EEK! Essential Episcopal Knowledge 301-400

301-What is the Aramaic word for Father or "Daddy" found in the New Testament?
A: Abba

301-What philosopher and theologian was known for his love relationship with Heloise?
A: Peter Abelard

303-In the parable of Jesus what is the bosom of Abraham a symbol of?
A: the afterlife dwelling of Lazarus

304-What is an acolyte?
A: a person who carries the torches in the liturgy and assists at the altar

304-In what city were followers of Jesus first called Christians?
A: Antioch

305-What prophet in the Acts of the Apostles predicted a famine?
A: Agabus

306-What are the three Greek words for love in the New Testament?
 A: Eros, Phileo, Agape

307-Which Greek word for love is divine love?
A: Agape

308-What is a person called who is uncertain about believing in God?
A: An agnostic

309-What is the Latin for Lamb of God which is also a name of a pre-Communion anthem?
A: agnus Dei

310-What Feast Day occurs on November 1st?
A: All Saints' Day

311-What is another older English name for All Saints' Day?
A: All Hallows' Day

312-What is the day before All Saints' called?
A: All Saints' Eve or All Hallows' Eve

313- What is the popular title for All Hallows' Eve
A:  Halloween

314-What is the church name for a gift for the poor?
A: an Alm

315-What is another name for the offering collection plate?
A: Alms basin

316-What is the name of the table used for Holy Eucharist?
A: Altar

317-Who was the prophet who took care of sycamore trees?
A: Amos

318-Who were the husband and wife who lied to Peter about giving their property to the Christian community?
A: Ananias and Sapphira

319-What happened to Ananias and Sapphira after they lied?
A: They fell dead

320-What does let them be "anthema" mean?
A: Let them be accursed

321-Who is Simon Peter's brother and the patron saint of Scotland?
A: St. Andrew

322-In what book does it refer to the seven angels of the churches?
A: The Book of Revelation

323-What is Anglicanism?
A: A term to characterize belief and practices of all of the churches in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury

324-What is Anglo-Catholicism often called?
A:  High Church meaning that some of the rituals and practices of Roman Catholicism are embraced

325-Who were Annas and Caiphas?
A: High Priests of the Temple during the time of Jesus

326-What does A.D. mean when referring to a year?
A: Anno Domini or in the year of the Lord

327-What has A.D. recently been changed to and why?
A: It has been changed to C.E. or Common Era to take into account that not all people in the world are Christians.

328-What is the Feast of the Annunciation?
A: It is a feast which commemorates on March 25 the announcement by the angel Gabriel that Mary would conceive and bear the Christ Child

329-What does apostle mean?
A: one who is sent and it refers to the companions of Jesus who were called and sent into ministry.

330-What is the Appian Way?
A: It is a famous road going into Rome

331-What is the Areopagus?
A: A location in Athens also called Mars Hill where St. Paul spoke with the Athenians about God.

332-What is Arianism?
A: belief system named after Arius who questioned the full divinity of Jesus

333-What Christian saint used the Greek philosopher Aristotle to write his theology?
A: St. Thomas Aquinas

 334-What is the first day of Lent called?
A: Ash Wednesday

335-What is the last day of the season of the Epiphany called?
A: Shrove Tuesday

336-What is another name for Shrove Tuesday?
A: Mardi Gras

337-Who is the saint associated with Italian city of Assisi?
A: St. Francis

338-What is Athanasius known for?
A: For helping to define the Trinity for the Council of Nicaea in 325

339-What do you call a person who does not believe in God?
A: Atheist

340-What does atonement mean?
A: it means at-one-ment with God and refers to how humanities' relationship with God was repaired by the death of Jesus on the cross

341-What are the two cities associated with two saints with the name of Augustine?
A: Hippo and Canterbury

342-Why is Augustine of Canterbury important for Anglicanism?
A: He was the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

343-What is Augustine of Hippo known for?
A: He was an important theologian with a famous conversion.

344-What are the titles of Augustine two most important writings?
A: "The City of God," and "The Confessions"

345-Who was the mother of Augustine of Hippo and why is she well known?
A: Monica, and she is known for praying for the conversion of her son when he was living a very non-Christian life.

346-What famous quote of St. Augustine is important for choirs?
A: Augustine said, "The one who sings prays twice."

347-What is an aumbry or tabernacle in the church?
A: They are cupboards or receptacles for holding holy oils and the reserved sacrament

348-What is the Ave Maria?
A-It is a common prayer used to pray to the Virgin Mary: Hail Mary, full of grace.  The Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.  Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.  This prayer is often used with Rosary Beads for personal and public devotional prayer.  This prayer has more widespread use in the Roman Catholic Church.  The Ave Maria has various musical settings and is often sung in Latin.

349-What is the scape goat of the Old Testament called?
A: Azazel, was a goat sent into the wilderness as a sin offering for the people

350-Who is Baal?
A: Baal, means Lord, and Baal was the god of some of the people in Canaan.

351-Where do we find Baal in the New Testament?
A: In the Gospels Baalzebub or Beelzebub is the devil or literally "lord of the flies"

352-What is the Babylonian Captivity?
A: It is when the many Jews were taken from their country into exile under King Nebuchadnezzar in 597 and 586 BCE

353-What does the word baptism mean?
A: It comes from a Greek word meaning to immerse.  It refers to the water rituals practiced by Jews and John the Baptist and Christians

354-Who are the Baptists?
A:  They are a group of Christians who since the early 17th century believed that baptism had to be chosen by an adult after professing belief in Christ as a public testimony of one's faith.  Typically, Baptists practice full immersion in water.

355-Who was Barabbas?
A: he is the prisoner that Pilate released from prison instead of Christ

356-Who was Barnabas?
A-Barnabas was a missionary companion of St. Paul.

