Glossary of Terms
High Altar
The main altar for eucharistic celebration in a church. In medieval and gothic revival churches, the high altar stands centered, near or placed against the east wall. The high altar […]
High and Dry
” The term generally indicates a high church Anglican or Episcopalian who precedes or is not strongly influenced by the Oxford Movement, especially the advanced catholic ritual practices that came […]
High Church
The terms “high church” and “high churchman” began to appear in the late seventeenth century to describe those who opposed the Calvinist-Puritan wing of the Church of England. In colonial […]
High Mass
This is a term used, mostly in Anglo-catholic parishes, to describe a celebration of the eucharist characterized by multiple ministers (a priest- or bishop-celebrant, deacon, “subdeacon,” acolytes, choir, and possibly […]
Higher Criticism
This method of scriptural interpretation was considered a step beyond text criticism (lower criticism) because it was dealing with larger historical problems. Source criticism, form criticism, redaction criticism, and narrative […]
Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers
(c. 315-c. 367). Bishop and theologian. He was born in Poitiers, Gaul (France). Around 353 he was consecrated Bishop of Poitiers and spent most of his episcopal life fighting the […]
Hilda
(c. 614-Nov. 17, 680). Abbess and saint. She was baptized at Easter 627 by Paulinus, Bishop of York. When she was thirty-three she entered the monastic life, and Bishop Aidan […]
Hildegard, Abbess of Bingen
(1098-1179). Abbess, mystic, scholar, composer, scientist, and physician. She was born in the Rhineland Valley of Germany and raised by the anchoress Jutta in a cottage near the Benedictine monastery […]
Hill, Frances Maria Mulligan
(July 10, 1799-Aug. 5, 1884). Episcopal missionary and pioneer woman educator. She was born Francis Maria Mulligan in New York City. She married John Henry Hill, a banker and graduate […]
Hill, John Henry
(Sept. 11, 1791-July 1, 1882). Foreign missionary and educator. He was born in New York City. Hill graduated from Columbia College when he was sixteen and entered the mercantile business. […]
Hines, John Elbridge
Hines, John Elbridge (Oct. 3, 1910-July 19, 1997). Twenty-second Presiding Bishop. He was born in Seneca, South Carolina. Hines received his B.A. from the University of the South in 1930 […]
Hinman, Samuel Dutton
(1839-Mar. 24, 1890). Missionary to the Dakota Indians. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and orphaned at an early age. Hinman studied at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut and graduated from […]
Hippolytus
(c. 170-c. 236). Theologian of the Roman Church, presbyter, antipope, and martyr. Hippolytus strongly resisted Popes Zephyrinus, Callistus, Urban, and Pontianus. Hippolytus was zealous for orthodoxy and a rigorist concerning […]
Historic Episcopate
The succession of bishops in the history of the church from the apostles until the present. During the colonial period there were several efforts to bring the historic episcopate to […]
Historical Criticism
This term refers to the kind of scriptural interpretation which developed after the study of the texts or manuscripts of these writings. It is clear that we do not have […]
Historical Documents of the Church
This is a collection of five documents in the 1979 BCP (pp. 863-878), the first Prayer Book to have and use the title Historical Documents. The five documents are the […]
Historical Magazine of the Protestant Episcopal Church
Predecessor to Anglican and Episcopal History. This journal began publication in Mar. 1932, and for years carried the statement, “Published With The Approval Of A Joint Committee Of The General […]
Historical Theology
The study of theology in light of historical periods, movements, events, trends, or figures. For example, Arthur Michael Ramsey's An Era in Anglican Theology, From Gore to Temple, The Development […]
Historiographer of the Episcopal Church
The General Convention of 1838 established this office. The historiographer collects documents related to the Episcopal Church and sees that they are transmitted to the Archives of the Church in […]
Historiography
Discipline which deals with the methods of writing history and with the techniques of historical investigation. Historiography seeks to reconstruct an accurate record of human activities and to achieve a […]
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.