This is a glossary of theology terms beyond the terms present outside cults, heresies, and disagreements or Christian philosophy.
Amillennial – The eschatological view that Revelation is not depicting a millennium of Christ’s or Christian reign
Angelology – The systematic theology branch that addresses what angels are
Arminianism – The belief that humanity’s free will is distinct from God’s sovereignty, tends to exist as compatibilism, often emphasizes spiritual gifts
Bibliology – The systematic theology branch that addresses the Bible
Calvinism – The belief that God is sovereign, can veer into fatalism
Christology – The systematic theology branch that addresses God as Jesus Christ
Christophany – A direct and personal encounter with Jesus Christ
Covenant theology – The theological view that God interacts with humanity based on His covenants He makes with humanity, contrasts with dispensationalism
Demonology – The systematic theology branch that addresses fallen angels
Dispensationalism – The theological view that there are seven distinct dispensations on how God interacts with humanity (Innocence, Conscience, Human Government, Promise, Mosaic, Grace, and Kingdom/Millennium), contrasts with covenant theology
Ecclesiology – The systematic theology branch that addresses the Church
Eschatology – The systematic theology branch that addresses the end times and Jesus returning
Evangelism – Various forms of sharing the Gospel to the world
Elect – The people who God has predestined for eternal life, most prominently shown in Ephesians 1:4-6
Futurism – The eschatological view that God’s prophecies, especially in John’s Revelation, will happen in the future
Gap creationism – An Old Earth creationism view that there were distinct gaps between each “day” in Genesis
Gospel – The good news of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection and what it means
Grace – In the Bible, refers to good things God gives when He didn’t need to, contrast with mercy
Harmatiology – The systematic theology branch that addresses sin
Hermeneutics – The theory and method of interpreting what the Bible says
Historicism – The view that God’s prophecies, especially in John’s Revelation, are happening throughout history as clear eras and epochs
Idealism – The view that God’s prophecies, especially in John’s Revelation, are allegorical and happen symbolically throughout history
Imputation – Transferring the judgment of sin from one individual to another, part of Levitical law, as well as Christ’s work
Justification – God’s legal status regarding our eternal state, contrast with regeneration and sanctification
Levitical law – A Hebrew tribe descended from Levi who was responsible for maintaining the Jewish temple
Kenosis – The theology surrounding how Jesus “emptied himself”
Mariology – The systematic theology branch that addresses the Virgin Mary (but only for Catholics)
Mercy – In the Bible, refers to bad things God doesn’t gives when He had every right to, contrast with grace
Missiology – The systematic theology branch that addresses evangelism
Old Earth creationism – aka Theistic Evolution, the belief that God created the universe over very long evolutionary periods, contrasts with Young Earth creationism
Orthopraxy – The systematic theology branch that addresses the correct way to behave and live as Christians
Paterology – The systematic theology branch that addresses God as the Father
Perichoresis – aka Circumincession, the relationship between the three persons of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
Pneumatology – The systematic theology branch that addresses God as the Holy Spirit
Postmillennial – The futurist view that Jesus is coming back after a millennium of dominant Christian ethics throughout society, contrasts to premillennial and amillenial
Predestination – God’s knowledge ahead of time about where people will be in eternity, often refers to discussions and controversy about the elect
Premillennial – The futurist view that Jesus is coming back to set up a millennium of rule, contrasts to postmillennial and amillennial
Preterism – The view that God’s prophecies, especially in John’s Revelation, are referring to things that have already happened (e.g., the fall of Rome)
Propitiation – Turning away punishment through an offering that makes peace
Regeneration – God’s work to build His elect into what He wants them to be, contrast with justification and sanctification
Reconciliation – Specific concept in the Bible referring to putting away a conflict
Replacement theology – The belief that God will restore Israel as a nation and re-institute the sacrificial system demonstrated in the Old Testament, connected with dispensationalism and not part of covenant theology
Sanctification – God setting apart something for a spiritual purpose, implies decisions on our end, contrast with justification and regeneration
Soteriology – The systematic theology branch that addresses how salvation works
Systematic theology – A philosophically rigorous exploration of the various aspects of Christianity’s beliefs
Teleology – The systematic theology branch that addresses God’s reasoning
Theistic evolution – An Old Earth creationism view that God created the Earth across millions of years of evolution, with each “day” being a distinct era
Theophany – A direct and personal encounter with God
Theological anthropology – The systematic theology branch that addresses who people are with respect to God creating us
Young Earth creationism – The belief that God created the universe in a relatively short period of time (i.e., days or years), contrasts with Old Earth creationism