357-Who was Bartimaeus?
A-A blind man mentioned in the Gospel of Mark who was healed by Jesus

358-What is a basilica?
A-basilica was large Roman buildings housing the gatherings of the Emperors and governors.  Today a basilica is a church with a special designation by Pope.

359-What does beatification mean?
A-when the pope designates that a holy person who has died can be venerated

360-Who was St. Thomas Becket?
A-He was an Archbishop of Canterbury who was murdered at Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 by some enemies.  His tomb at Canterbury Cathedral made this a popular place of pilgrimage.

361-What is the Venerable Bede best known for?
A: He lived in the 7th and 8th century and is known as the Father of English History

362-What is St. Benedict best known for?
A: He is known as the Father of Western monasticism.  The Rule of St. Benedict is the model written guideline for monastic life.

363-What religious order was founded by St. Benedict?
A:  The Benedictine Order

364-What is a religious Order?
A: It is an organized group of people who gather as monks or nuns to pray and they follow the rules of obedience, poverty and chastity.

365-What is a Benediction?
A: A benediction is a prayer of blessing often given by a bishop or priest at the conclusion of a liturgy.

365-What is the Benedictus?
A:  It is the Latin title name for the Prayer of Zecariah, the father of John the Baptist.  It is a Canticle in the Book of Common Prayer used for morning and evening prayer.

366-Who is Ben Sirach?
A: Ben Sirach is the author of the book of Ecclesiasticus in the Apocrypha portion of the Bible.

367-Who was nicknamed Boanerges, meaning "sons of thunder?"
A: James and John, disciples of Jesus who were sons of Zebedee the fisherman

368-Who is known as the apostle of Germany?
A: St. Boniface from the 7th and eighth century

369-What is the significance of the bronze serpent?
A: Moses raised the bronze serpent on the pole so the children of Israel could look at it and be healed of their snake bites.  Jesus said that the Son of Man would be lifted up, like Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.

370-What does Broad Church mean in Anglicanism?
A: It is compared with High Church and Low Church was a more liberal interpretation and practice of the Anglican faith

371-Who was the American Bishop who was a famous preacher and wrote the Christmas Carol, "O Little Town of Bethlehem?"
A: Bishop Phillips Brooks

372-Who was John Bunyan?
A: He was a preacher persecuted by the Anglican Church.  He wrote an allegory called, "Pilgrim's Progress" about growth in the Christian life.

373-What is a burse?
A: It is stiff squared hinged material used to keep the linen cloth on the altar called a corporal.  It is placed on top of the chalice on the altar.

374-What is a Caesar?
A:  Caesar was the title of the Roman Emperors

375-Who were the Caesars during time of Jesus?
A: Augustus and Tiberius

376-Why is Cesarea Philippi known in the Gospels?
A: It is place where Peter confessed Jesus to be the Messiah.

377-Who was the Jewish High Priest before whom Jesus was tried?
A: Caiphas

378-What two calendars have been used during Christian history?
A: The Julian and the Gregorian Calendar

379-Why does the Western Church have a different date for Christmas than many of the Eastern Orthodox churches?
A: Some Orthodox Churches still use the Julian calendar.

380-What does Calvary and Golgotha mean?
A: Place of the skull, where Jesus was crucified

381-What is one of the known views of the Protestant theologian John Calvin?
A: Absolute predestination meaning God choose some person beforehand for salvation or for damnation

382-What are the two best known universities in England?
A: Oxford and Cambridge

383-What are the different uses of the word "canon" in the church?
A: 1-a list of books included in the Bible. 2-a title of a clergy person associated with a cathedral, 3-or an honorary title given to person of exemplary service 4-Canon Laws are special laws which pertain to church rules rather than secular rules, 5-Canon of the Mass, is the Eucharistic Prayer which begins after singing the "Holy, Holy, Holy."

384-What does canonization mean in the Roman Catholic Church?
A:  It is process of certifying whether a particular exemplary heroic Christian is worthy of the official title "saint" after he or she dies

385- How does the Episcopal Church recognize saints?
A: through a proposal process which ends by a vote at the General Convention to add a person to our calendar of saints now called "A Great Cloud of Witnesses."

386-Why is Canterbury an important place?
A: The first Archbishop of Canterbury, Augustine established his first church in Canterbury which became the Cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury 

387-What is a Canticle?
A: It is a song or prayer which is not a Psalm which is used in the liturgy of the church

388-What is a cantor?
A: A cantor is the musical liturgical leader in a synagogue.  In the church a cantor is one who leads the intoned portions of the liturgies.

389-What is liturgy?
A:  Liturgy refers to the prayer and worship forms used by the church and specified in the Book of Common Prayer for convening public worship

390-What is important about the town of Capernaum?
A: It is a town near the Sea of Galilee in the area where Jesus of Nazareth was born and raised.  Capernaum became a center for the ministry of Jesus after he was rejected by the people of his hometown.

391-What is a Cardinal?
A: A Cardinal is a papal appointment to the group who gather to select a new pope from among themselves.  The Anglican Church and The Episcopal Church do not have Cardinals.

392-What are the cardinal virtues?
A: prudence, temperance, fortitude and justice.

393- What are the theological virtues?
A: faith, hope and charity

394-What is the "love chapter" in the Bible?
A: First Corinthians 13

395-"Now faith, hope and love abide, these three;  and the greatest of these is love."  Where do we find this quote and who wrote it?
A: First Corinthians 13:13, written by St. Paul.

396-What happened on Mount Carmel?
A: Elijah the prophet had a contest with the prophets of the god Baal

397-Who are two of most famous saints of the Carmelite religious order from Spain?
A: Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross

398-What is a Carol?
A: a song of joy accompanying a dance but now used to refer to the seasonal songs of Advent and Christmas

399-Who are the Caroline Divines?
A: A group of theologian who wrote during the reigns of Charles the I and II.  Carolus is the Latin word for Charles

400-What is a cassock?
A: It is a long colored robe worn by priests and deacons and by choir members and by acolytes, often black but they can vary in color.

