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.

EEK! Essential Episcopal Knowledge 701-800

701-What is the significance of the Kingdom of God?
A: It was central to the message of Jesus.  He told many parables about how to understand God's reign in this world.  In the Gospel of Matthew, Kingdom of Heaven is used, perhaps because in the Jewish community there may have been an avoidance of saying "God" out of respect for God's holy name.

702-What are the Books of Kings?
A: They are books of history in the Hebrew Scriptures for the history of the Jewish monarchy until the fall of Jerusalem.

703-What is the Kiss of Peace?
A:  The Kiss of Peace has become the passing of the peace in the Eucharistic liturgy.  It occurs after the confession and absolution.

704-What does Kyrie Eleison mean?
A: It is from the Greek, meaing, "Lord have mercy" and is a prayer for mercy.  The "Lord have mercy" may be the leftover of a responsorial to a prayer petition.  It is said or sung after the collect for purity in the Eucharist.

705-Why is Lambeth important in the Anglican Communion?
A:  Lambeth is the residence in London of the Archbishop of Canterbury, also called Lambeth Palace.  The Lambeth Conference is the Assembly of all of the Bishops in the Anglican church every ten years.  It is held at Lambeth Palace.

706-What is the Lambeth Conference?
A: A gathering of all Bishops of the Anglican Communion every ten years by invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury for a consultation on matters which present themselves for collegial discussion, cooperation and action.

707-What is the Last Supper?
A: Refers to the meal which Jesus had with his disciple before he was arrested.  This meal as reported in the Gospels, is the meal which instituted the practice of Holy Eucharist in the Church.

708-What is a lavabo bowl and towel?
A: It is the bowl and towel used for washing the hands of the celebrant during the Eucharist.  Lavabo is the Latin, meaning "I will wash" and is first words of the quoted Psalm in Latin that celebrants of the Latin Mass said during the washing of the hands.

709-Who is Lazarus?
A: Lazarus as presented in the Gospel of John is the brother of Mary and Martha of Bethany and he died and was brought back to life by Jesus.  Another Lazarus was a leper and beggar in a parable of Jesus who when he died went to live with Abraham.

710-What is a lectern?
A: A reading podium.  Often churches have a pulpit and a lectern on opposite sides of the chancel, the lectern for the public reading of the Bible and the pulpit for preaching.

711-What is a lector?
A: A lector is one who reads the Scriptures in the public liturgies.

712-What is the season of Lent?
A: Lent is the forty week days before Easter and is used as a time of special preparation for Easter, through special disciplines and devotions.  In the ancient church it was used as a time of intensive preparation of adult baptismal candidates for baptism at the Easter Vigil.

713-What is Holy Orders?
A: It is another name for the ordained ministry.

714-Who is Levi, son of Alphaeus?
A:He was a tax collector who followed Jesus and became his disciples.  He is believed to be St. Matthew.

715-What is a Levirate Marriage?
A- It was a requirement of Mosaic Law for a man to marry his brother's widow.  It was used in a discussion of Jesus with the Sadducees about the resurrection.

716-Who are the Levites?
A-The Levites were the descendants of the tribe of Levi who served as the priests of the tabernacle and temple.  Aaron was the first Levitical priest.

717-What is the book of Leviticus about?
A:The book of Leviticus is the third book of the Bible and Torah.  It include lots of the ritual rules and it includes the Code of Holiness for living a pure life.

718-What is Limbo?
A: Limbo is the afterlife state of people who were not in the full blessed state of heaven or in the state of condemnation.  So in Christian theology when the state of people who lived and died before Christ  the term Limbo was used to describe their afterlife state.

719-What is a "litany" and The Great Litany?
A: Litany is a form of liturgical prayers asking for God's help.  They often are done with responses.  The Great Litany is a long prayer included in the Book of Common Prayer used during penitential seasons or times of public distress.

720-What does "logia" refer to in New Testament studies?
A: It refers to the sayings of Jesus.

721-What is Logos?
A: It is the Greek word for 'word' or 'reason.'  In the Gospel of John Christ is called the Logos who is God, who created all things and who was made flesh in Jesus.

