Origins & Early Councils
The event whereby the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, officially manifesting the Church to the world.
What is Pentecost?
An Italian term meaning "bringing up to date," describing the Council's goal of spiritual renewal.
What is Aggiornamento?
Derived from Greek, this word originally meant "public work" or "service on behalf of the people"
What is Leitourgia (or Liturgy)?
This Greek term means "assembly" or "called-out ones" and defines the Church as the gathering of God's people.
What is Ekklesia?
Paul wrote these formal letters to early churches to instruct them, correct errors, and deepen their theology.
What are epistles?
Emperor Constantine issued this 313 AD decree to legalize Christianity and end Roman persecution.
What is the Edict of Milan?
The highest, most authoritative level of teaching document issued by an Ecumenical Council.
What is a Dogmatic Constitution?
Vatican II called for the "full, conscious, and active participation" from the laity during Mass in this document.
What is Sacrosanctum Concilium?
Written with a lowercase letter, this word means "universal" or "according to the whole".
What is catholic?
God is the sole one of this type of cause of grace because He acts by His own inherent power.
What is Primary (or Principal) Cause?
Convened in 325 AD, this council combated Arianism and gave us the term "Consubstantial".
What is the Council of Nicea?
This dogmatic constitution shifted focus to the Church's spiritual mystery and called it a "Pilgrim Church".
What is Lumen Gentium?
This Latin phrase literally means "from the work having been worked," teaching that sacramental grace is conferred by Christ's power regardless of the holiness of the human minister.
What is ex opere operato?
Paul targeted this demographic of non-Jewish people during his extensive missionary journeys.
Who are the Gentiles?
This Early Church Father and bishop was the very first person to use the term "catholic church" in surviving Christian literature around 110 AD.
Who is St. Ignatius of Antioch?
Finalized at Chalcedon, this term describes Jesus Christ as one divine Person with two distinct, complete natures.
What is the Hypostatic Union?
Translating to "Joy and Hope," this pastoral constitution focuses on the Church in the modern world and human dignity.
What is Gaudium et Spes?
The fruitfulness of a sacrament depends on the recipient's disposition, known by this Latin phrase meaning "from the work of the one working".
What is ex opere operantis?
This movement, started by figures like Martin Luther, led to the formation of new Christian denominations.
What is the Protestant Reformation?
This Latin word means that Jesus and God the Father share the exact same divine nature or essence.
What is homoousios?
The continuous transmission of spiritual authority from the Apostles through successive popes and bishops.
This decree declares the Church is "missionary by her very nature" and calls for the evangelization of all peoples.
What is Ad Gentes?
According to Vatican II, Christ is present in the liturgy in the following ways.
What is the Eucharist, the Minister (Priest), the Word, and the Assembly?
This 1054 AD event marked the formal rupture between the Western Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.
What is the Great Schism?
The primary theological dispute of the Great Schism centered on whether the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone, or from the Father "and the Son," known by this Latin term.
What is filioque?