Glossary of Terms
Tetragrammaton
A word from Greek meaning “four letters.” It refers to the four consonants of the biblical name of God, Yahweh, YHWH. From ancient times it was considered too sacred to […]
Texas, Diocese of
From Dec. 8, 1838, until Oct. 16, 1841, the Republic of Texas was under the episcopal jurisdiction of Leonidas Polk, Missionary Bishop of Arkansas and the Indian Territory. Texas was […]
Th.D.
( The Doctor of Theology degree presupposes a first theological degree and is to equip persons for teaching and research in theological seminaries, colleges, and universities.
Th.M.
The Master of Theology degree presupposes the M. Div. degree and is an academic program stressing fuller mastery of resources in one of the theological disciplines.
Thanksgiving (Prayer)
The Catechism identifies thanksgiving as one of the seven principal kinds of prayer (BCP, p. 856). We offer thanksgiving to God “for all the blessings of this life, for our […]
Thanksgiving Day
A national holiday and day of thanks. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in Nov. This custom is based on the celebration of three […]
Thanksgiving for the Birth or Adoption of a Child
The BCP (p. 439) states that after the birth or adoption of a child, the parents and other family members should come to the church to be welcomed by the […]
Thanksgiving, Great
Prayer of consecration said over bread and wine at the eucharist. The BCP uses the title “The Great Thanksgiving” as a major subheading in bold typeface for both eucharistic rites […]
Theodicy
A defense of the existence of God despite the presence of evil and suffering in the world. The term was coined by Gottfried W. Leibniz (1646-1716). It is drawn from […]
Theodore of Tarsus
(602-Sept. 19, 690). Scholar and reformer. He was born in Tarsus, Cilicia, in Asia Minor. Theodore was a lay monk when he was chosen by Pope Vitalian to become Archbishop […]
Theologian
A person who is knowledgeable concerning theology. Theologians may be members of the clergy or lay people. For example, William Stringfellow (1928-1985) was one of the best known Episcopal theologians […]
Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of South Carolina
The 1858 Convention of the Diocese of South Carolina authorized a diocesan seminary and elected a board of trustees. It was located in Camden where Bishop Thomas Davis resided. It […]
Theological Virtues
A virtue is the perfection of a human power or capacity. As distinct from the cardinal virtues which we can develop, the theological virtues are the perfection of human powers […]
Theology
The term is derived from two Greek words meaning, respectively, “God” and “the study of” or “the knowledge of.” It was used prior to the Christian era in Greek philosophy […]
Theophany
The term is from two Greek words meaning “God” and “appearance.” A theophany is a manifestation of God, usually with both visual and audible elements. For example, God appears to […]
Theosis
A term used in the tradition of Orthodox theology to refer to the participation of the human person in the life of God. It is also known as deification or […]
Third Order
An association of those who live in the secular world while affiliated with a religious order. Although the members of the third order do not live in a religious community, […]
Third Services
See Mission Services (Third Services).
Thirty-Nine Articles, or Articles of Religion
The Thirty-Nine Articles were the result of a long process in which the Church of England attempted to provide a theological foundation for its existence during the doctrinal conflicts of […]
Thomas à Kempis
(c. 1380-1471). Monastic, priest, and spiritual writer. He was born in Kempen near Koln, Germany. Kempis was educated in the school at Deventer, the Netherlands. It was run by the […]
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.