# Spiritual terms glossary This is a glossary of theology terms beyond the terms present outside [cults, heresies, and disagreements](people-conflicts-christian-why.md) or [Christian philosophy](glossary-philosophy-christian.md). Adoption - The state of God adopting a believer as His son, often discussed alongside justification, sanctification, and glorification Amillennial - The eschatological view that Revelation is not depicting a millennium of Christ's or Christian reign Angelology - The systematic theology branch that addresses what angels are Apophatic theology - aka negative theology, finding truths by affirming what things aren't, contrasts with cataphatic theology Apotheosis - aka divinization, the process of God's grace on man, contrasts with theosis, Western churches use the concept more Arminianism - The belief that humanity's free will is distinct from God's sovereignty, tends to exist as [compatibilism](glossary-philosophy.md), often emphasizes [spiritual gifts](spiritual-gifts.md) Atonement - establishing a decent relationship between two parties through reparations and agreement Bibliology - The systematic theology branch that addresses the Bible Calvinism - The belief that God is sovereign, can veer into [fatalism](glossary-philosophy.md) Cataphatic theology - aka affirmative theology, finding truths by affirming what things are, contrasts with apophatic theology Christology - The systematic theology branch that addresses God as Jesus Christ Christophany - A direct and personal encounter with Jesus Christ Church - Can refer to a specific group of believers, the entire politic of believers, or the institution made by the believers Communion - part of our spirit that holds a close personal connection with God and the rest of the Church Conscience - part of our spirit that holds a strong moral conviction about something Conviction - a reference by Christians to when the Holy Spirit morally affects someone's conscience Covenant theology - The theological view that God interacts with humanity based on [His covenants](people-contracts.md) He makes with humanity, contrasts with dispensationalism Demonology - The systematic theology branch that addresses fallen angels Dispensationalism - The theological view that there are seven distinct dispensations on how God interacts with humanity (Innocence, Conscience, Human Government, Promise, Mosaic, Grace, and [Kingdom/Millennium](https://theologos.site/millennium/)), contrasts with covenant theology Doxology - literally "glory word", a short hymn or speech giving praise to God (e.g., "Praise, honor, glory, and strength forever and ever to the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!" in Revelation 5:13) Ecclesia - The Greek word for Church Ecclesiology - The systematic theology branch that addresses the Church Eschatology - The systematic theology branch that addresses the end times and Jesus returning Evangelism - Literally "good messenger", various forms of sharing [the Gospel](https://theologos.site/gospel/) to the world Elect - The people who God has predestined for eternal life, most prominently shown in [Ephesians 1:4-6](https://biblehub.com/ephesians/1.htm) Father - the Person of the Godhead who is omniscient and omnipotent Futurism - The eschatological view that God's prophecies, especially in [John's Revelation](https://biblehub.com/revelation/1.htm), will happen in the future Gap creationism - An Old Earth creationism view that there were distinct gaps between each "day" in Genesis Glorification - The state of man being "glorified", which comes at the end after justification, regeneration, adoption, and sanctification, implied among all legitimate Christianity as a [post-mortem](hardship-death.md) experience God's glory - God's influence, reputation, or strength Gospel - The good news of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection and what it means Grace - In the Bible, refers to good things God gives when He didn't need to, contrast with mercy Harmatiology - The systematic theology branch that addresses sin Hermeneutics - The theory and method of interpreting what the Bible says Historicism - The view that God's prophecies, especially in [John's Revelation](https://biblehub.com/revelation/1.htm), are happening throughout history as clear eras and epochs Holy Spirit - the Person of the Godhead who is omnipresent and serves the will of the Father Idealism - the view that God's prophecies, especially in [John's Revelation](https://biblehub.com/revelation/1.htm), are allegorical and happen symbolically throughout history Imputation - transferring the judgment of sin from one individual to another, part of Levitical law, as well as Christ's work Intuition - part of our spirit that provides spiritual information the mind couldn't have acquired or inferred by outside events Justification - God's [legal status](legal-safety.md) regarding our eternal state, contrast with regeneration, sanctification, and atonement Levitical law - a Hebrew tribe descended from Levi who was responsible for maintaining the Jewish temple Kenosis - the theology surrounding how Jesus "emptied himself" Mariology - the systematic theology branch that addresses the Virgin Mary (but only for Catholics) Mercy - in the Bible, refers to bad things God doesn't give when He had every right to, contrast with grace Missiology - the systematic theology branch that addresses evangelism Old Earth creationism - aka Theistic Evolution, the belief that God created the universe over very long evolutionary periods, contrasts with Young Earth creationism Omnipotent - all-powerful, in reference to God Omnipresent - all-present, in reference to God Omniscient - all-knowing, in reference to God Orthopraxy - the systematic theology branch that addresses the correct way to behave and live as Christians Paterology - the systematic theology branch that addresses God as the Father Perichoresis - aka Circumincession, the relationship between the three persons of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) Pneumatology - the systematic theology branch that addresses God as the Holy Spirit Postmillennial - the futurist view that Jesus is coming back after a millennium of dominant Christian ethics throughout society, contrasts to premillennial and amillenial Predestination - God's knowledge ahead of time about where people will be in eternity, often refers to discussions and controversy about the elect Premillennial - the futurist view that Jesus is coming back to set up [a millennium of rule](https://theologos.site/millennium/), contrasts to postmillennial and amillennial Preterism - the view that God's prophecies, especially in [John's Revelation](https://biblehub.com/revelation/1.htm), are referring to things that have already happened (e.g., the fall of Rome) Propitiation - turning away punishment through an offering that makes peace Regeneration - God's work to build His elect into what He wants them to be, contrast with justification and sanctification Reconciliation - specific concept in the Bible referring to putting away a conflict Replacement theology - the belief that God will restore Israel as a nation and re-institute the sacrificial system demonstrated in the Old Testament, connected with dispensationalism and *not* part of covenant theology Sanctification - God setting apart something for a spiritual [purpose](purpose.md), implies [decisions](mind-decisions.md) on our end, contrast with justification and regeneration Son - the Person of the Godhead who serves the will of the Father, became human, and will inherit the universe Soteriology - the systematic theology branch that addresses how salvation works Systematic theology - a philosophically rigorous exploration of the various aspects of Christianity's beliefs Teleology - the systematic theology branch that addresses God's reasoning Theistic evolution - an Old Earth creationism view that God created the Earth across millions of years of evolution, with each "day" being a distinct era Theophany - a direct and personal encounter with God Theosis - aka deification, the process of man becoming unified with God, contrasts with apotheosis, Eastern churches use the concept more Theological anthropology - the systematic theology branch that addresses who people are with respect to God creating us Veneration/intercessory prayer - praying to saints or Mary, demarcated by Catholics but considered idolatry by Protestants Young Earth creationism - The belief that God created the universe in a relatively short period of time (i.e., days or years), contrasts with Old Earth creationism