EEK! Essential Episcopal Knowledge 401-500

EEK!  Essential Episcopal Knowledge 401-500

401-What is moral reasoning called when principles of right and wrong are applied to an actual situation?
A: Casuistry

402-What were the underground tombs of early Christians called which also had some early Christian art?

A: Catacombs

403-What is the official church name for instruction given for baptism and confirmation?

A: Catechesis

404-What is a person called who is preparing for baptism or confirmation?

A: Catechumen or Confirmand

405-What does "cathedra" refer to?

A: It is the chair or throne of a bishop in the main church of a bishop called a cathedral

406-What does it mean when the Pope speaks "ex cathedra" or "from the chair?"

A: It means he is making a formal or official pronouncement on a matter of Roman Catholic faith and practice which the Roman Catholic Church regards to be infallible.

407-What does the word catholic mean?

A: It means general or universal from a Greek word, "katholikos"

408-What are the Catholic Epistles in the New Testament?

A:  They are the letters written to a general audience and not to a specific location such as the letters of Paul which were written to the churches in certain locations.  James, 1 and 2 Peter and Jude are Catholic Epistles

409-Who is the patron saint of Church music?

A: St. Cecilia, an early martyr of the church

410-What is the practice and calling of celibacy?

A: Celibacy is living an unmarried life as a priest or member of a religious order.  A person takes a vow of chastity in order to be devoted to prayer and ministries of the church.  The Roman Catholic church has mandatory celibacy for priests and members of religious orders.

411-In the liturgy of the church what does ceremonial mean?

A:  It means the actions which accompany the words of the liturgy.

412-What is the formal name for the cup used at Communion?

A: Chalice

413-What is the covering placed upon the chalice at the altar called?

A: The Veil or Chalice Veil

414-In some older churches what is the area in front of the altar called?

A: The Chancel; it was the place where the choir and servers would be seated.   Chancel also might be called the "sanctuary."

415-What is the legal representative of a bishop and diocese called?

A: A Chancellor

416-What is a worship space called at a hospital or at a school, college or university?

A: Chapel;  chapel is often used to designate a second and smaller worship place on a church campus

417-Why are certain persons in various churches called charismatics?

A: "charismata" comes from the Greek meaning a gift of grace, and it has come to be used to designate Christians who exercise certain ecstatic gifts of the Spirit such as speaking in an unknown tongue.  Charismatics are also called Pentecostals, after the feast of Pentecost when the apostles spoke in other tongues.

418-Who was Charlemagne?

A: Charles the Great who was the first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, from the year 800

419-Why is the King Charles I important in Anglican history?

A: In the identity of Anglicanism as both Protestant and Catholic, King Charles encouraged more influence from Anglican Roman Catholic heritage.  An English Civil War ensued and he was beheaded in 1649 for defending the church.  He is regarded to be a martyr for his death defending the church.

420-What is the outer most garment worn by the priest or bishop who celebrates the Eucharist?

A: Chasuble, it derived from an out door cloak worn by both men and women in the late Greco-Roman world.  It is shaped something like what we call a "pancho" today.

421-What is a cherubim?

A: It is the highest of the nine orders of angels.

422-What is a choir?

A: It is a group of singer.  It is the place in the church where the singer sit, often the same area called the chancel.

423-What is the oil used at baptism and confirmation called?

A: Chrism, and it is a mixture of olive and balsam and is blessed by a bishop during Holy Week and distributed to the clergy of the diocese.

424-What does the word "Christ" mean?

A: It is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word for Messiah.  Christos, and it means Anointed one.

425-What day is the Feast of Christ the King?

A: It occurs on the last Sunday of the season of Pentecost, the Sunday before the First Sunday of Advent

426-What is Christmas?

A: It means Christ Mass, and it is the feast for celebrating the birth of Christ

427-What is the study of the nature of Jesus Christ called?

A: Christology

428-Why do persons wear St. Christopher medals?

A: St. Christopher was a legendary saint who is associated with safety in travel and who  supposedly carried the Christ Child safely across a river.

429-What are the Books of Chronicles?

A: They are books in the Hebrew Scriptures which record the history of the people of Israel, through the divided kingdom and the return from the exile with Cyrus the Great of Persia.

430-Who was St. John Chrysostom?

A:  He was a famous bishop, preacher and theologian who was Bishop of Constantinople in the fourth and early fifth century.  A prayer of John Chrysostom is included in Morning Prayer of the Book of Common Prayer.

431-What does "church" mean and where did the word come from?

A: It is the English word which translates the Greek word, "ekklesia" which meant a gathering or congregation or a political ward.  Church refers to the gathering of Christians and also to the buildings used for the Christian gatherings.

432-What is the Church of England?

A: In ancient times, it could refer to the early Christians in the United Kingdom.  Now it refers to the Church in England headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.  It sometimes is called in short hand, the C of E.  If an Episcopalian is in England, he or she would be able to receive communion in the C of E.

433-What is the vessel used to contain the special bread for communion?

A: Ciborium

434-What is the religious significance of circumcision?

A: It is a requirement for Jewish males which derives from the story of Abraham.  Jewish boys or male converts to Judaism undergo circumcision as a way of marking their religious identity.  When the Christian message came to non-Jewish people, St. Paul and other Christian leaders did not require Gentile Christian males to become circumcised.

435-Who are the "Poor Clares?"

A: They are an order of nuns founded by St. Clare, who was influenced by the life of St. Francis of Assisi.

435-Who is Cleopas in the Gospel of Luke?

A: He was one of the travelers on the Road to Emmaus who experienced an appearance of the Risen Christ.

