Glossary of Terms

Casserley, Julian Victor Langmead

(Nov. 28, 1909-Aug. 27, 1978). Theologian. He was born in London and educated at the London School of Economics and King's College, London. Casserley was ordained deacon on Sept. 24, 1933, and priest on Sept. 30, 1934, both by the Bishop of Southwark in England. He served various churches in England until 1952 when he […]

Cassock

A long, close-fitting garment with narrow sleeves worn by clergy and other ministers. Cassocks are typically black but also may be blue, gray, or red. Bishops may wear purple cassocks. It may be worn under a surplice. Historically, the cassock was the street garb of a person in clerical orders. It was part of the […]

Casuistry

The study of cases or situations in light of moral goods, principles, duties, and consequences. Casuistry arises from conflicts of conscience where in a particular situation more than one course of action appears good or bad, right or wrong. Called “cases of conscience,” casuistry sees moral reasoning and judgment as evolving as new circumstances lead […]

Caswall, Henry

(May 11, 1810-Dec. 17, 1870). Educator and writer. He was born in Yateley, Hampshire, England. On Aug. 16, 1828, Caswall left England for the United States. In Nov., 1830, he received his B.A. from Kenyon College. He was ordained deacon on June 12, 1831, and began his ministry in Portsmouth, Ohio. After about two years, […]

Catafalque

Temporary structure used to receive the coffin of a dead person, or to simulate the coffin when the body is not in the church. It was treated with the same respect that would be accorded to the body of the deceased. The term is from the Italian for scaffold. It is placed immediately outside the […]

Cataphatic

This term describes those forms of spirituality which advocate meditation “according to or with images.” It emphasizes meditation on concrete symbols or biblical events using physical and spiritual senses. The Ignatian and Franciscan schools of spirituality are cataphatic. See Apophatic.

Catechesis

Systematic instruction and formation of adults for baptism, initiating them into the mysteries and life of Christian faith. This instruction is not merely informative but intended to form one's outlook on life, values, and identity as a Christian. The instruction takes place in the context of the prayers and life of the Christian community. It […]

Catechism

Outline for instruction in the Christian faith presented in a question and answer format. The Catechism appears in the BCP as “An Outline of the Faith” (pp. 845-862). Although the Catechism serves as a commentary on the creeds, it is not intended to be a complete statement of belief and practice. It provides a brief […]

Catechist

A teacher, lay or ordained, who provides instruction in the Christian faith. The BCP (pp 845-862) provides “An Outline of the Faith, commonly called the Catechism,” as a point of departure for this process of instruction. A confirmed adult lay person may be licensed as a catechist by the bishop or ecclesiastical authority of the […]

Catechumen

An adult preparing for baptism who has been admitted to participation in the catechumenate.

Catechumenate

An organized time of Christian formation and education in preparation for baptism. The catechumenate is a time for training in Christian understandings about God, human relationships, and the meaning of life. According to Hippolytus's Apostolic Tradition, a third-century document, adult converts to the Christian faith were presented to teachers by those who could vouch for […]

Cathedra

Official seat or throne of the bishop in the cathedral of the diocese. The cathedra is considered to be the oldest insignia of the bishop's authority to preside over the church in the diocese. Historically, the bishop preached the sermon and presided at the eucharist from the cathedra, which was located in the center of […]

Cathedral

A church that contains the diocesan bishop's seat, throne, or cathedra. The cathedral is the principal church of the diocese. As the symbol and center of diocesan ministry, the cathedral is an appropriate place for diocesan celebrations and episcopal services. The dean is the clergyperson with pastoral charge of the cathedral. The dean may be […]

Cathedral Car

Bishop William D. Walker of North Dakota faced many difficulties in his missionary work. He conceived the idea of a traveling chapel which would carry the church to those outlying places where there were no facilities for services. In 1889 he approached friends in the east for money to build a railway chapel. The sixty-foot […]

Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, The

George Washington was the first person to suggest a “great church for national purposes in the capital city.” In 1893 Congress granted a charter to the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation of the District of Columbia that empowered it to establish a cathedral. In 1898 Bishop Henry Yates Satterlee arranged the purchase of fifty-seven acres, which […]

Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour, Faribault, Minnesota

Pioneer cathedral. The cornerstone of a bishop's church was laid by Bishop Henry Benjamin Whipple of Minnesota on July 16, 1862. It was the first structure built solely as a cathedral in the Episcopal Church. Whipple envisioned the cathedral as the center of all diocesan missionary, educational, and charitable work. The cathedral was consecrated in […]

Cathedral of St John the Divine, New York City

The largest gothic cathedral in the world. It was incorporated in 1873. Its foundation was laid on Dec. 27, 1892, the Feast of St. John. The east end and crossing were opened in 1911 and its entire length (601 feet) was opened in 1941. The sanctuary and choir are of Romanesque style. The great nave […]

Catherine of Siena, St.

(1347-Apr. 29, 1380). Mystic and spiritual writer. Caterina Benincasa was born in Siena, Italy. She joined the Third Order of the Dominicans when she was sixteen. She gave her life to serving the poor and converting sinners. In 1376 she went to Avignon, where the papacy was in “Babylonian Captivity,” and begged the Avignon Pope, […]

Catholic

Derived from the Greek word meaning “general” or “universal,” the phrase “the catholic church” was first used by Ignatius of Antioch in the early second century. The BCP Catechism states (p. 854) that “The Church is catholic, because it proclaims the whole Faith to all people, to the end of time.” The catholicity of the […]

Catholic Champion

A monthly journal published by the Guild of St. Ignatius, New York, and edited by Arthur Ritchie. Its slogan was 1 Sm 17:50, “So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone.” It was “to speak out fearlessly on behalf of every good cause no matter which Bishop, Standing Committee or […]

An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Glossary of Terms