Glossary of Religious Words and Terms
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- Abbot
- A monk who is the head of an abbey for men. The title originates from the Aramaic word 'ABBA' meaning 'father'.
- Absolution
- The pronouncement of the forgiveness of sins by a priest, having heard confession from a penitent Christian.
- Advent
- The season at the beginning of the Church calendar which leads up to Christmas. Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas.
- Agape
- This is the New Testament Greek word for love - unconditional love, Divine love. It also became the name for the common meal which early Christians shared - The Love Feast.
- Aisle
- In a church, this is the passageway between rows of seats or pews.
- Altar
- A raised construction used for religious sacrifice. In ancient, and /or more primitive rituals, animals would be killed and burned on an altar.
The altar in a church is used for the Eucharist or Holy Communion to commemorate Christ's sacrifice. - Amritsar
- a city in North West India which is the centre of Sikhism. It was founded in 1577 by the guru Ram Das. It is where the Golden Temple (the Haramandir) is situated.
- Anglican Church
- A church, in England or abroad, which follows the teachings and has the same structure as the Church of England.
- Apocrypha
- Books which were included in the Greek version of the Bible but not accepted in the Hebrew Bible.
They are accepted as Divinely inspired by the Roman Catholic Church, but not accepted as canonical by Jews and Protestants. Apocrypha means 'hidden'. - Apostle
- From the Greek word 'apostolos', which means 'one who is sent.'
In the Bible this is the title given particularly to the twelve disciples of Jesus and to St. Paul who were commissioned by Jesus to spread the message of Christianity... but it was also given to others who were sent out by the church to do foundational work. - Ascension Day
- The day on which Christians celebrate the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, forty days after Easter and ten days before Whitsun. It therefore falls on the fifth Thursday after Easter.
- Ash Wednesday
- This is the first day of Lent, 6½ weeks before Easter. This day is a special fast day, especially in the Roman Catholic Church, leading to the fast days of Lent. The name comes from the practice of burning Palm crosses kept from the previous Easter and using the ash to mark a cross on the forehead to symbolise repentance.
- Atonement
- The work of reconciliation, which Jesus did in bringing humanity back to God through his death on the cross. The man, Christ Jesus, paid the penalty for human sin, thus making the reconciliation possible.
These pages will be added to in the future. If there is a religious term or word you do not understand, why not e-mail us? It can then be added to the glossary.