722-Who is the Lord of Hosts?
A: It is an Old Testament name for God.  It is used in the hymn the Sanctus which derives from the vision that the prophet Isaiah had of God.  Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts...

723-What is the Lord's Prayer?
A: It is the prayer that Jesus taught to the disciples and is also called the "Our Father."  It is found in different forms in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

724-How is the word 'Love' significant in the Bible?
A:  Love is a theological virtue.  It is distinguished by three Greek words, eros (desire), philia(friendship or brotherly love), and agape with agape referring to the special kind of love that God has.

725-What is a Low Mass?
A: It is a Eucharistic without music and often was said by a single priest and a server.

726-What is Low Sunday?
A: It is the Sunday after Easter Sunday and is called that because in contrast with Easter there is a fall off in the festivity of the liturgy and in congregational attendance.

727-Who was Saint Luke?
A:  He is thought to be a physician and missionary companion of St. Paul and who wrote the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles as a two-book set.

728-What is a Lych-Gate?
A: From the Old English, a "corpse" gate or a covered gate which was used to shelter the caskets from the rain during the burial in the church yards which were also cemeteries.

729-What does Madonna mean?
A:  Madonna means My Lady and refers to the Virgin Mary.  Pictures of Mary with the baby Jesus are often referred to as Madonna and Child.

730-Who was Mary Magdalene?
A: She was a close follower of Jesus who had her life transformed by his healing touch.  She also was the first person to experience the post-resurrection appearance of Christ.

731-Who are Magi?
A: These are the Wisemen or the Three Kings who appear in the Christmas Story in the Gospel of Matthew.  They symbolize foreigners and Gentiles who came to see the importance of Christ.

732-Who was the prophet Malachi?
A: He is the name given to the person associated with the last book of the Old Testament.  In his writing he emphasized God love for God's people and he condemned some unfaithful practices of the people.

733-What does the phrase "Maranatha" mean?
A: It is the plea found in the book of Revelation meaning, "O Lord, Come!"

734-Who is Marcion and why is he important?
A: Marcion was called a heretic in the second century.  He rejected the Hebrew Scriptures but he is important for revealing some of the early lists of books included in the books of the New Testament.

735-What is Mariology?
A:  It is the study of the significance of the life of the Virgin Mary both in her time and in the history of the church, particularly in her role in the Roman Catholic Church.

736-Who is Mark?
A: Mark is sometime regarded to be John Mark, evangelist and cousin of Barnabas.  He is regarded to be the author/editor of the earliest Gospel, the Gospel of Mark which begins, not with the birth of Jesus but with his baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River.  Because so much of the Gospel of Mark is include in Luke and Matthew, it had to be written before them.

737-Who is Martha in the Gospels?
A: Martha is this sister of Mary and Lazarus of Bethany.  To her, Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life.

738-What is the meaning of the word "martyr?"
A:  Martyr is from the Greek word which means witness.  It came to be used to refer to the Christians who made a witness to their faith through the loss of their lives to their persecutors.  Martyrs were honored as the early saints of the church.

739-Who is the Blessed Virgin Mary?
A: She is the mother of Jesus who received an announcement from the angel Gabriel that she would conceive through action of the Holy Spirit.  In Roman Catholic theology she is regarded to be a perpetual Virgin in that she did not have other children.  She came to be venerated and honored.  She is prayed to and the Hail Mary is a special prayer addressed to her.  In Roman Catholic tradition she is believed to have been Assumed into heaven and she is also believed to have had an Immaculate Conception, meaning she was conceived sinless.  There are also sites in this world which mark the places where people received appearances and visions of the Virgin Mary, including Lourdes, Fatima, and Guadeloupe.  Some High Church Anglicans adopts some of these pious devotions to the Virgin Mary.

740-Who is Mary Tudor?
A:  She was a daughter of King Henry VIII, who remained loyal to the Roman Catholic Church after Henry VIII separated the Church in England from Papal authority.  She became Queen when Edward VI died, and in restoring Roman Catholic practice, she persecuted and even burned as heretics some of the chief religious reformers of the Church in England under Henry VIII.  For this, she is often referred to as "Bloody Mary."

