Christianity

crèche

Crèche—“crib” in French—is the Christmas season display of the birth-scene of Jesus. It may be simple or elaborate, but always includes the parents, Joseph and Mary, and the crib—a manger for the feeding of cattle in a stable. In some folk traditions, the representation of the baby Jesus is added to the crib only on Christmas Eve.

Kingdom Hall

A Kingdom Hall is the name the Jehovah’s Witnesses give to their place of worship.

Paul VI

Pope Paul VI (1897-1978) was elected as successor to Pope John XXIII who died in 1963, right in the middle of the Second Vatican Council. Thus, Pope Paul VI was the overseer of the second, third, and fourth sessions of Vatican II. He was the first modern pope to travel widely (to Israel, India, the U.S., Uganda, Columbia, and East Asia) and the first pope ever to travel by air. He appointed several cardinals from churches in non-European countries. He also issued the controversial encyclical Humanae Vitae, which reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s ban on artificial contraception.

Amish

The Amish are Protestant Christians of Anabaptist origin, beginning in Europe in the late 16th century with commitment to the adult “believer’s” baptism and to pacifism. In the U.S., the Amish in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and other parts of the Midwest have maintained a strong sense of community and continue to insist on simplicity, rejecting the use of modern technology.

confession

In the Christian tradition, confession is the public or private acknowledgment of sin, which is said to separate human beings from God and from one another.

Jesus

(also: Jesus Christ; Christ) Jesus is the historical figure considered by Christians to be the Christ, the Messiah, whose life and teachings, death and resurrection give clear evidence of God’s love for humankind. Jesus was born shortly before the death of Herod the Great (d. 4 BCE) and died by crucifixion some thirty years later. Christians have always had many Christologies, or ways of articulating their understanding of Jesus Christ. Jesus is also understood by Muslims to be one of God’s prophets.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe is Mary who is said to have appeared as an Indian woman to an Indian peasant named Juan Diego in 1531. Her image—imprinted on his cloak—is considered confirmation of her miraculous appearance. It hangs above the altar in her great basilica in Mexico City. She has become a symbol of Mexican national identity in the United States as well as Mexico.

Vatican II

The Second Vatican Council was an historic council of Roman Catholic renewal called by Pope John XXIII to “open the windows” of the Church to the world of the 20th century. Meeting in Rome over the course of three years from 1962-65, the Council formulated major statements on the nature of the Church, its role in the modern world, its relation to other Christian churches, and its relation to non-Christian religions.

Christianity

Christianity is the religious tradition of Christians: those who confesses faith in Jesus Christ, follow the path Christ taught, and gather together in the community of the church.

Hutterites

The Hutterites are a Christian community of Anabaptists origins who acknowledge only the baptism of believers, not infants, and hold property in common. Founded in the 16th century in Moravia (Germany) by Jacob Hutter (d. 1536), they continue to live in self-sufficient communities in the U.S.

Trinity

The Trinity is the Christian doctrine of the three natures of the One God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The language of the Trinity bespeaks the complexity of God, who can be spoken of as the transcendent creator, the one who accompanies humanity as the Christ, and the one who is intimate and ever-present as Holy Spirit.

Calvinist

Calvinism is the tradition of Christian faith and practice developed by the 16th century reformer John Calvin (1509-64) who emphasized the sole authority of scripture, the omnipotence and sovereignty of God, human sinfulness, and salvation by faith alone.

Good Friday

Good Friday—the Friday before Easter—is the day observed by the Christian church as the day of Christ’s crucifixion. Christians keep this day in many ways: with prayer, fasting, or the veneration of the cross.

monk

A monk is a man who renounces worldly life and is ordinarily a member of a monastic order or community, thereby undertaking a special commitment to study, service, asceticism, prayer, or disciplined spiritual practice. In the Buddhist tradition, fully ordained monks are called bhikkhus, those who beg alms, depending upon the laity for their food and support. In the Jain tradition, ordained monks are called sadhus or holy ones; they traditionally live in close interaction with Jain laity, depending upon them for food and sustenance. In the Hindu tradition, a sannyasi is one who renounces... Read more about monk

resurrection

Resurrection means rising to life from the dead. In the Christian tradition, it refers specifically to the rising to life of Jesus after his death by crucifixion, signaling the expected resurrection of all who have died. Envisioning the resurrection of the dead at the end of time is a common theme in the Hebrew scriptures. The expectation of resurrection stands in contrast to the expectation of the soul’s reincarnation in many of the Indic religious traditions—Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain.

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