436-What is a cloister?

A: covered arcade or porch that are located along a church building or the other buildings of a church or monastery campus.

436-What is a Coadjutor-Bishop?

A- A bishop who is elected to become the successor of a bishop when the bishop retires.

437-What is a Collect in the liturgy?

A:  A Collect is a special prayer which takes into account the occasion of the prayer and also the special subject matter and intention expressed in the prayer.

438-What does receiving communion in or under both kinds mean?

A: It means receiving both the bread and the wine at Communion.  In some churches, members only receive the communion bread.

439-What is a conclave?

A:  It is when the Cardinals are isolated in a gathering to elect a new pope.

440-What is a biblical concordance?

A: It is a book which lists all of the words of the Bible in alphabetical order and gives the biblical reference for each word.

441-What does the seal of Confession mean?

A: It means a priest who hears a confession cannot under any circumstances reveal the content of a confession.

442-What is a confessor?

A: A priest who hears private confessions.

443-What does Congregationalism mean?

A: It is a form of church governance when a local church gathering has independent authority for its own governance.  The Episcopal Church has bishops and we call our form of governance episcopal, and we are not "congregational" even though each parish is called a congregation or gathering.

445-What is the meaning of conscience?

A: Conscience is the inner knowledge of what is right and wrong.

446-What is the meaning of consecration?

A: Consecration means setting apart of something or someone in an act of dedication to God.  A person is consecrated for ministry in the church.  Bread and wine are consecrated for Holy Communion.

447-What is the Prayer of Consecration?

A:  It is part of the Eucharistic Prayer after the "Holy, Holy, Holy" and ends with the Great Amen before saying the Lord's Prayer.

448-Why was Constantine the Great important in Christian history?

A: He was a Roman Emperor who recognized that Christianity was growing in the Roman Empire and he chose to unite the Christian religion with the Roman State.  He called the first Church Council of Nicaea, a gathering of bishops from around the world.  They met to standardize the beliefs and practices of the Christian faith.  The Nicene Creed derived from the Council of Nicaea.

449-What is the importance of Constantinople?

A: It was the capital city for the Emperor Constantine when the Roman Empire was centered in the East.  It is the modern city of Istanbul in Turkey.

450-What is a Church Council?

A: The Church Councils were the gatherings of bishops from the church around the Roman Empire to vote on the creed, doctrines, and practices of the church.  Famous Councils took place in Nicaea and Constantinople (3 councils).

450-What does the word consubstantial mean?

A: It is used to speak about the equal relationship between members of the Trinity, and was used at the council of Nicaea.

451-What does consubstantiation mean when speaking about the consecrated bread and wine at the Eucharist?

A: It means that the bread and wine is both bread and wine and the body and blood of Christ at the same time, just as a piece of iron heated in fire is both iron and fire at the same time.  This was the understanding of the Eucharist by Martin Luther.

452-What is the meaning of contemplation?

A: It is a type of silent prayer different from meditation in that words are not used as one's attention is focused upon God.

453-What is the Contemplative life and what is a contemplative?

A: It is a life devoted to prayer, often the life of people who enter the religious life of a monastery or convent.  A contemplative is a monk or nun or some person who devotes their lives to a special life of prayer.

454-What is a convent?

A: It refers to the residence and campus of women in religious life called sisters or nuns.

455-What is the Feast Day for St. Paul called and when is it?

A: It is called the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul and is observed on January 23rd.

456-What is the vestment called a cope used for?

A:  It is an outer cloak used for service when a celebrant is not wearing Eucharistic vestments.  It sometimes is worn as a cape over the chasuble except during the Eucharistic prayer.

457-How did Nicolas Copernicus change Christian theology?

A: he was the father of modern astronomy and found that the sun and not the earth was the center of our solar system.

458-What does Coptic mean in Christianity?

A: Coptic are the ancient Christians of Egypt who spoke the Coptic language.  Many Christian documents were written and translated into Coptic and have been preserved.  The Coptic Church is a continuing Church in Egypt where their pope resides.

459-What is the importance of the city of Corinth for Christianity?

A: It was an important Roman city where St. Paul founded a church.  He wrote two letters to the Christians in Corinth, First and Second Corinthians.  These letters are part of the New Testament in the Christian Bible.

460-What does the word corporal mean in the church?

A: It comes from the Latin, "corpus" meaning body.  It is the square linen cloth/napkin on which the chalice and paten at Eucharist are placed on the altar.

461-What does "Corpus Christi" mean?

A: It means Body of Christ in Latin.  A celebrant in administering communion says, "The body of Christ, the bread of heaven."

462-What is the cosmological argument for the existence of God?

A: It states that in a chain of causes there must be a First Cause and God is that First Cause.

463-What does cosmology mean in the Christian religion?

A: It means one's over all view of the world, for example, a flat earth with a domed sky is the what describes much of biblical cosmology.

464-What is a cotta?

A: It is a short white surplice or white garment worn over a cassock by acolytes, choir members and persons who serve at the altar.

465-What are the Counsels of Perfection?

A: They are the rule of life for members of monastic communities who take vows beyond the 10 Commandments, with vows of obedience, poverty and chastity.  They obey their superiors, they do not own property and they do not get married.

466-What is the Counter-Reformation?
A: This was a reform movement within the Roman Catholic Church at about the same time as the Protestant Reformation and dealt with abuses in the church.  The reforms of the Counter Reformation were defined in the Council of Trent in 1562-1563.

467-What is a covenant and how is the notion of covenant significant in biblical faith?
A: Covenant expresses a bond and relationship with God based upon understanding the requirements that God makes upon humanity and the vows of loyalty within the relationship between God and humanity.  Covenant is another name for Testament as in Old Testament and New Testament.

