title
 
 
Glossary of terms used in Christianity  
 
 

ab extra
    (Language:   Latin)
In Latin, “from outside”; proceeding from something extrinsic or external. (more)

ad alterum
    (Language:   Latin)
"toward another" (more)

ad extra
    (Language:   Latin)
In Latin, “at the extremity”; from the point of view of a boundary or limit. (more)

ad intra
    (Language:   Latin)
In Latin, “at the interior”; considered from within. (more)

ad se
    (Language:   Latin)
"toward itself" (more)

agape
    (Language:   Greek)
Selfless “love”, as of God for man and man for God; human compassion for one’s neighbor; equivalent of Latin caritas. (more)

alter
    (Language:   Latin)
the "other," in contrast to the ego or individual self. (more)

Ave Maria
    (Language:   Latin)
"Hail, Mary"; traditional prayer to the Blessed Virgin (more)

caritas
    (Language:   Latin)
Selfless “love”, as of God for man and man for God; human compassion for one’s neighbor; equivalent of Greek agapē. (more)

Christe eleison
    (Language:   Greek)
"Christ, have mercy" (more)

Corpus mysticum
    (Language:   Latin)
Literally, “mystical body”; one of the traditional epithets for the Christian Church (more)

creatio ex nihilo
    (Language:   Latin)
"creation out of nothing" (more)

Deo volente
    (Language:   Latin)
In Latin, literally, “God willing”, or “if God should so will” (more)

distinguo
    (Language:   Latin)
Literally, “I mark or set off, differentiate”, often used in the dialectic of the medieval scholastics (more)

ex cathedra
    (Language:   Latin)
literally, "from the throne" (more)

ex divinis
    (Language:   Latin)
literally, "from divine things"; coming forth from the Divine, or from the divine Principle (more)

ex divino
    (Language:   Latin)
"from God"; used in connection with the doctrine of creation ex nihilo (more)

ex nihilo
    (Language:   Latin)
"out of nothing"; see creatio ex nihilo. (more)

ex opere operato
    (Language:   Latin)
literally, "from the work performed" (more)

fiat lux
    (Language:   Latin)
In Latin, “Let there be light” (see Gen. 1:3). (more)

Filioque
    (Language:   Latin)
"and (from) the Son" (more)

hic et nunc
    (Language:   Latin)
"here and now." (more)

hypostases
    (Language:   Greek)
literally, "substances" (singular, hypostasis); in Eastern Christian theology (more)

in divinis
    (Language:   Latin)
literally, "in or among divine things" (more)

increatum et increabile
    (Language:   Latin)
“uncreated and uncreatable”; transcending the domain of time and relativity, as the Absolute or its prolongations. (more)

Intellectus agens
    (Language:   Latin)
"agent Intellect" (more)

intellectus possibilis
    (Language:   Latin)
"possible or potential Intellect" (more)

jejunium
    (Language:   Latin)
"fasting, abstinence from food." (more)

latria
    (Language:   Latin)
literally, "servitude, service"; the worshipful obedience owed only to God. latria is the Latinized form of the Greek latreia. (more)

logos
    (Language:   Greek)
"word, reason" (more)

materia prima
    (Language:   Latin)
"first or prime matter"; in Platonic cosmology, the undifferentiated and primordial substance (more)

nadika
    (Language:   Sanskrit)
A measure of time. (more)

natura naturans
    (Language:   Latin)
Literally, “nature naturing”; the active power that constitutes and governs the phenomena of the physical world. (more)

natura naturata
    (Language:   Latin)
Literally, “nature natured”; the phenomena of the physical world considered as the effect of an inward and invisible power. (more)

nox profunda
    (Language:   Latin)
Latin. Literally, “deep night”; in the spiritual path, the experience of loss and darkness accompanying the death of the ego. (more)

oratio
    (Language:   Latin)
literally, "language, speech" (more)

panta rhei
    (Language:   Greek)
Greek. Literally, “everything flows”; the philosophy of the pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus (500 B.C.) that everything is constantly changing. (more)

Pater noster
    (Language:   Latin)
In Latin, “Our Father”; used in Christianity to refer to the Lord’s Prayer. (more)

Pax Romana
    (Language:   Latin)
“Roman peace”; the law and order imposed by ancient Rome on its territories. (more)

perinde ac cadaver
    (Language:   Latin)
Literally, “in the manner of a corpse”; used in describing the submission of a disciple to a spiritual master. (more)

pneuma
    (Language:   Greek)
"wind, breath, spirit"; in Christian theology (more)

pneumatikos
    (Language:   Greek)
In Greek, “spiritual”. Used to refer to a person in whom the element of spirit predominates over the soul and the body (cf. 1 Thess. 5:23; 1 Cor. 2:14-15). (more)

pontifex
    (Language:   Latin)
“Bridge-maker”; man as the link between Heaven and earth. (more)

pro domo
    (Language:   Latin)
literally, "for (one’s own) home or house" (more)

quod absit
    (Language:   Latin)
literally, "which is absent from, opposed to, or inconsistent with" (more)

ratio
    (Language:   Latin)
literally, "calculation"; the faculty of discursive thinking (more)

religio
    (Language:   Latin)
"religion," often in reference to its exoteric dimension. (more)

Rosa Mystica
    (Language:   Latin)
"Mystical Rose"; traditional epithet of the Blessed Virgin Mary (more)

Sedes Sapientiae
    (Language:   Latin)
"Throne of Wisdom"; traditional epithet of the Blessed Virgin Mary (more)

Spiritus Sanctus
    (Language:   Latin)
the "Holy Spirit"; in Christian theology (more)

tale quale
    (Language:   Latin)
"of such a kind as, as such." (more)

theosis
    (Language:   Greek)
"deification," participation in the nature of God (cf. 2 Pet. 1:4) (more)

Unio mystica
    (Language:   Latin)
"mystical union"; in Christianity, the final stage of the spiritual path. (more)

vacare Deo
    (Language:   Latin)
literally, "to be empty for God"; to be at leisure for or available to God (more)

virtus
    (Language:   Latin)
In Latin, “manliness, virility”; strength of character, moral excellence. (more)

©2003 Dictionary of Spiritual Terms