic from a Pentecostal, though some consider themselves both.

Pentecostals developed their own denomination, but charismatics tend to remain in their respective established churches or religious bodies. Charismatics have been susceptible to criticism that exceeds that of Pentecostalism, but criticism of both is widespread in comparison to other religious movements.

8. Five Solas

are five Latin phrases (or slogans) that emerged during the Protestant Reformation and summarize the Reformers' basic theological beliefs in contradistinction to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church of the day. The Latin word sola means "alone" in English. The five solas were what the Reformers believed to be the only things needed in their respective functions in Christian salvation. Listing them as such was also done with a view to excluding other things that hindered salvation. This formulation was intended to distinguish between what were viewed as deviations in the Christian church and the essentials of Christian life and practice.

Sola gratia ("by grace alone")

Main article: Sola gratia

Salvation comes by God's grace or "unmerited favor" only — not as something merited by the sinner. This means that salvation is an unearned gift from God for Jesus' sake. While some maintain that this doctrine is the opposite of "works' righteousness" and conflicts with some of the aspects of the Roman Catholic doctrine of merit, it might be asserted that this article, taken at face value, conflicts in no way with Roman Catholic teaching; while the doctrine that grace is truly and always a gift of God is held in agreement between both views, the difference in doctrine lies mainly in two facts: that of God as sole actor in grace (in other words, that grace is always efficacious without any cooperation by man), and second, that man cannot by any action of his own, acting under the influence of grace, cooperate with grace to "merit" greater graces for himself (the latter would be the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church). This doctrine asserts divine monergism in salvation: God acts alone to save the sinner. The responsibility for salvation does not rest on the sinner to any degree as in "synergism" or Arminianism. Lutheranism holds that this doctrine must not be maintained to the exclusion of gratia universalis (that God seriously wills the salvation of all people).

Sola fide ("by faith alone")

Main article: Sola fide

Justification (interpreted in Protestant theology as, "being declared guiltless by God") is received by faith only, not good works, though in classical Protestant theology, saving faith is automatically accompanied by good works. Some Protestants see this doctrine as being summarized with the formula "Faith yields justification and good works" and as contrasted with the Roman Catholic formula "Faith and good works yield justification." However, this is disputed by the Roman Catholic position as a misrepresentation; it might be better contrasted with a comparison of what is meant by the term "justification": both sides agree that the term invokes a communication of Christ's merits to sinners, where in Protestant theology this is seen as being a declaration of sinlessness (while not necessarily being so — "simul justus et peccator" for Luther), Roman Catholicism sees justification as a communication of God's life to a human being, cleansing him of sin and transforming him truly into a son of God, so that it is not merely a declaration. This doctrine is sometimes called the material cause or principle of the Reformation because it was the central doctrinal issue for Martin Luther and the other reformers. Luther called it the "doctrine by which the church stands or falls" (Latin, articulus stantis et cadentis ecclesiae). This doctrine asserts the total exclusion of any other righteousness to justify the sinner other than the "alien" righteousness (righteousness of another) of Christ alone. Sola fide excludes even the sinner's own righteousness of sanctification or his "new obedience" from his justification.

] Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")

Main article: Sola scriptura

The Bible is the only inspired and authoritative Word of God, is the only source for Christian doctrine, and is accessible to all — that is, it is perspicuous and self-interpreting. The Bible requiring no interpretation outside of itself is an idea directly opposed to the teaching of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Coptic, Anglican, and Roman Catholic faiths that the Bible can be authentically interpreted only by Apostolic Tradition and the ecumenical church councils. This doctrine is sometimes called the formal cause or principle of the Reformation, since it is the source and norm of the material cause or principle, stated above. The adjective (sola) and the noun (scriptura) are in the ablative case rather than the nominative case to indicate that the Bible does not stand by itself but is an instrument of God by which He comes to man.

Solus Christus ("In Christ alone")

Main article: Solus Christus

Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and there is salvation through no other (hence, the phrase is sometimes rendered in the ablative case, solo Christo, meaning that salvation is "by Christ alone"). While rejecting all other mediators between God and man, classical Lutheranism continues to honor the memory of the Virgin Mary and other exemplary saints. This principle rejects "sacerdotalism," which is the belief that there are no sacraments in the church without the services of priests ordained by apostolic succession under the authority of the pope. Martin Luther taught the "general priesthood of the baptized," which was modified in later Lutheranism and classical Protestant theology into "the priesthood of all believers," denying the exclusive use of the title "priest" (Latin, sacerdos) to the clergy. This principle does not deny the office of the holy ministry to which is committed the public proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments. In this way, Luther in his Small Catechism could speak of the role of "a confessor" to confer sacramental absolution on a penitent. The section in this catechism known as "The Office of the Keys" (not written by Luther but added with his approval) identifies the "called ministers of Christ" as being the ones who exercise the binding and loosing of absolution and excommunication through Law and Gospel ministry. This is laid out in the Lutheran formula of holy absolution: the "called and ordained servant of the Word" forgives penitents' sins (speaks Christ's words of forgiveness: "I forgive you all your sins") without any addition of penances or satisfactions and not as an interceding or mediating "priest," but "by virtue of [his] office as a called and ordained servant of the Word" and "in the stead and by the command of [his] Lord Jesus Christ" [The Lutheran Hymnal, (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941), p. 16]. In this tradition absolution reconciles the penitent with God directly through faith in Christ's forgiveness rather than with the priest and the church as mediating entities between the penitent and God.

Soli Deo gloria ("Glory to God alone")

Main article: Soli Deo gloria

All glory is due to God alone, since salvation is accomplished solely through his will and action—not only the gift of the all-sufficient atonement of Jesus on the cross but also the gift of faith in that atonement, created in the heart of the believer by the Holy Spirit. The reformers believed that human beings—even saints canonized by the Roman Catholic Church, the popes, and the ecclesiastical hierarchy—are not worthy of the glory that was accorded them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_solas

Sola gratia is one of the five solas propounded to summarise the Reformers' basic beliefs during the Protestant Reformation; it is a Latin term meaning grace alone. The emphasis was in contradistinction to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church of the day. Catholic doctrine, as defined by the Council of Trent, does also hold that salvation is made possibly only by grace: the faith and works of men being secondary means that have their origin in and are sustained by grace. (See Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1987-2029.)

During the Reformation, Protestant leaders and theologians generally believed the Roman Catholic view of the means of salvation to be a mixture of reliance upon the grace of God, and confidence in the merits of one's own works performed in love, pejoratively called Legalism. The Reformers posited that salvation is entirely comprehended in God's gifts (that is, God's act of free grace), dispensed by the Holy Spirit according to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ alone. Consequently, they argued that a sinner is not accepted by God on account of the change wrought in the believer by God's grace, and indeed, that the believer is accepted without any regard for the merit of his works—for no one deserves salvation, a concept that some take to the extreme of Antinomianism.

Sola gratia is different from Sola fide because faith alone is considered either a work or is insufficient for salvation which can only be granted freely by God to whom He chooses. This doctrine is especially linked with Calvinism's unconditional election and predestination.

9. Protestant Reformation

was a movement in Europe that began with Martin Luther's activities in 1517 and ended with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648.^[1] The movement began as an attempt to reform the Catholic Church and led to the fracturing of Christendom. Many western Christians were troubled by what they saw as false doctrines and malpractices within the Church, particularly involving the teaching and sale of indulgences. Another major contention was the practice of buying and selling church positions (simony) and the tremendous corruption found at the time within the Church's hierarchy. This corruption was systemic at the time, even reaching the position of the Pope.^[2]

On 31 October 1517, in Saxony (in what is now Germany), Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses On the Power of Indulgences to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, which served as a pin board for university-related announcements. These were points for debate that criticized the Church and the Pope. The most controversial points centered on the practice of selling indulgences and the Church's policy on purgatory. Luther's spiritual predecessors were men such as John Wycliffe and John Hus. Other reformers, such as Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin, soon followed Luther's lead. Church beliefs and practices under attack by Protestant reformers included purgatory, particular judgment, devotion to Mary, the intercession of the saints, most of the sacraments, and the authority of the Pope.

The most important Protestant groups to emerge directly from the reformation were the Lutherans, the Reformed/Calvinists/Presbyterians, the Anabaptists, and the Anglicans. Subsequent Protestant denominations generally trace their roots back to the initial Reformation traditions. It also accelerated the Catholic or Counter Reformation within the Roman Catholic Church.

