Holiness: Encyclopedia - Holiness

Holiness

Holiness means the state of being holy, that is, set apart for the worship or service of God or gods. It is most usually ascribed to people, but can be and often is ascribed to objects, times, or places.

The concept is found in almost all religions, especially those with a degree of formal organization, so that there is scope for special people, places etc to be devoted to worship.

In non-specialist contexts, the term "holy" is used in a more general way, to refer to someone or something that is associated with a divine power, such as water used for Baptism.

Holiness - Holiness in Protestantism

In Protestantism, especially in American branches of Protestantism of the more Pentecostal variety, holiness has acquired the secondary meaning of the reshaping of a person through spiritual rebirth. This process is described in the Bible, in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, chapter 6, verses 19-22, among other places. The term owes its origin to John Wesley's concept of "scriptural holiness" or Christian perfection.

The Holiness movement began within Methodism in the United States, among those who thought the church had lost the zeal and emphasis on personal holiness of Wesley's day. In the latter part of the 19th century revival meetings were held, attended by thousands. In Vineland, N.J in 1867 a camp meeting was begun and the National Holiness Camp Meeting Association, which went on to establish many holiness camp meetings across the nation. Some adherents to the movement remained within their denominations; others founded new denominations, such as the Church of the Nazarene and the Church of God (Anderson). Within a generation another movement, the Pentecostal movement was born, drawing heavily from the Holiness Movement. Around the middle of the 20th century, the Conservative Holiness Movement was born - a conservative offshoot of the Holiness movement.

In the contemporary Holiness movement, the idea that holiness is relational is growing. In this thought, the core notion of holiness is love. Other notions of holiness, such as purity, being set apart, perfection, keeping rules, and total commitment, are seen as contributory notions of holiness. These contributory notions find their ultimate legitimacy one when love is at their core (Oord and Lodahl).

Holiness - Holiness in Catholicism

Many objects in Catholicism are considered holy. They are called sacramentals and are usually blessed by a priest. Such items include rosaries, crucifixes, medals, and statues of God, angels and saints. People in a state of grace are also considered holy in Catholicism. A central notion of Catholicism as articulated in contemporary theology is the "[personal] call to holiness," considered as a vocation shared by every Christian believer.

Holiness - Holiness in Judaism

For Holiness of people in Judaism see Tzadik.

Holiness - Holiness in Ayyavazhi

According to Ayyavazhi, earth and water is holi (sacred). It was renamed as Thiruman (sacred soil) and Patham religiously. In addition, the things which was used by Ayya Vaikundar when he was bodily present, were also celebrated with holiness.

See also:

• Sacred
• Imparted righteousness
• Righteousness
• Sanctification
• Theosis
• List of holy cities

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Holiness", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki