The theology underlying and surrounding infant baptism is complex because it differs between denominations. The general consensus is that baptism is the New Testament form of circumcision. All male converts to Judaism and male infants born to Jewish parents were circumcised as rite of initiation into the Jewish community (Genesis 17:10-11). Pedobaptists contend that baptism has replaced circumcision and is the rite of initiation into the Christian community. Beyond this, very little is agreed on the subject among Christian denominations. Infant bapti ...

See also:

Infant baptism, Infant baptism - The Baptismal Ceremony, Infant baptism - History, Infant baptism - Theology, Infant baptism - Differences among pedobaptists, Infant baptism - Pedobaptism versus Credobaptism, Infant baptism - Arguments for infant baptism, Infant baptism - Arguments against Infant Baptism, Infant baptism - Infant baptism and confirmation, Infant baptism - Denominations and Religious Groups opposed to pedobaptism

Read more here: » Infant baptism: Encyclopedia II - Infant baptism - Theology

theology: The study of religious doctrines, specifically of the nature of God, soul and world. - theologians: Those who study, are expert in or formulate theology. Cf: metaphysics.

(See also: Theology , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Theology Dictionary

The tendency towards a comprehension of the unity of the divine essence had resulted in some minds, as has been remarked before, in a kind of speculation of the origin of the universe. In the Brahminical literature we meet with this conception as a common element of speculation; and so far from its being considered incompatible with the existence of a universal spirit, Prajapati, the personal creator of the world, is generally allowed a prominent place in the pantheistic theories. Yet the state of theological speculation, reflected i ...

See also:

Brahmanism, Brahmanism - Theology, Brahmanism - Pantheism, Brahmanism - Caste, Brahmanism - Sub castes, Brahmanism - Maharashtrian sub-castes:, Brahmanism - South Indian brahmin sub-castes:, Brahmanism - The four stages of life, Brahmanism - Sacramental rites, Brahmanism - Vegetarianism, Brahmanism - Moksha, Brahmanism - Evolution of Brahminism, Brahmanism - Brahmin Supremacy, Brahmanism - Trimurti, Brahmanism - Challenge To Brahmin Supremacy and Caste System, Brahmanism - Buddhism, Brahmanism - Charvaka, Brahmanism - B.R. Ambedkar, Brahmanism - Famous Brahmins

Read more here: » Brahmanism: Encyclopedia II - Brahmanism - Theology

The early Moltmann can be seen in his trilogy, Theology of Hope (1964), The Crucified God (1972), and The Church in the Power of the Spirit (1975): Theology of Hope was strongly influenced by the eschatological orientation of the marxist philosopher, Ernst Bloch's The Principle of Hope. The Crucified God posited that God died on the Cross, raising the question of the impassibility of God. The Church in the Power of the Spirit explores the implications of these explorations for the ch ...

See also:

Jürgen Moltmann, Jürgen Moltmann - Moltmann's Youth, Jürgen Moltmann - The War, Jürgen Moltmann - Theology in the Camps, Jürgen Moltmann - Returning Home, Jürgen Moltmann - Influences, Jürgen Moltmann - Theology, Jürgen Moltmann - Endnotes, Jürgen Moltmann - Works Consulted, Jürgen Moltmann - Bibliography English incomplete

Read more here: » Jürgen Moltmann: Encyclopedia II - Jürgen Moltmann - Theology

Tillich's approach to Protestant theology was highly systematic. He sought to correlate culture and faith such that "faith need not be unacceptable to contemporary culture and contemporary culture need not be unacceptable to faith". As a consequence, Tillich's orientation is highly apologetic, seeking to make concrete theological answers such that they become applicable to an ordinary day's course of events. This contributed to his popularity by the virtue of the fact that it made him highly accessible to lay readers. In a broader perspectiv ...

