Glossary

NB these definitions are to help you navigate this module only; they are not formal definitions, but rather ways of understanding terms as they are used by the writers on the module.

 

Apophasis: a theological idea that describes God by saying what God is not (because God exceeds human concepts and language).

Cataphasis: a theological idea that describes God through goodness, love, wisdom, and beauty.

Christ: from the Greek Christos, meaning ‘anointed one’; this is the title given to Jesus of Nazareth by his followers.

Death: does not always mean end-of-life, but rather a returning of the soul to its divine source or a spiritual state of reflection on earthly life and choices.

Devekut: the Jewish mystical ideal of attachment to God.

Exegesis: the critical interpretation of scripture (and sometimes other theological texts).

Incarnation: the Christian belief that God became human in Jesus Christ.

Repentance: Hebrew suggests to turn around, return or turn back to the correct way; Greek is closer to a change of mind, or turn around in thinking.

Sacrament: a sacred rite in Christianity that expresses divine grace—for example, baptism, confirmation, the eucharist (or Holy Communion), penance (or confession).

Sin: assumed to mean wrongdoing or violation of a law, the Hebrew meaning is closer to going astray or rebelling; and the Greek means falling short or missing a target.

Trinity: the Christian belief that God is both one and three at the same time: God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit (sometimes called Holy Ghost).