[noo’-muh-taw‘-luh-gee]
(Greek pneuma, “spirit,” “breath,” or “wind” + Greek -logia, “speaking”)
The study of the doctrine of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Pneumatology deals with the work of the Spirit in the lives of people, both believers and unbelievers. Included within this study is the regeneration, baptism of the Spirit, fruits of the Spirit, […]

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Referred to by Polycarp as “the first born of Satan,” Marcion was one of the most famous heretics of the early church and the leader of the sect known as the “Marcionites.” Marcion is known for his Gnostic leanings which he integrated into a version of Christianity. Marcion rejected the entire Old Testament, believing the […]

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The doctrine that salvation, once attained, is eternally secure and therefore cannot be lost. Calvinists refer to this doctrine as “perseverance of the saints,” placing the emphasis on the instrumental cause of one’s security–God’s sovereign electing will. This sovereign will is evidenced in the perseverance of the faith of the believer. Passages that adherents would […]

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[ag-noss‘-tih-siz’-um]
(Greek a-, “no” + Greek gnosis “knowledge”)
Properly speaking, agnosticism is the theological suspension of belief in God or a creator. An agnostic can be “hard” or “soft.” The “hard” agnostic does not believe that anyone can know whether or not there is a God. A “soft” agnostic is one who has not personally made a […]

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[huh-mar’-tee-awl‘-uh-gee]
(Greek hamartia, “sin”)
The study of the doctrine of sin. Hamartiology includes an investigation into the origin and effects of sin on all creation. Included in this study is the doctrine of imputed sin, inherited sin, and personal sin. Imputed sin refers to the belief that all mankind is held guilty for the sin of Adam. […]

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The belief that salvation is exclusive to Christianity and that all other religious beliefs, no matter how seemingly noble, do not have a message that can bring about the needed redemption that is only found in Christ. Exclusivism can be further broken into two sub-categories: inclusivism and restrictivism. The inclusivist believes that salvation is only […]

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The so-called Scopes “Monkey” Trial refers to a trial in Dayton, Tennessee that took place in 1925. In it a high school science teacher, John Scopes, was accused of teaching evolution, contra the Butler Act (1925), in a public school classroom. John Scopes was represented by attorney Clarence Darrow while the prosecution was led by […]

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Describes the rule of faith proposed by St. Vincent of Lerins in the fifth century A.D. which seeks a universal consent of the faith that bears the mark of antiquity—ubique, semper, omnibus (”everywhere, always, all”). If one’s faith did not meet this criteria, it was not considered “catholic” (that of the true, “universal” church).
From the […]

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[or‘-thuh-dawk’-see]
(Greek orthos, “right, true” + Greek doxa, “opinion, thinking”)
Orthodoxy has been widely acknowledged to refer to adhering to the teachings and traditions in an established faith or religion. With respect to Christianity, the concept generally means recognizing and accepting the fundamental teachings and doctrines held by all Christians of all time, everywhere. All three branches […]

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Describes the basic rational foundation to all knowledge that cannot be reduced by logical methodology but are presupposed in order to form any conclusion. These are often referred to as universal axioms because knowledge of them is universal and because of their assumed validity. Among the first principles of logic are the law of non-contradiction […]

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