Glossary of Terms
Matthews, Sister Eva Mary
Matthews, Sister Eva Mary (Feb. 9, 1862-July 6, 1928). Founder of the Community of the Transfiguration. She was born in Oakencroft, near Glendale, Ohio, and raised a Presbyterian. Matthews studied […]
Matthias the Apostle, Saint
Nothing is known about the life of Matthias except the one mention of him in the Book of Acts. After the Ascension of Christ and the death of Judas, when […]
Maundy Thursday
The Thursday in Holy Week. It is part of the Triduum, or three holy days before Easter. It comes from the Latin mandatum novum, “new commandment,” from Jn 13:34. The […]
Maurice, Frederick Denison
(Aug. 29, 1805-Apr. 1, 1872). English theologian and proponent of Christian Socialism. He was born in Normanstone, England, the son of a Unitarian clergyman. In 1823 Maurice entered Trinity College, […]
May, James
(Oct. 1, 1805-Dec. 18, 1863). Seminary professor. He was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania. May received his B.A. in 1823 from Jefferson College. He entered Virginia Theological Seminary in 1826, […]
McCarty, John
(June 7, 1789-May 10, 1881). First Episcopal priest in the Washington Territory. He was born in Rhinebeck, New York. He practiced law for three years and then decided to enter […]
McClenachan, William
(c. 1710-1766). Church of England leader in the American Great Awakening. McClenachan (sometimes spelled Mcclenachan or Macclenaghan) was born in Armagh, Ireland. He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church. He […]
McConnell, Samuel David
(Aug. 1, 1845-Jan. 11, 1939). Church historian. He was born in West Moreland County, Pennsylvania. McConnell received his B.A. from Washington and Jefferson College in 1869. He was ordained deacon […]
McGarvey, William Ignatius Loyola
(Aug. 14, 1861-Feb. 27, 1924). Episcopal priest and later a Roman Catholic priest. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, McGarvey studied at the General Theological Seminary and then Nashotah House. He was […]
McGuire, George Alexander
(Mar. 26, 1866-Nov. 10, 1924). Founder of the African Orthodox Church, a body for Negro Episcopalians dissatisfied with the Episcopal Church. He was born in Antigua, British West Indies, and […]
McIlvaine, Charles Pettit
(Jan. 18, 1799-Mar. 13, 1873). Bishop and foremost leader of the evangelical party in the Episcopal Church during the mid-nineteenth century. He was born in Burlington, New Jersey. McIlvaine graduated […]
Meade, William
(Nov. 11, 1789-Mar. 14, 1862). Presiding Bishop of the Confederate Church during the Civil War. Born in Frederick County, Virginia, Meade entered the junior class of the College of New […]
Mealy, Norman Carleton
(June 22, 1923-Mar. 12, 1987). Church musician, editor, and educator. Born in Troy, New York, Mealy received his B.S. in 1946 from the State University of New York at Potsdam. […]
Meditation
The practice, usually in silence, of fixing attention on a specific word, phrase, image, sound, or text. Some meditative practices produce an emptying of thoughts and emotions. Meditation may lead […]
Melisma
A series of notes in plainchant assigned to one syllable of the text.
Memorial Acclamations
An acclamation of the people after the institution narrative in the eucharist. For example, in Prayer B, the memorial acclamation is “We remember his death/ We proclaim his resurrection/ We […]
Mendicant, Mendicant Friar
See Friar.
Mensa
A flat stone inlay or other solid material that forms the top of an altar. The term is from the Latin for “table.”
Merbecke or Marbeck, John
(c. 1510-c. 1585). English composer and theologian. He is best known as the composer of The booke of Common praier noted (1550) in which he set Prayer Book services to […]
Mercer, George, School of Theology
See George Mercer, Jr., Memorial School of Theology.
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.