The Concise Dictionary of Christian Theology (Revised Edition)

Millard J. Erickson

• Publisher: Crossway
• Year: 2001
• ISBN:
  9781433554230
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

Seeks to bring the original dictionary up-to-date by supplementing it with pertinent ideas and biographies from the past fifteen years, with an emphasis on the historical figures and movements of the first nineteen centuries of Christianity.

Ss

Sabaoth Literally, “of hosts,” a word used in combination with Yahweh or sometimes Yahweh and Elohim to designate God as the “God of hosts” or “Lord of hosts.” The compound name is not found in the Pentateuch, but is very common in the Psalms and the Prophets.

Sabbatarianism Strict observance (often by legal requirement) of one day of the week as a day of worship and rest.

Sabbath The day of rest and worship. Jews observe it on Saturday, most Christians on Sunday.

Sabbatical year In Judaism, every seventh year when landowners were not to sow in the field and the poor were allowed to gather what grew of itself (Exod. 23:10-11; Lev. 25:1-7).

Sabellianism A view deriving from the thought of Sabellius, which was essentially a modalistic monarchianism: God is one being, one person, who successively takes on three different forms or manifestations.

Sabellius A third-century theological teacher whose view of the Trinity was essentially modalistic.

Sacerdotalism The teaching that the act of ordination to certain religious offices conveys the ability to administer the sacraments and thus to dispense grace.

Sacral Pertaining to that which is set apart or separate from the mundane and secular.

Sacrament A religious rite regarded as a means or a sign of grace.

Sacramentalism The view that grace is conveyed through certain religious rites.

Sacramentalists Those people who believe that grace is conveyed through certain religious rites.

Sacramental sign In Roman Catholic theology, one of the essential elements of a sacrament. This visible sign consists of some form of matter (e.g., water in baptism) and a word of pronouncement.

Sacramental systems Religious rites by which grace is dispensed.

Sacrament of baptism A reference to the view that baptism is a means or sign of grace. See also BAPTISM.

Sacrament of marriage A reference to the Roman Catholic view that marriage is a sacrament. See also MARRIAGE.

Sacrificial animal An animal ritually slaughtered as an offering to God.

Sacrificial system Ritual procedure for offering an animal, crops, or some other valuable object to God.

Sadducees Important Jewish religious group in Palestine from the late second century B.C. to the late first century A.D. who were opponents of Jesus. They rejected all Jewish observances not explicitly taught in the Pentateuch or Law. They also denied the doctrines of resurrection and rewards and punishments after death. Among their emphases was human freedom.

Saint In the New Testament, anyone who is a genuine believer in Christ; in Roman Catholicism, a believer now in heaven because of an exemplary life who can make intercession with God for both persons still alive and those in purgatory.

Sainthood The status of those who have been designated as saints by the Roman Catholic Church. After officially recognizing a list of miracles attributed to a particular person, the church may designate that individual a saint through a twofold process called beatification and canonization.

Saints, Invocation of In Roman Catholicism, calling upon the saints to intercede for someone.

Saints, Perseverance of the See PERSEVERANCE, DOCTRINE OF.

Saints, Veneration of Honoring of saints by both commemorating them and imitating their virtues. Verbal communion with them or reverencing them may also be involved.

Salvation The divine act of delivering a believer from the power and curse of sin and then restoring that individual to the fellowship with God for which humans were originally intended.

Salvation, Doctrine of Teachings concerning the whole of salvation and its various aspects, including conversion, regeneration, union with Christ, justification, adoption, sanctification, perseverance, and glorification.

Salvation Army An organization founded by William Booth in 1865 as an essentially evangelical, theologically conservative movement that aimed to minister to the practical needs of persons. It took the name Salvation Army in 1878.

Salvation by grace Salvation understood as a free gift undeserved by the recipient.

Salvation by works A reference to the belief that by performing certain virtuous deeds it is possible to qualify for divine favor and salvation.

Samosata, Paul of See PAUL OF SAMOSATA.

Sanctification The divine act of making the believer actually holy—that is, bringing the person’s moral condition into conformity with the legal status established in justification.

Sanctifying grace In Roman Catholicism, the grace conveyed by the sacraments, combining what Protestants call justification and sanctification.

Sanday, William (1843-1920) Anglican New Testament scholar who was a pioneer in introducing biblical criticism from Germany into British scholarship.

Sardica, Council of (343-344) The council called by the emperors Constans and Constantius together with Pope Julius I in an attempt to settle the Arian controversy. It was held in Sardica (modern Sofia), which was midway between the East and the West. Athanasius, who had been previously exiled, was restored to his see, but the fundamental result of the council was a widening of the separation between East and West.

Sartre, Jean-Paul (1905-1980) French existentialist and atheist.

Sarx Greek word for “flesh.”

Satan The devil, a high angelic creature who rebelled against God and therefore was cast out of heaven. He became the leader of the opposition to God and the heavenly forces.

Satan, Fall of Disobedience and rebellion of Satan prior to the creation of the human race.

Satanic forces Demons allied in support of Satan.

Satanism Worship of Satan.

Satisfaction Reparation or compensation for a wrong or a debt incurred.

Savior In the Old Testament, the anticipated Deliverer of the people of Israel. Jesus Christ by his atoning death became the Savior of the entire human race.

Saxon Confession An exposition (1551) of the Augsburg Confession. It was written by Philipp Melanchthon to present to the Council of Trent.

Sayers, Dorothy Leigh (1893-1957) Anglican writer and lay theologian who was an influential apologist for orthodox Christian faith.

Sayings of Jesus The actual utterances of Jesus.

Scapegoat The goat to which the sins of the Israelites were symbolically transferred on the Day of Atonement. It was then driven off into the wilderness.

Schaff, Philip (1819-1893) Swiss theologian and church historian. While teaching at the German Reformed seminary in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, he was accused of heresy, but the attempt to convict him failed. He finished out his career at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Among his most significant works are the seven-volume History of the Christian Church, the threevolume Creeds of Christendom, and the editing of the Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge.

Schism Formal division of a religious group.

Schism, Great The separation of the Eastern and Western churches in 1054.

Schleiermacher, Friedrich (1768-1834) Liberal Protestant theologian whose introduction of r...