468-Who was Thomas Cranmer and why is he important in Anglican history?
A: Thomas Cranmer was a priest who was selected by King Henry VIII to be Archbishop of Canterbury.  He issued annulments for King Henry's marriages.  He is responsible for editing and writing the First Book of Common Prayer.  When Mary Tudor ascended the throne, he was arrested and eventually burned at the stake in 1556.

469-What does creation mean?
A: Creation is the belief that this universe in some way was brought into being by God.  The creation story is found in the first chapters of the Book of Genesis.

470-What is a credence table?
A: A small table near the altar to hold the bread, wine, lavabo bowl and other accessories for Holy Eucharist.


471-What is a Creed?
A: A creed is a statement of Christian belief, a summary of the main points of Christian doctrine.   The Episcopal Church uses the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed.

472-What is the meaning of cremation?
A:  Cremation is the respectful deposition of the body of a dead person by reducing it to ashes.  At times some churches have forbidden the practice of cremation because of belief in the resurrection of the body.  The Episcopal Church permits cremation as a mode of deposing a person's body after death.

473-Who is Oliver Cromwell and what is his significance in Anglican history?
A: He was a Member of Parliament who led a Civil War against the monarchy.  He signed the death warrant for Charles I.  He was made the Lord Protectorate and he significantly remodeled the Church of England along Puritan Lines.

474-What is a crosier?
A:  It is a crook-shape staff carried by a bishop and a symbol of the bishop's role as chief shepherd.

475-What is a crucifix?
A: A crucifix is a cross which bears the image of the body of the crucified Jesus.

476-What is crucifixion?
A:  This refers to a method of capital punishment practiced by the Romans.  It was done as public spectacle to discourage any rebellion or insurrection against the Roman authorities.

477-What are cruets?
A:  Cruets are vessels of glass or metal used to hold wine and water for the Eucharist.

478-What were the Crusades?
A:  These were series of military adventures by Christians undertaken to recover the Holy Lands from the control of the Muslims.  They took place at various times from the 11th through the 13th centuries.  Those who carried out the Crusades often lost the original purpose.  Crusade is used as a word today to speak of an expedition given blessing by church officials.  Crusades were the Christian version of "holy wars" which is why it is an offensive term today for Muslims.

479-What is a Crypt?
A:  It is a burial vault beneath a church.

480-What is the curia?
A:  It is the papal court; those who function to carry out the tasks of the Vatican for the Roman Catholic Church.

481-What is a Customary?
A:  It is a document which lists the local requirements, standards or preferences of a bishop or ecclesiastical body.

482-What is Cyrillic and how is it connected to a Saint of the Church?
A: Cyrillic is the alphabet of the Slavonic peoples of the Eastern Orthodox Church.  It derived from St. Cyril who along with St. Methodius was an Apostles of the Slavic peoples.

483-What is a Dalmatic?
A:  A dalmatic is a tunic of the color of the season or feast, which is worn by a deacon over the alb for the Eucharist.

484-What is the significance of the ancient city of Damascus?
A: It was the ancient capital of Syria.  It was the place Saul of Tarsus was traveling to when he had his amazing conversion experience.

485-What was the prophet Daniel known for?
A:  He could interpret dreams; he had visions about what was going to happen and he was thrown into a lion's den but he survived.

486-What was Dante known for?
A: He was an Italian poet who wrote an epic poem The Divine Comedy, tracing the journey of the soul through life and the afterlife.

487-What is the period of history called "The Dark Ages?"
A: It is the period beginning in the 5th century until the 11 century, the time of the decay of classical culture until the time of the Renaissance.

488-What is Darwinism?
A:  It is another name for the theory of evolution which was put forward by Charles Darwin.

489-Who was the idealized model King for the notion of the Messiah?
A: King David

490-What is a deaconess?
A: Deaconesses were women in the early church who had specific ministries of service.  In the Episcopal Church women can be ordained as deacons and the deaconess designation is obsolete.

491-Why did and do Christians say prayers for the Dead?
A:  Because the belief in the resurrection means that there is still progression in faith made in the afterlife and just as we pray for the betterment of the living, we continue to do so after they die.  Beliefs about a journey in the afterlife centered on what was called Purgatory or the progression of those who had not attained a more perfect relationship with God.

492-Where is the Dead Sea?
A: it is an inland sea to the South East of Palestine.  It is the lowest lake below sea level and the River Jordan flows into it.  It is not mentioned in the New Testament.

493-What are the Dead Sea Scrolls?
A: These are scrolls found in cave near the Dead Sea.  They come from the century before Christ and were placed there by a religious community.  The collection include the Books of the Old Testament, some commentaries on the Hebrew Scriptures and writings about the practices and beliefs of the religious community who placed them in the caves to preserve them.  The scrolls were discovered from 1947-1956 and were written in Hebrew and Aramaic.


494-What is a Decade in the practice of prayer?
A: A decade is a group of ten bead on a Rosary.

495-What is the Jewish Feast of Dedication?
A: It began in 165 B.C.E. to commemorate the purification of the Temple.  It was an eight day feast and is celebrated by lighting a lamp called a menorah.  It is also called the Feast of Lights, or Hanukkah.

496-Who has the title "Fidei Defensor," what does it mean and who received it in the English church?
A: It means Defender of the Faith and it was given by Pope Leo X to Henry VIII and it continues to be one of the titles of the English Monarch.

497-What is the meaning of Deism?
A: Deism is like Theism in that it refers to the belief in God.  Deism came to be associated with a belief in Natural Religion.  Deists often were those who believed that God wound up the world like a clock and set in motion the natural laws but God does not intervene to contradict the natural laws.  Many of the early American Revolution leaders, like Thomas Jefferson and even George Washington were thought to be those who were Deists.

498-What does "Deo gratias" mean?
A: Thanks be to God in Latin, which is response to the reading of Scripture and the dismissal.

