In Christian belief,a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness,likeness,or closeness to God. However,the use of the term saint depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic,Eastern Orthodox,Anglican,Oriental Orthodox,and Lutheran doctrine,all of their faithful deceased in Heaven are considered to be saints,but some are considered worthy of greater honor or emulation. Official ecclesiastical recognition,and consequently a public cult of veneration,is conferred on some denominational saints through the process of canonization in the Catholic Church or glorification in the Eastern Orthodox Church after their approval.
Bartholomew is the 270th Archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch,since 2 November 1991. In accordance with his title,he is regarded as the primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox Church,and as a spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide.
Ecumenism –also called interdenominationalism,or ecumenicalism –is the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships among their churches and promote Christian unity. The adjective ecumenical is thus applied to any non-denominational initiative that encourages greater cooperation and union among Christian denominations and churches.
The charismatic movement in Christianity is a movement within established or mainstream Christian denominations to adopt beliefs and practices of Charismatic Christianity with an emphasis on baptism with the Holy Spirit,and the use of spiritual gifts (charismata). It has affected most denominations in the US,and has spread widely across the world.
Sanctification literally means "to set apart for special use or purpose",that is,to make holy or sacred. Therefore,sanctification refers to the state or process of being set apart,i.e. "made holy",as a vessel,full of the Holy Spirit of God. The concept of sanctification is widespread among religions,including Judaism and especially Christianity. The term can be used to refer to objects which are set apart for special purposes,but the most common use within Christian theology is in reference to the change brought about by God in a believer,begun at the point of salvation and continuing throughout the life of the believer. Many forms of Christianity believe that this process will only be completed in Heaven,but some believe that complete holiness is possible in this life.
Sacred tradition,also called holy tradition or apostolic tradition,is a theological term used in Christian theology. According to this theological position,sacred tradition is the foundation of the doctrinal and spiritual authority of Christianity and of the Bible. Thus,the Bible must be interpreted within the context of sacred tradition and within the community of the denomination. The denominations that ascribe to this position are the Catholic,Eastern Orthodox,and Oriental Orthodox churches,and the Assyrian churches.
Eastern Orthodoxy,otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity,is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity,alongside Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium,the mainstream Eastern Orthodox Church is organised into autocephalous churches independent from each other. In the 21st century,the number of mainstream autocephalous churches is seventeen;there also exist autocephalous churches unrecognized by those mainstream ones. Autocephalous churches choose their own primate. Autocephalous churches can have jurisdiction (authority) over other churches,some of which have the status of "autonomous" which means they have more autonomy than simple eparchies.
This is a sub-page for the Justification (theology) page.
John Meyendorff was a leading theologian of the Orthodox Church of America as well as a writer and teacher. He served as the dean of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in the United States until June 30,1992.
Christian Stephen Smith is an American sociologist,currently the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame. Smith's research focuses primarily on religion in modernity,adolescents and emerging adults,sociological theory,philosophy of science,the science of generosity,American evangelicalism,and culture. Smith is well known for his contributions to the sociology of religion,particularly his research into adolescent spirituality,as well as for his contributions to sociological theory and his advocacy of critical realism.
Peter Edward Gillquist was an American archpriest in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America and retired chairman of the archdiocese's department of missions and evangelism. He was chairman of Conciliar Press and the author of numerous books,including Love Is Now,The Physical Side of Being Spiritual and Becoming Orthodox. He also served as project director of the Orthodox Study Bible and,from 1997,served as the National Chaplain of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
John Chryssavgis is an Orthodox Christian theologian who serves as advisor to the Ecumenical Patriarch on environmental issues. He is a clergyman of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. In January 2012,he received the title of Archdeacon of the Ecumenical Throne by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. In 2016,he was awarded an honorary doctorate by St. Vladimir's Theological Seminary. In 2020,he was elected Honorary Professor of Theology in the Sydney College of Divinity.
Ecumenical meetings and documents on Mary,involving ecumenical commissions and working groups,have reviewed the status of Mariology in the Eastern Orthodox,Protestantism,and Roman Catholic Churches.
Frank Colvin Senn is an American liturgist and pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He served as pastor of five congregations:Gloria Dei in South Bend,Indiana,Fenner Memorial in Louisville,Kentucky (1975–77),Christ the Mediator in Chicago,Illinois (1981–86),Holy Spirit in Lincolnshire,Illinois (1986–90),and Immanuel in Evanston,Illinois.
Stephen Joseph Rossetti is an American Catholic priest,author,educator,licensed psychologist and expert on psychological and spiritual wellness issues for Catholic priests. He has appeared on such television shows as Meet the Press and Larry King Live. He served as president and CEO of Saint Luke Institute in Silver Spring,Maryland from 1996 to 2009 and as president from 2013 to 2014. In October,2009 Rossetti stepped down from this position and in January 2010,joined the faculty of The Catholic University of America to teach in the School of Theology and Religious Studies. Since 2009,he has also served as the chaplain of the Washington Nationals.
Brian Edward Daley,S.J. is an American Catholic priest,Jesuit,and theologian. He is currently the Catherine F. Huisking Professor of Theology (Emeritus) at the University of Notre Dame and was the recipient of a Ratzinger Prize for Theology in 2012.
A biblical canon is a set of texts which a particular Jewish or Christian religious community regards as part of the Bible.
Theosis,or deification,is a transformative process whose aim is likeness to or union with God,as taught by the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Church;the same concept is also found in the Latin Church of the Catholic Church,where it is termed "divinization". As a process of transformation,theosis is brought about by the effects of catharsis and theoria. According to Eastern Christian teachings,theosis is very much the purpose of human life. It is considered achievable only through synergy of human activity and God's uncreated energies.
Paul Nikolaevich Evdokimov was an Orthodox Christian theologian,professor at the St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute,and émigré.
Gilbert Meilaender is a prominent American Lutheran bioethicist and theologian. He is Senior Research Professor of Theology at Valparaiso University,and served on the President's Council on Bioethics from its founding in 2002 until its dissolution in 2009.
