(Greek autos, “self” + Greek graphos, “written” = “written with one’s own hand”)
Refers to the original documents of the Scriptures that are no longer extant. The closest our current manuscript evidence comes to the original is p52 (papyrus #52), often referred to as the John Rylands Papyrus. P52 contains a few verses of the Gospel of […]

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[dih-taw’-gruh-fee]
(Greek dittos, “double” + Greek graphos, “written”)
A term used by textual critics which describes the unintentional duplication of material in the transcribing process of the Scriptures. Often a scribe would accidentally write a word or sentence twice. This could happen for many reasons (fatigue, misplacement of marker, or negligence in copying). A dittograph is relatively […]

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[doo’-tuh-roe’-kuh-naw‘-nik-ul]
(Greek deuteros, “second” + Greek kanon, “rule” or “canon” = “second canon”)
Often referred to as the Apocrypha and the “Greek Old Testament canon,” this describes the collection of books that were present in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (LXX), but absent from the Hebrew Bible. Roman Catholics accept many of the Deuterocanonical books […]

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[hap’-aks luh-gawm‘-uh-nawn’]
(Greek hapax, “once” + Greek legein, “to count” or ”to say” = ”once said”)
This is a word that only occurs once in a particular body of literature. With regards to the Scriptures, exegetes will often find a word that only appears one time. In the New Testament alone, there are 1,932 words that occur only once (USB). […]

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[ho-mo-oo’-see-aws]
(Greek homo-, ”same” + Greek ousia, “substance” = “of the same substance” “consubstantial”)
This is the Trinitarian term that expresses a belief that Christ is of the same substance or nature as the Father. This word was central to the fourth-century debate between Athanasius and the Arians. Arius believed that Christ was of “similar substance” to the Father […]

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(Latin liberum arbitrium)
The belief that the human will is free from any necessitating constraint (necessitas coactio). This is often referred to as “the power of contrary choice.” In this, whatever decisions are made, its alternative decisions are viable options. The alternative to libertarianism is fatalism, divine determinism, or self-determinism. The reformers believed that the faculty […]

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[kray-aw’-tsee-o eks nee’-uh-lo]
(Latin, “creation out of nothing”)
Describes the shared theistic worldview which believes all of creation was created by God out of non-existent matter. This belief is extremely important and foundational to the Christian belief in a transcendent God. God’s nature transcends time, space, and matter. Therefore, all that exists outside of God is dependent […]

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or, Saint Anselm (1033–1109)
He was a Roman Catholic philosopher and clergyman best known for his work Cur Deus Homo [Why the God-man?], 1098. Called the founder of scholasticism, he is considered the father of the ontological argument for the existence of God. He also openly opposed the Crusades.
Read more on Anselm here.
…and here.

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[jus’-tuh-fih-kay‘-shun]
(From the Greek word dikaioo, “to declare/make righteous”)
The act by which God declares a sinner to be just on the basis of the righteousness of Christ alone. According to Romans 1:18-3:28, justification is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ apart from works or merit.

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Also referred to as “free will theism” and “openness theology,”it is the belief that God does not exercise meticulous control of the universe but leaves it “open” for humans to make significant free will choices that impact their relationships with God and others. A corollary of this is that God has not predetermined the future. […]

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