The Protestant Reformation is also referred to as the "Protestant Revolution", "Protestant Revolt", and, in Germany, the "Lutheran Reformation".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Reformation

10. Calvinism

is a theological system and an approach to the Christian life that emphasizes the rule of God over all things.^[1] Named after John Calvin, this variety of Protestant Christianity is sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology.^[2]

The Reformed tradition was advanced by theologians such as Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger, Peter Martyr Vermigli, and Huldrych Zwingli and also influenced English reformers such as Thomas Cranmer and John Jewel. Yet due to John Calvin's great influence and role in the confessional and ecclesiastical debates throughout the 17th century, the tradition generally became known as Calvinism. Today, this term also refers to the doctrines and practices of the Reformed churches, of which Calvin was an early leader, and the system is best known for its doctrines of predestination and total depravity. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism

Calvinist theology is often identified in the popular mind as the so-called "five points of Calvinism," which are a summation of the judgments (or canons) rendered by the Synod of Dort and which were published as a point-by-point response to the five points of the Arminian Remonstrance (see History of Calvinist-Arminian debate). Calvin himself never used such a model, and never combated Arminianism directly. They therefore function as a summary of the differences between Calvinism and Arminianism but not as a complete summation of Calvin's writings or of the theology of the Reformed churches in general. The central assertion of these canons is that God is able to save every person upon whom he has mercy and that his efforts are not frustrated by the unrighteousness or the inability of men.

10.1. TULIP:

The five points of Calvinism, which can be remembered by the English mnemonic TULIP are:

Total depravity (or total inability): As a consequence of the fall of man, every person born into the world is enslaved to the service of sin. According to the view, people are not by nature inclined to love God with their whole heart, mind, or strength, but rather all are inclined to serve their own interests over those of their neighbor and to reject the rule of God. Thus, all people by their own faculties are morally unable to choose to follow God and be saved because they are unwilling to do so out of the necessity of their own natures. (The term "total" in this context refers to sin affecting every part of a person, not that every person is as evil as possible.)
Unconditional election: God's choice from eternity of those whom he will bring to himself is not based on foreseen virtue, merit, or faith in those people. Rather, it is unconditionally grounded in God's mercy.
Limited atonement (or particular redemption or definite atonement): The death of Christ actually takes away the penalty of sins of those on whom God has chosen to have mercy. It is "limited" to taking away the sins of the elect, not of all humanity, and it is "definite" and "particular" because atonement is certain for those particular persons.
Irresistible grace (or efficacious grace): The saving grace of God is effectually applied to those whom he has determined to save (the elect) and, in God's timing, overcomes their resistance to obeying the call of the gospel, bringing them to a saving faith in Christ.
Perseverance of the saints (or preservation of the saints): Any person who has once been truly saved from damnation must necessarily persevere and cannot later be condemned. The word saints is used in the Biblical sense to refer to all who are set apart by God, not in the technical sense of one who is exceptionally holy, canonized, or in heaven (see Saint).

Calvinism is often further reduced in the popular mind to one or another of the five points of TULIP. The doctrine of unconditional election is sometimes made to stand for all Reformed doctrine, sometimes even by its adherents, as the chief article of Reformed Christianity. However, according to the doctrinal statements of these churches, it is not a balanced view to single out this doctrine to stand on its own as representative of all that is taught. The doctrine of unconditional election, and its corollary in the doctrine of predestination are never properly taught, according to Calvinists, except as an assurance to those who seek forgiveness and salvation through Christ, that their faith is not in vain, because God is able to bring to completion all whom He intends to save. Nevertheless, non-Calvinists object that these doctrines discourage the world from seeking salvation.

An additional point of disagreement with Arminianism implicit in the five points is the Calvinist understanding of the doctrine of Jesus' substitutionary atonement as a punishment for the sins of the elect, which was developed by St. Augustine and especially St. Anselm. Calvinists argue that if Christ takes the punishment in the place of a particular sinner, that person must be saved since it would be unjust for him then to be condemned for the same sins. The definitive and binding nature of this "satisfaction model" has led Arminians to subscribe instead to the governmental theory of the atonement in which no particular sins or sinners are in view.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism#General_description