See also:

Paul Tillich, Paul Tillich - Biography, Paul Tillich - Theology, Paul Tillich - Opposing views, Paul Tillich - Bibliography

Read more here: » Paul Tillich: Encyclopedia II - Paul Tillich - Theology

The guiding rules of the church are variations on the Golden Rule: 1. Do not hurt yourself. 2. Do not hurt anyone else. However, there are other greater and lesser aspects of their worship. The Church of the Universe is a syncretic religion. Although often quoting from the Bible and other scriptures, the church disclaims a direct connection to Christianity. Indeed, it also accepts as valid sources of inspiration the ancient and modern sources such as culture of Sumer, pagan holidays of the solstices, Canada Day, the Knights Temp ...

See also:

Church of the Universe, Church of the Universe - Theology, Church of the Universe - Activities

Read more here: » Church of the Universe: Encyclopedia II - Church of the Universe - Theology

The Licentiate of Theology was a sub-degree or diploma-level qualification offered by a number of educational institutions. The University of Wales, Lampeter LTh (Licence in Theology), introduced in 1940 by the then St David's College Lampeter, was intended for graduate ordinands, and is one year full-time, or two years part-time. The University of St Andrews also offered the LTh (Licence in Theology), a three-year course open to non-graduates. A three-year LTh is also available from the University of Edinburgh, a four-year qualification from Emmanuel College, Toronto, and a two-year post-graduate qualification (STL ...

See also:

Licentiate, Licentiate - Bologna Convention, Licentiate - Theology

Read more here: » Licentiate: Encyclopedia II - Licentiate - Theology

The church differentiates itself from traditional Christianity through its novel view of the Trinity and by its strong denial that Jesus' death was a preordained necessity. Like other traditional Christians, however, they do believe that his death serves as a redemption of humanity's sins and that his resurrection was a victory over death for all eternity. The church further teaches that: God appointed Jesus to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, preferably in his lifetime. Due to the failure of the Jewish people to ...

See also:

Unification Church, Unification Church - History, Unification Church - Theology, Unification Church - The role of Elijah, Unification Church - Celibacy and marriage, Unification Church - The principle of Indemnity, Unification Church - Theology and philosophy, Unification Church - Church publications, Unification Church - Divine Principle, Unification Church - Heavenly Scripture, Unification Church - Master Speaks, Unification Church - Related organizations, Unification Church - Journalism, Unification Church - Controversy, Unification Church - Accusations of anti-Semitism, Unification Church - Recruitment, Unification Church - South America

Read more here: » Unification Church: Encyclopedia II - Unification Church - Theology

The expression "Mother of God" or "Birth-giver of God" should not be understood in the eternal sense; that is, Mary is not understood as having eternally given birth to God the Son in the same way that he is eternally begotten by God the Father (see Holy Trinity and Nicene Creed). Rather, in the Incarnation, the divine person of God the Son took on a human nature in addition to his divine nature, and it is through Mary that this takes place. Since Jesus Christ is seen as both fully God and fully human, to call Mary the Birth-giver of God is to affirm the fullness of his Incarnation, and by ...

See also:

Theotokos, Theotokos - Etymology and translation, Theotokos - Theology, Theotokos - Use of Theotokos in the early Christian Church, Theotokos - Third Ecumenical Council, Theotokos - Hymns, Theotokos - Icons

Read more here: » Theotokos: Encyclopedia II - Theotokos - Theology

As an Orthodox Jew, Rabbi Lamm's theology is based on the corpus of classical rabbinic Jewish principles of faith. While not demanding that every Jew literally accept each of Maimonides' 13 principles of faith, the faith that he preaches and teaches is consonant with these teachings. He believes that God exists, that God can reveal his will to mankind, and that the Torah (five books of Moses) is (plus or minus scribal errors) an exact transcription of God's revelation to Moses on Mount Sinai. As an Orthodox Jew, he believed that Judaism's or ...

See also:

Norman Lamm, Norman Lamm - Youth, Norman Lamm - Rise, Norman Lamm - Theology, Norman Lamm - Torah Umadda, Norman Lamm - Centrist Orthodoxy, Norman Lamm - Zionism, Norman Lamm - Relationship with non-Orthodox Judaism, Norman Lamm - Views on abiogenesis evolution and science, Norman Lamm - Writings, Norman Lamm - Actively retired, Norman Lamm - Controversy

Read more here: » Norman Lamm: Encyclopedia II - Norman Lamm - Theology

Few men have left such a deep imprint on the history of Christianity. The opposition to the allegorizing tendencies of the Alexandrines centred in him. He rejected this system entirely and propounded a system of literal interpretation which dominated the Eastern Church for a long period. In the minds of nearly all theological writers (a notable modern exception being Henry Melvill Gwatkin, in his Studies of Arianism, London, 1900), he is said to be the real author of the opinions wh ...

See also:

Lucian of Antioch, Lucian of Antioch - History, Lucian of Antioch - Early life, Lucian of Antioch - Theology, Lucian of Antioch - Legacy

Read more here: » Lucian of Antioch: Encyclopedia II - Lucian of Antioch - Theology

Niebuhr's theology was not something thought up in the quiet of an academic environment. Rather, it grew out of his efforts to apply Christianity to the social, economic, and political spheres. For example, the cross of Christ was a particularly important theme for Niebuhr since it revealed the great paradox of powerlessness turned into power, of a love in justice that overcame the sinful world. Indeed, he gave his life to the application of theology in the ethical and political arena. It "focused more on the doctrine of man than on t ...

See also:

Reinhold Niebuhr, Reinhold Niebuhr - Biography, Reinhold Niebuhr - Theology, Reinhold Niebuhr - Bibliography, Reinhold Niebuhr - External link

Read more here: » Reinhold Niebuhr: Encyclopedia II - Reinhold Niebuhr - Theology

The terms are often used in a general sense, with supralapsarianism meaning that God planned the fall and infralapsarianism that God merely foresaw, and hence permitted or merely reacted to, the fall. In this sense all Calvinists are supralapsarians, believing that God planned the fall. Nevertheless, inside scholastic Calvinism, the terms came to mean a different thing. Whilst all held that God planned the fall prior to creation, disputes arose as to the logical relation within this plan between the decision to save individuals and the decis ...

See also:

Supralapsarianism and Infralapsarianism, Supralapsarianism and Infralapsarianism - History, Supralapsarianism and Infralapsarianism - Theology, Supralapsarianism and Infralapsarianism - See Also

Read more here: » Supralapsarianism and Infralapsarianism: Encyclopedia II - Supralapsarianism and Infralapsarianism - Theology

"Father Divine" preached of his divinity from even before he was known as "Father Divine" in the late1910s. He taught that his life fulfilled all Biblical prophecies about the second coming, regarding himself as Jesus Christ reborn. However, Father Divine also lectured that Christ existed in "every joint" of his follower's bodies, and that he was "God's light" incarnated to show how to establish heaven on earth and show the way of eternal life. For example: Condescendingly I came as an existing Spirit unembodied, until condescen ...

See also:

Doctrine of Father Divine, Doctrine of Father Divine - Theology, Doctrine of Father Divine - Positive thought, Doctrine of Father Divine - Welfare, Doctrine of Father Divine - Race, Doctrine of Father Divine - Patriotism, Doctrine of Father Divine - Communal living, Doctrine of Father Divine - Chastity, Doctrine of Father Divine - Thrift and capitalism

Read more here: » Doctrine of Father Divine: Encyclopedia II - Doctrine of Father Divine - Theology

Theologically, most Pentecostal denominations are aligned with Evangelicalism in that they emphasize the reliability of the Bible and the need for conversion to faith in Jesus. Most Pentecostals also adhere to the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy. Pentecostals differ from Fundamentalists by placing more emphasis on personal spiritual experience. Pentecostals have a transrational worldview. Although Pentecostals are concerned with orthodoxy (correct belief), they are also concerned with orthopathy (right affections) and orthopraxy (right reflection or action). Reason is esteemed as a valid conduit of truth, but Pentecostals ...