741-What are the Massoretes and what does Massoretic Text mean?
A: They refer to Jewish grammarians who established the accepted vowel pointing systems for the Hebrew Scriptures.  Hebrew was written in consonants without the voicing marks of the vowels.  Establishing the vowels added specific meanings to the Hebrew texts.

742-What is Matrimony?
A:  Another name for the sacrament of Marriage.

743-Who was Matthew?
A: Often believe to be Levi, the disciple of Jesus referred to in the Gospel of Matthew.  The Gospel of Matthew is attributed to him.  This Gospel is written to those familiar with the Jewish Law.  It includes the birth of Jesus stories and the Sermon on the Mount.

744-What is Meditation?
A: It is a type of mental prayer using phrases or "mantras" or religious imagery.

745-What is Methodism and Methodists?
A: Methodism referred to system of religious faith and practices began by John and Charles Wesley who were Anglican priests.  In the 1790's the Methodist movement separated from the Church of England to become a separate religious denomination.  The Methodist Church is a mainline church in the United States.

746-What does "Old as Methuselah" mean?
A: It means really old because Methuselah is listed in the Book of Genesis as one who lived to the age of 969 or the oldest man of all time.


747-What is a Metropolitan?
A: It is a "super" bishop or one who exercised authority in a province, an area larger than a diocese.

748-What is the book of Micah?
A:  A minor prophet of the Old Testament who prophesies the destruction of the temple.  He  writes about true religion being justice, mercy and walking humble before God.

749-Who painted the famous ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and the Last Supper?
A: Michelangelo

750-What era is referred to as the Middle Ages?
A: It stretches from the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 until the time before the Renaissance.  Others view the Middle Ages to begin in 1100 and extending through end of the 14th century.

751-What is Midrash?
A: It refers to a method of Jewish study and interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures.  It is an effort to seek a deeper meaning of the Hebrew Scripture than the literal meaning.  Some New Testament writing partake of some of the methods of Midrash.

752-What is a minster?
A: A name used for various large churches in England, like Westminster and Yorkminster.

753-What is a Miracle?
A: An event attributed to the special intervention of God.

754-What is a Missal?
A: The book of prayers and ceremonial on the altar.

755-What does Missions mean?
A: A mission is the special evangelical effort of the church.  A missionary is a person who has the calling to a mission activity.  In The Episcopal Church "mission" sometimes refers to a congregation which does not have parish status and more reliant upon a diocese for financial support and provision of the ordained ministers for the mission.

756-What is Monophysitism?
A:  The belief that in the person of Jesus there was only one nature, the Divine nature.

757-What is monotheism?
A: It is the belief in one God.  Judaism, Christianity and Islam are monotheistic religions.

758-What is Moral Theology?
A:  It is the formal study of Christian conduct using the Bible as the source of authority for ethical conduct.

759-Who was Thomas More?
A: he was the Lord Chancellor of England for Henry VIII who disagreed with Henry VIII in his papal disputes.  He was imprisoned and accused of high treason and beheaded.

760-What is a Mortal Sin?
A: In the Roman Catholic definitions of sin, it is a deliberate act of turning away from God.

761-What is a movable feast?
A: It is a feast which does not fall on a fixed date.  Easter is a movable feast since it is determined by the lunar calendar.

762-What is mysticism and mystical theology?
A: Mysticism is a belief in the immediacy of God's presence.  In mystical theology one studies the scope and nature of spiritual experience.

763-Who was Nahum?
A: He was a prophet with a book of the same Nahum.  The book of Nahum tells about the fall of Nineveh.

764-What is the Nativity of our Lord?
A:  It is another name for Christmas.

765-What is Natural Law?
A:  It is the practice and discovery of conduct toward God and other people that can be known and lived without special revelation or grace.

766-What is the Nave?
A:  The Nave is the main part of the church before the chancel or sanctuary. 

767-Why is Jesus called the Nazarene?
A: Because he was raised in the town of Nazareth.

768-Who is Nehemiah?
A:  He is a leader of Israel who helped resettle the exiles in Palestine.   His life ministry is recorded in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, both books of the Old Testament.

769-What did the Nestorian Christians believe?
A:  They believed that there were two separate persons in Jesus, one Divine and one human.

770-Who was John Henry Newman?
A: He was an Anglican who converted to the Roman Catholic Church and became a Cardinal and author.  He was a leader of the Anglican "High Church" Movement called the Tractarians or the Oxford Movement.

771-Who was John Newton?
A:  He was a ship captain who was converted and became ordained.  He wrote the words for the famous hymn, "Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound."

772-Who was St. Nicholas?
A: He was a Bishop in Myra about whom little is known but became associated for his kindness in the care of children.  He has become in popular culture using the Dutch pronunciation of his name "Santa Claus."  His feast day is on December 6th.

773-Who was Nicodemus?
A:  He was a Pharisee who came to meet Jesus by night and he heard Jesus tell him to be "born again."

774-What did nonconformity mean in the Anglican Church?
A:  A nonconformist was one who did not conform to the doctrines and practices of the Established Church in England, the Church of England.  Presbyterians, Baptists, Congregationalists and Methodists have been called nonconformists.

775-What is a novice?
A:   A novice is person in a probationary period in testing their vocation to the religious life as a monk or nun.

776-What is significance of the number  666?
A:  In the book of Revelation it is called the number of the Beast, a figure who is associated with the Anti-Christ.

777-What is the Book of Numbers?
A:  It is the fourth book of the Bible and Torah.  It is the narration of the years in the wilderness of the people of Israel before they reached the Promised Land.

778-What is the "Nunc Dimittis?"
A:  It is the Latin song title for the Song of Simeon meaning "Now let depart"

779-What is a Nuptial Mass?
A: It is the Eucharist that occurs at a Marriage Ceremony.

780-What does Obedience mean?
A: Obedience means to follow a lawful superior.  A monk or nun takes a vow of Obedience and agrees to obey his or her superiors.

781-What is the Book of Occasional Services?
A: It is a companion liturgical book to the book of Common Prayer and contains liturgies for special occasions, like blessing of homes, or seasonal liturgies like Advent and Christmas Lessons and Carols.

782-What is Adestes Fideles?
A: The Latin for "O Come All Ye Faithful," the most used processional hymn for Christmas.

783-What does Veni, Veni, Emmanuel mean?
A: It is Latin for "O Come, O come Emmanuel" and it is a common Advent Carol.

784-What is an Octave?
A:  It means using a liturgical observance or devotional use for eight days.

785-What is the Offertory?
A:  It  refers to the offering of bread and wine in the Eucharist and also the period of preparation of the altar for Holy Communion.  Also it is a time to receive the alms or offerings of people to be offered for the ministry of the church.

786-What is the Mount of Olives?
A:  The highest hill East of Jerusalem near the Garden of Gethsemane.  It was a place often visited by Jesus and is believed to be the site from which Jesus ascended into heaven.

787-Who is Onesimus?
A: He is the slave who ran away from Philemon.  He had become a convert through the ministry of Paul and Paul wrote the letter of Philemon to ask him to restore him to his friendship as a Christian brother.

788-What does ordinary mean?
A: It refers to the ordained minister who has a jurisdiction in a parish or a diocese.  A bishop is the "ordinary" of a diocese.

789-What does Original Sin refer to?
A:  It refers to the state of sin which humanity has been in since the Fall, or the disobedience of Adam and Eve.

790-What does orthodoxy mean?
A:  Orthodoxy refers to correct or right belief.

791-What is Oxford?
A: It is a prominent university in  Oxford England and dates from the 8th century.  Along with Cambridge it has produced many Anglican theologians and clergy.  Archbishops of Canterbury usually have attended either Oxford or Cambridge.

792-What is the Oxford Movement?
A:  It is a movement to restore High Church ideals as a reaction to Liberalism in theology.  It occurred in the mid 19th century and had various phases, the Tractarians, the social outreach emphasis and the ritualistic phase.

793-What is a Pall?
A: It is a cloth covering.  There is a Pall for a Chalice and a funeral pall for a casket.

794-What is Pantheism?
A:  It is the belief in many gods.

795-What is a parable?
A:  The parables are the narrative teaching stories that Jesus used to teach about the kingdom of God.  They included metaphors and similes.

796-What is a parish?
A: A parish is a local geographical area of a diocese which has a church, a parish church.  Parish also means a local congregation within a diocese.

797-What is the Parousia?
A:  It means presence or arrival and refers to the belief of the early Christians about the future return of Christ.

798-What does Pasch mean?
A: It comes from the Greek word for Passover.

799-What is the Paschal Candle?
A:  It is the new candle lit at the Easter Vigil each year and it is lit through the Easter Season until the feast of Pentecost.

800-What does Paschal Lamb refer to?
A: The Paschal Lamb is lamb used as the substitutionary sacrifice for the first born sons of Israel who were captive in Egypt.  The Paschal Lamb was used by Christians to refer to the death of Jesus as the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world.

"Again," an Important Adverb

21 Pentecost Cycle B Proper 25     October 25, 2015

Job 42:1-6, 10-17  Psalm 34:1-8, (19-22)
Hebrews 7:23-28  Mark 10:46-52

Lectionary Link

 In the Gospels one finds a single word which expresses something about our orientation towards the future.  This is the adverb "again."  It is a word which is used to qualify Time.  The people presented to Jesus in the Gospel want to be "whole" again.  They wanted to walk again.  They wanted to live again.  And Jesus even suggested to Nicodemus to be "born" again.  The famous sufferer Job wanted restoration from his suffering but part of him being fortunate again meant that the second time around he had accrued all of the meanings of his suffering.
  The blind man Bartimaeus had a request of Jesus, "I want to see again."  Doing things again but in a significantly different way is what the Good News of the Gospel is about.  The "again" in the Gospel may be the repetition of an ability in life, but it is the repetition with a completely different perspective.
  Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different outcomes.  There is nothing automatically progressive about doing things again.  Repetition may simply be the reinforcement of a bad habit and another repetition only digs the rut deeper making it even harder to escape without some sort of intervention.
  The Good News of the Gospel is to do things again but with the insights of rescue, salvation and new perspective.
  Bartimaeus requested of Jesus to be able to see again.  One could call the life of faith, a life of the progressive recovery from our naïve blindness.  It could be the blindness caused by the overwhelming light of what we actually have to know to live well in this world.  The Plenitude of this great world is so great that just as a baby with limited ability and limited perspective we have to grow into new and widening perspective to be able to progress in the art of living well.
  One of the things which keeps us blinded is to get stuck in a very familiar way of seeing and doing things, even getting comfortable with having things on sort of "automatic" drive.  This may work for us until a life situation jolts us into the realization that our learned responses are no longer adequate to the new challenges forced upon us by new circumstance.  And suddenly we are blind; we no longer see our way within a crisis.  And if we are honest, we cry out for help about our condition.
  The disciples wanted to shush this desperate blind beggar on the road.  "Be quiet and don't trouble Jesus.  You're stuck in your condition and there's nothing that can be done."  Sometimes our authorities in life want to keep us in our blindness.  Sometimes authority rests upon keeping people in blindness.
  Bartimaeus did not believe in a dead tradition.  He believed in the tradition of King David who represented a time in the life of Israel when they were free and not in captivity.  He saw and heard Jesus as  one who was like David and so he believed that there was one who was within his own tradition who could help him do something again, to see again.  And Jesus proved to be the one who allowed him to see again.
  The Gospels are about how the early Christian Church presented the life of Jesus as one who allowed people to do things again, but not with the insanity of repeating old addictive patterns, but with the liberation of new insights giving power to change lives.
  Seeing is a metaphor for understanding.  The Christian life of following the Risen Christ is a process of seeing again and again; seeing with new perspectives so that we can make wise and faithful decisions relevant to the situations of our lives.  When we can see again, we can walk again; we can choose different paths to go.
  Let us be like the desperate Bartimaeus today; let us cry out to "see again."  Let our eyes adjust better to the brightness of God and see the people and events of our lives with a new clarity which allows us new actions of faith and hope.  Amen.