499-What does De Profundis mean?
A: It means "out of the depths" in Latin and refers to Psalm 130 which begins in Latin with "De profundis."

500-What does the Ascent of Christ into Hell mean?
A:  It is a belief that in his death Jesus traveled to the afterlife where souls waited to hear the Gospel.

EEK! Essential Episcopal Knowledge 501-600

501: What Jesuit trained philosopher wrote, "Cogito, ergo sum," meaning "I think, therefore I exist?"
A: René  Descartes

502-What does determinism mean?
A: It means in cause and effect there is no room for free will or freedom.

503-What does Deutero-Isaiah mean?
A: It refers to the portions of the book of Isaiah which scholars think were not written by Isaiah.

504-What is the book of Deuteronomy?
A:  It is the fifth book of the Pentateuch and Torah.  It has its name from being a "repetition" of the law and it is a restatement of much of what is found in the first four books of the Bible.  It probably is a re-editing of biblical material at a later period, perhaps the time of King Joash.

505-Who is the Devil?
A: He is the "accuser" and a fallen angel who is known in the Bible and tradition as the personification of evil.

506-What is the Jewish Diaspora?
A: It refers to the various dispersion, deportation and exiles of Jews from Palestine to various parts of the world.  In their dispersions the Jews maintained their community identities.

507-What is the Didache?
A:  It is a very early Christian document which did not get selected for the Bible.  It contains early Christian teaching and a prayer for the Eucharist.

508-Who was Didymus?
A: Didymus means "twin" and it is another name for St. Thomas the apostle, also called "doubting Thomas."

509-What does "Dies Irae" mean?
A:  It means "Day of Wrath" and was the opening words of the Mass for the Dead.  It is known today more for the music composed for this Mass by the great composers.

510-What does Diocletian refer to?
A:  The time of the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletianus, (282-313).  He was known for his persecution of Christians.

511-Who was Dionysius the Areopagite?
A: A convert to the Christian faith by St. Paul, mentioned in Acts 17:34.

512-What is a Dirge?
A:  A traditional name for the Office of the Dead.  It is used today as a reference to something sad and slow.

513-What does it mean if a member of a religious order is discalced?
A:  it refers to the requirement to wear sandals.  Some of the Franciscans are Discalced.

514-What does the term "dispensation" mean in the canon law of the church?
A:  It means one has permission not to follow a church law or discipline.  For example, a woman expecting a child or a sick person may have a "dispensation" to eat during a required fast.

515-What was the Dissolution of the monasteries?
A: It was a monastic reform particularly done by Henry VIII to close down monasteries and find other uses for their vast property holdings.  The Act of Dissolution occurred in 1536.

516-What does the Divine Right of Kings mean?
A: It is the belief that a King or monarch and the hereditary line has divine authority to be the monarch.  This practice has been articulated in different ways by various ruling families in England and in other ancient societies.

517-What does divorce mean in practice of the church?
A: Remarriage in the church has not always been permitted in the history of the church.  The Episcopal Church requires a remarriage petition for previously divorced persons who seek to be married in the church.  The Roman Catholic church has a canonical process of what they call annulment of a marriage.  Annulments state the conditions which did not make a marriage valid.

518-What does the word Dogma mean?
A:  Dogma refers to a religious truth established by revelation and defined by the church.

519-Who was Saint Dominic and why was he important?
A: He was the founder of the Dominican religious order, the Order of Friar Preacher.  He died in the 12th century. 

520-What does the Latin, "Dominus Vobiscum"  mean?
A: It is the liturgical salutation, "The Lord be with you."

521-What is the document the Donation of Constantine?
A: It was a forged document from the 8th or 9th century which purported that Constantine conferred on the Pope of Rome a primacy over the other Bishops of the church.

522-What is Donatism?
A:  Donatism is a heresy or a departure from "official" or orthodox belief.  The Donatist believed that the "sins" of the clergy made their ministry invalid.  The Donatists were a break away (schismatic) group in the African church in the early 4th century.

523-Who was John Donne and what poetic  line is he famous for?
A:  he was a poet and the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London who lived 1573-1631.  He wrote the poem entitled with the first line, "No man is an Island."

524-What is the meaning of Doxology?
A: It is words used to praise the Trinity and can be seen in the hymn "Praise God from whom all blessings flow" which is often used at the presentation of the offerings at Holy Eucharist.  It is also the section which ends the Eucharistic prayer before the great Amen.

525-What does Dualism mean?
A: It means a distinct separation of Mind and Matter.  It also can refers to systems of belief which hold Good and Evil to be divided and equal.  Ancient religions of Zorastrianism and Manichaeism are often called Cosmic Dualism systems of belief.

526-What did the Venerable Bede say the English word Easter came from?
A: He said it was connected with the Anglo-Saxon spring goddess Eostre

527-What is the church office of "elder?"
A:  It is an office in the Presbyterian Church something like a vestry member in The Episcopal Church

528-What is the Elevation in the Holy Eucharist?
A:  It is the lifting of the bread and wine by the celebrant during the prayer of consecration at the Eucharist.

529-What does the prophet Elijah share with the man named Enoch?
A:  they both were "translated" without death into the afterlife; God took Enoch and Elijah rode to heaven on a chariot of fire.

530-Which daughter of King Henry VIII had a very long reign as Queen of England and was responsible for the solidifying of the Church of England?
A: Elizabeth I

531-What does the word "Elohim" mean?
A:  It is the Hebrew plural for "gods" but is used in the Hebrew Scripture as a name for God.

532-For whom is the title "eminence" used?
A: a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church

533-What does the word Emmanuel mean?
A:  It means "God with us" and comes from the book of Isaiah in writing about a promised person who would come.  It is a name used by Christians for Jesus Christ.