See also:

Pentecostalism, Pentecostalism - Beliefs, Pentecostalism - Theology, Pentecostalism - History, Pentecostalism - Pentecostal denominations and adherents, Pentecostalism - Statistics, Pentecostalism - Pentecostalism outside the English speaking world, Pentecostalism - Leaders, Pentecostalism - Precursors, Pentecostalism - Early history, Pentecostalism - Theologians, Pentecostalism - Radio preachers and televangelists, Pentecostalism - Authors, Pentecostalism - Pastors and evangelists, Pentecostalism - Politicians, Pentecostalism - Other notables raised in the faith, Pentecostalism - Studies

Read more here: » Pentecostalism: Encyclopedia II - Pentecostalism - Theology

Tertullian - General character. Though thoroughly conversant with the Greek theology, Tertullian was independent of its metaphysical speculation. He had learned from the Greek apologies, and forms a direct contrast to Origen. Origen pushed his idealism in the direction of Gnostic spiritualism. Tertullian, the prince of realists and practical theologian, carried his realism to the verge of materialism. This is evident from his ascription to God of corporeity and his acceptance of the traducian theory of the origin ...

See also:

Tertullian, Tertullian - Life, Tertullian - Writings, Tertullian - General Character, Tertullian - Chronology and Contents, Tertullian - Theology, Tertullian - General character, Tertullian - Specific teachings, Tertullian - Moral Principles:, Tertullian - Footnotes

Read more here: » Tertullian: Encyclopedia II - Tertullian - Theology

Indulgence - Sin. Personal sins, as opposed to original sin, are either mortal or venial. Mortal sins are sins of grave (serious) matter, where the sinner is aware that the act (or omission) is both a sin and a grave matter, and performs the act (or omission) with deliberate consent. The act of committing a mortal sin cuts off the sinner from God’s grace; it is in itself a rejection of God as well as His Church. If left un-reconciled, mortal sins result in eternal punishment in Hell.

See also:

Indulgence, Indulgence - Theology, Indulgence - Sin, Indulgence - Reconciliation, Indulgence - Temporal Punishment in Purgatory, Indulgence - Merit, Indulgence - The Indulgence, Indulgence - “Indulgent” Acts, Indulgence - History, Indulgence - Other Christian Traditions

Read more here: » Indulgence: Encyclopedia II - Indulgence - Theology

Gregory of Nyssa - Trinity. Gregory is remembered above all for two major contributions to theology. The first is his doctrine of the Trinity, a development of the theology of Basil and their mutual friend Gregory Nazianzus. Following Basil's lead, Gregory argues that the three Persons of the Trinity can be understood along the model of three members of a single class: thus, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three in the same way that Peter, Paul, and Timothy are three men. So why do we not say there are three ...

See also:

Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nyssa - Biography, Gregory of Nyssa - Theology, Gregory of Nyssa - Trinity, Gregory of Nyssa - Infinity, Gregory of Nyssa - Stages, Gregory of Nyssa - Epektasis, Gregory of Nyssa - Writings

Read more here: » Gregory of Nyssa: Encyclopedia II - Gregory of Nyssa - Theology

Perhaps the most influential point of Duns Scotus' theology was his defense of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. At the time, there was a great deal of argument about the subject. The general opinion was that it was appropriate, but it could not be seen how to resolve the problem that only with Christ's death would the stain of original sin be removed. The great philosophers and theologians of the west were divided on the subject (indeed, it appears that even Thomas Aquinas sided with those who denied the doctrine, though some Thomists disp ...

See also:

Duns Scotus, Duns Scotus - Theology, Duns Scotus - Logic, Duns Scotus - See Also, Duns Scotus - Bibliography

Read more here: » Duns Scotus: Encyclopedia II - Duns Scotus - Theology