Glossary of Terms
Labarum
Military standard of the imperial Roman legions from the time of Constantine I (c. 285-337). It featured the Christian monogram of the Greek letters Chi (X) and Rho (P), which […]
Ladd, William Palmer
(May 13, 1870-July 1, 1941). Church historian and seminary dean. Ladd was born in Lancaster, New Hampshire. He received his B.A. from Dartmouth in 1891 and his B.D. from the […]
Lady Chapel
A side chapel dedicated to “Our Lady,” the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was often an addition that was constructed directly behind (east of) the high altar of the larger church […]
Laetare Sunday
The fourth Sunday of Lent in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar. The term is derived from the opening words of the Latin Mass, “Rejoice (Laetare) Jerusalem” (Is 66:10). The church […]
Laity
The people of God. The term is from the Greek laos, “the people.” The laity has been defined negatively to indicate Christians who have not been ordained. However, all baptized […]
Lambeth College, Kittanning, Pennsylvania
This school, first known as Kittanning Collegiate School, was granted a charter on Sept. 7, 1868. The nine trustees were Episcopalians and the Bishop of Pittsburgh was ex officio chancellor […]
Lambeth Conference
The first Lambeth Conference met in 1867, marking the occasion when the various churches of the Anglican Communion began to be conscious of themselves as a single family of churches. […]
Lambeth Palace
The London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury for seven centuries. It is located on the Thames Embankment opposite the Houses of Parliament, and it has been the location of […]
Lambeth Quadrilateral
See Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral.
Lamp, The
First published on Feb. 2, 1903, by the Rev. Paul James Francis Wattson of the Society of the Atonement, it was the voice of the pro-Roman high church party of […]
Lappets
In ecclesiastical usage, these are the pendant bands or flaps on a clerical vestment or headdress, especially a mitre.
Laramie, Missionary District of
The 1889 General Convention voted to divide the Diocese of Nebraska and create the Missionary District of The Platte. From Oct. 20, 1898, until Oct. 10, 1907, it was known […]
Last Gospel, The
” The reading of a gospel passage, typically the prologue to the Gospel of John (1:1-18), at the end of the Latin Mass. The practice dates from medieval times. It […]
Last Rites
Sacramental ministry to a dying Christian, which may include confession and absolution, laying on of hands, anointing (extreme unction), and communion. The dying received communion as viaticum, or sustenance for […]
Last Supper
The term “Last Supper” does not appear in the NT. It is used to refer to the supper which Jesus ate with his disciples on the evening before his crucifixion. […]
Latimer, Hugh
(1490-Oct. 16, 1555). Bishop and Reformation leader. He was born in Thurcaston, Leicestershire, England, and studied at Cambridge University. At first he was a bitter opponent of the Reformation. Consecrated […]
Latitudinarian, Latitudinarianism
Spiritual descendants of sixteenth-century humanists like Erasmus and the ancestors of the nineteenth-century broad church party. The middle years of the seventeenth century in England were marked by religious civil […]
Latria
This technical term is for the worship which is rightfully given to God alone, as distinguished from the appropriate veneration of the saints (dulia) or of images such as icons […]
Laud, William
(Oct. 6, 1573-Jan. 10, 1645). Archbishop of Canterbury and the chief theological advisor of kings Charles I and Charles II of England. Laud was born in Reading, England. He studied […]
Lauds
The ancient service at daybreak in the monastic round of daily prayer. This morning service of praise always included Psalms 148-150, in which the Latin word “laudate” (praise) is frequently […]
Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.