534-What is an Encyclical?
A: it is an official letter from a bishop to the church in an area but more recently it refers to a papal encyclical within the Roman Catholic Church

535-What is Ephesians?
A: It is the name of an Epistle of Paul to the church in Ephesus.

536-What great temple was located in the large city of Ephesus?
A: A temple dedicated to the goddess Diana

537-What does the Aramaic phrase "Ephphata" mean?
A: It is command that Jesus gave in healing a deaf person.  It means "be open!"

538-What is the Epiclesis?
A: it is an invocation of the Holy Spirit found in the sacramental rites.  A celebrant blesses the bread and wine asking that God's Spirit descend upon them

539-What does Epiphany mean?
A: Epiphany means "manifestation" or the making of Christ known and is associated with the Baptism of Jesus and how Christ became known to the Gentiles.  Epiphany is a Feast Day on January 6th, and it is a day which is the beginning of a season of the same name.

540-What is an Epistle?
A: An epistle is a letter.  It is a section of the New Testament read from during the Eucharistic liturgy.  Many of the New Testament writings are letters.

541-What is the study of things which pertain to the biblical writings about the future destiny of humanity in this world?
A:  eschatology or the study of last things

542-Who were the Essenes?
A: They were a Jewish monastic sect before the time of Christ who lived near the Dead Sea.

543-What is the book of Esther about?
A: It is a story about a Jewish princess who wins the favor of a Persian Emperor and who intercedes to save the Jewish people from persecution.  It is basis for the Jewish feast of Purim.

544-What is eternal life?
A: it refers both to endless life and the spiritual quality of life which a person can know

545-What was Eusebius, Bishop of the Caesarea in the 3rd and 4th century known for?
A:  he is the Father of Church History and he is the source for our knowledge of early Church history

546-What does Evangelical mean?
A: evangelical refers to the preaching of the Gospel; it refers to Christians who regard it to be an obligation to share the message of Christ to as many people as possible.

547-What is an evangelist?
A: In the New Testament it refers to a travelling missionary.  The writers of the four Gospels are also referred to as the four evangelists.

548-Who was the first woman and how was she created?
A: her name was Eve and she was created from one of the ribs of Adam

549-What is Evensong?
A:  it is Evening Prayer done with chant and music

550-What does excommunication mean?
A: it is a church discipline when a priest or bishop prohibits a person from receiving communion because of degree of severity of one's sinful acts.  In general it means to exclude one from one group or fellowship

551-What is exegesis?
A: It is attempt to explain biblical texts through rules of interpretation.  In exegesis, a student of the Bible tries to understand who wrote a biblical book, where it was written and whom it was originally written for.

552-What is the general theme of the book of Exodus?
A:  Exodus refers to the people of Israel being led by Moses out of the land of Egypt and wandering in the wilderness.  It also includes the account of Moses receiving the law on Mount Sinai.

553-What does exorcism mean?
A:  it refers to the casting out of demons or unclean spirits of people who suffered from uncontrollable inner forces.  Jesus is presented and shown to be one who knew how to calm the hearts of people and release them from inner compulsive forces.

554-What is the Exultet?
A: it is a song of praise sung by the deacon at the Easter Vigil after the new Paschal Candle has been lit and put in place for the Easter Season

555-Who was Ezra?
A: Ezra was a priest and a scribe who helped reform Judaism when he led Jews given permission to return to Jerusalem from their exile in Persia in the 5th or 4th century before Christ.  The record of his life is found in the book of Ezra and Nehemiah of the Hebrew Scriptures.

556-What does the word "faith" mean?
A:  The Greek word for faith is "pistos" and it refers to what one believes or is persuaded about.  Faith can be used broadly to mean "religion" as in the Christian Faith.  Faith is said to be a gift of God and a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

557-What is the "Fall?"
A: Fall refers to the event recorded in the book of Genesis when Eve and Adam were tempted by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit and began the "Fall" from the state of original innocence because they disobeyed God.  The Fall is used to explain why there is sin in this world.

558-What is a fast, fasting and Fast Day?
A: A fast is the special discipline of not eating food or ceasing regular activities for the purposes of religious devotion.  In the Episcopal Church there are two official Fast Days, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

559-Why are priests called Father?
A: It was a custom in the Roman Catholic church to call bishop and priests, fathers, in their roles as the head of diocesan or parish families.  It is not used as a title for priests in all Anglican Churches but is common in places in the Anglican Church.

560-What does Fathers of the Church refer to?
A: It refers to certain group of bishops in the early church who helped define the practices of Christianity.  In church history the study of the Church Fathers is call Patristics.

561-Why is "filioque" significant to the Western and Eastern Churches?
A: "filioque" means "and the Son" which was added by the Western Church version of the Nicene Creed.  "I believe in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son."  The Eastern Church do not use the "filioque" and they cite this as one of the reason for the separation of the Eastern and Western Churches.

562-What is the firmament?
A: it refers to the sky dome on which the sun, moon and star rise and set found in the Creation Story.

563-Why is the Fish seen as a symbol of Christianity?
A:  the letters of the Greek word meaning fish formed an acronym for Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. 

564-What is the Flight into Egypt?
A:  It records the sudden trip which Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus took to Egypt when Herod was killing the babies in Bethlehem.

565-What is the Flood?
A:  The flood is recorded in the book of Genesis and is the result of rain falling for forty days.  Noah, his family and pairs of animals were spared in the flood by taking refuge in a large boat called an ark.

566-When is foot-washing done in the liturgy?
A: It is done on Maundy Thursday in Holy week as a remembrance of what Jesus did for his disciple when he gave the new commandment to "love one another" and show through service to one another.

567-What is the Fraction in the Eucharist?
A: The Fraction is when the celebrant breaks the Eucharistic Bread after the saying of the Lord's Prayer.

568-What is a Friar?
A:  It is the title of one of the brothers in one of the religious orders, particularly the Franciscans, the Dominicans and the Carmelites.

569-What is the Christian group called the Society of Friends?
A:  It is a group founded by George Fox in 1688 and it is often better known as the Quakers.

570-What is a Frontal?
A: A frontal is a decorative cloth which hangs on the front of an altar.

571-What is meant by the word Fundamentalism?
A: Fundamentalism refers to a group of Protestant churches in the united states who made the literal inerrancy of the Bible its main belief including literal beliefs about the biblical story of creation.  It arose in part,  as a response to evolutionary theories of Charles Darwin.

572-Which Archangel appeared to both the Virgin Mary and to Zechariah?
A: The Angel Gabriel

573-What is the Epistle to the Galatians?
A:  It is a letter attributed of St. Paul and it is included in the books of the New Testament.

574-Why is Galilee important in New Testament geography?
A: Galilee is a district in Northern Palestine and it includes the location of the place where Jesus was raised and it was here where Jesus began his ministry.  Important towns in Galilee are Nazareth, Bethsaida, Magdala and Capernaum.  Many of the towns are located close to the Sea of Galilee.

575-Who was Galileo and why was he important?
A-He was an Italian astronomer in the 16th and 17th century who was confined by the Roman Catholic Church for writing in agreement with the heliocentric view of the solar system.

576-Who is Gamaliel?
A- He was a famous Rabbi during the time of the early church who was a teacher of St. Paul.  He is shown to be tolerant of early Christians, saying if the message of Christ was worthy and valid its success could not be challenged.

577-What is the Garden of Eden?
A- It is the first location of the Bible Story, a place where the newly created Adam and Eve lived.

578-What is the Garden of Gethsemane known for?
A-It was a garden near Jerusalem where Jesus and his disciples were praying before Jesus was seized by the soldiers for his trial and crucifixion.  In this Garden Jesus prayed while his disciples fell asleep.

579-What is Gehenna?
A- Gehenna is the Greek word for the Valley of Hinnom.  It was called the Valley of Slaughter and is used as the metaphorical word for the English word, hell, the abode of punishment in the afterlife. 

580-What is the first book of the Bible?
A-  Genesis, and it begins with the story of creation.

581-What is another name for the Sea of Galilee?
A-  Gennesaret

582-What does the word Gentiles mean?
A-  It is the Latin word "gentiles" translating a Greek word which means "nations" or "Greeks."  In common use it means non-Jewish.

583-What is the liturgical gesture genuflexion?
A- It is a momentary kneeling on the right knee as a gesture of reverence for the Reserved Sacrament, the consecrate dbread from the Eucharist signifying the presence of Christ.

584-Who is the patron saint of England and what mythical creature is he associated with?
A-St. George and the legends have him slaying a dragon

585-What is the Gloria in Excelsis?
A- It is the Latin for Glory in the Highest.  It was the song of the angels who greeted the shepherds in announcing the birth of Christ.  It is the name of a hymn of praise which has become associated with the Holy Eucharist and is used exclusively on Major feasts of our Lord.

586-What does Gloria Patri mean?
A-  It is the shorten name for the praise to the Trinity which is used at the end of reciting the Psalm during Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer.  It means Glory to the Father...

587-What is glossolalia?
A-  It is the from the Greek and refers to speaking with other tongues, a practice of the gift of ecstatic utterance which is list by St. Paul as a gift of the Spirit.

588-What is Gnosticism?
A-It comes from the Greek word for knowledge.  It became the name of early Christians who came to be regarded as those had departed from the true teachings of Christ.  The word Gnostic refers to those who thought that they had "special" or secret knowledge about God and Christ.

589-What is a Godparent?
A- A Godparent is a Christian person who is chosen by  parents to sponsor their child at the child's baptism and is a person who will be a teacher and mentor for the child.

590-What does the golden calf refer to?
A-When Moses stayed too long on Mount Sinai, the people of Israel got impatient and they demanded other gods and so Aaron made a golden calf for the people to worship.  When Moses saw the golden calf, he got angry and threw the stone tablets of the law on the ground and broke them.

591-What is the Golden Rule?
A-It is from a teaching of Jesus in Matthew called the Sermon on the Mount.  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

592-What does the Good Samaritan mean in the Bible?
A- It is a title for a parable which Jesus told about a foreigner, a Samaritan who helped a beaten and robbed traveler when a priest and Levite had not stopped to helpthe hurt man on the side of the road.

593-What is the meaning of Gospel?
A- It is the English translation of the Greek word, "euvagellion" or good news.  Gospel became the name for the narratives about the life of Jesus.

594-What is a Gospeller?
A- The Gospeller is the person who reads the Gospel for the Eucharist, which means a deacon in the Episcopal Church if a deacon is present.

595-What is the meaning of Grace?
A-Grace is the undeserved favor which we receive from God for forgiveness and for salvation.  A Grace is also the title of a prayer said at mealtime to offer thanksgiving for the food.

596-What is a gradual?
A-It is music sung after the Epistle during the Eucharist and right before the Eucharist.

597-What is the Gregorian Calendar?
A- It is the calendar which replaced the Julian calendar in 1582.  The calendar change accounts for the difference in the dates for fixed feasts between the Western and Easter Churches.

598-Why is Pope Gregory the Great important for the Anglican Church?
A-He is the pope who sent Augustine to England as a missionary.

599-What is Gregorian Chant?
A-It was a special style of chanting the Psalms for the liturgy.  And it is associated with liturgical reforms of Pope Gregory.

600-What was Johann Gutenberg known for?
A-He lived in the 15th century and was the inventor of a movable type press.  Gutenberg Bibles meant that the Bible became more accessible to more people since it made text easier to reproduce.