theology


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the·ol·o·gy

 (thē-ŏl′ə-jē)
n. pl. the·ol·o·gies
1. The study of the nature of God and religious truth; rational inquiry into religious questions.
2. A system or school of opinions concerning God and religious questions: Protestant theology; Jewish theology.
3. A course of specialized religious study usually at a college or seminary.

[Middle English theologie, from Old French, from Latin theologia, from Greek theologiā : theo-, theo- + -logiā, -logy.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

theology

(θɪˈɒlədʒɪ)
n, pl -gies
1. (Theology) the systematic study of the existence and nature of the divine and its relationship to and influence upon other beings
2. (Theology) a specific branch of this study, undertaken from the perspective of a particular group: feminist theology.
3. (Theology) the systematic study of Christian revelation concerning God's nature and purpose, esp through the teaching of the Church
4. (Theology) a specific system, form, or branch of this study, esp for those preparing for the ministry or priesthood
[C14: from Late Latin theologia, from Latin; see theo-, -logy]
theˈologist n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

the•ol•o•gy

(θiˈɒl ə dʒi)

n., pl. -gies.
1. the field of study and analysis that treats of God and of God's attributes and relations to the universe; the study of divine things or religious truth; divinity.
2. a particular form, system, or branch of this study.
[1325–75; Middle English theologie < Old French < Late Latin theologia < Greek theología. See theo-, -logy]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Theology


a student or supporter of the theological ideas of Albertus Magnus, 13th-century German Scholastic philosopher.
the theological doctrine that states that the wicked have no afterlife. — annihilationist, n.
the doctrine that denies the fall of man. — antilapsarian, n.
the belief that Christians are freed from the moral law by the virtue of God’s grace. — antinomian, n., adj.
the study of the methods and content of defenses or proofs of Christianity. — apologetical, adj.
1. the doctrines and ideas of St. Augustine, 5th-century archbishop of Hippo, and the religious rule developed by him.
2. the support of his doctrines.
3. adherence to his religious rule. — Augustinian, n., adj.
the belief that Christ will return to earth in visible form and establish a kingdom to last 1000 years, after which the world will come to an end. Also called millenarianism. — chiliast, n.chiliastic, adj.
an advocacy of the maintenance of a confession of faith as a prerequisite to membership in a religious group. — confessionalian, n., adj.
the doctrine that the substance of the body and blood of Christ coexist in and with the substance of the bread and wine of the Eucharist. Cf. receptionism, transubstantiation, virtualism.
the doctrine stating that in ecclesiastical affairs the state rules over the church. — Erastian, n., adj.
any set of doctrines concerning final matters, as death, the judgment, afterlife, etc. — eschatological, adj.eschatologist, n.
1. the theories of John Hutchinson, an 18th-century Yorkshireman, who disputed Newton’s theory of gravitation and maintained that a system of natural science was to be found in the Old Testament.
2. the tenets of the followers of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson, an antinomian who lived in the early days of the Massachusetts Colony. — Hutchinsonian, adj.
1. the unique nature of the Godhead and hence the Holy Trinity.
2. any of the three parts of the Holy Trinity.
3. the personality of Christ separate from his dual nature, human and divine. — hypostatic, hypostatical, adj.
the theological doctrine that the body and blood of Christ are present in the bread and wine after they are consecrated.
1. Obsolete, a person who believes that the vowel-marks on the word Jehovah in Hebrew represent the actual vowels of the word.
2. the name given to the author(s) of the parts of the Hexateuch in which the sacred name is written Jehovah, instead of Elohim.Jehovistic, adj.
worship of the highest order that can be offered only to God.
the doctrines of Georg Major, a German theologian who believed that good works, being a necessary product of Christian faith, are necessary for salvation. — Majorist, n., adj.
chiliasm.
neology.
1. the introduction of new, especially rationalistic, views or doctrines in theology.
2. such a view or doctrine. Also neologism. See also language. — neologist, n.
the 19th-century movement by Catholic scholars to reinstitute the doctrines of the Schoolmen in their teachings. — Neo-Scholastic, adj.
1. the precepts and ideas of William of Occam, 14th-century English Scholastic.
2. support of his precepts. — Occamist, Occamite, n.Occamistic, adj.
1. the doctrines and precepts of Origen of Alexandria, 3rd-century Christian theologian and teacher.
2. adherence to his doctrines. — Origenist, n.Origenian, Origenistic, adj.
1. Obsolete, all that is contained in theology.
2. a comprehensive, synthetic theology that covers all gods and religious systems. — pantheologist, n.pantheologic, pantheological, adj.
1. Also patristics. the branch of theology that studies the teachings of the early church fathers.
2. a collection of the writings of the early church fathers. — patrologist, n.patrologic, patrological, adj.
a branch of theology that studies the doctrine of evil. See also evil.
the belief that a race of men existed before Adam. — pre-Adamite, n. — pre-Adamitic, adj.
a belief in predestination. — predestinarian, n., adj.
1. the action of God in foreordaining from eternity whatever comes to pass.
2. the doctrine that God chooses those who are to come to salvation.
the belief that the second coming of Christ will usher in the millennium. — premillennialist, n.premillennian, adj.
the doctrine that in the communion service the body and blood of Christ are received but the bread and wine remain unchanged. Cf. consubstantiation, transubstantiation, virtualism. — receptionist, n.
the doctrines of the schoolmen; the system of theological and philosophical instruction of the Middle Ages, based chiefly upon the authority of the church fathers and on Aristotle and his commentators. — Scholastic, n., adj.
the belief of a sect that arose in the 4th century that the substances of the Father and Son were similar but nonetheless different. — semi-Arian, n., adj.
the theological doctrine that faith insures salvation, irrespective of good works. — solifldian, n.
the belief that the bread and wine consecrated in the Eucharist are subject to natural processes, as decay. — stercorarian, stercoranist, adj.
a doctrine concerning heil and punishment in the afterlife.
Rare. a quack or spurious theologian; a charlatan of theology.
1. any theological speculation.
2. the assumption that other disciplines, as philosophy or science, are inferior to theology.
the doctrine that the consecrated elements of the communion only appear as bread and wine, for they have been converted into the whole substance of the body and blood of Christ. Cf. consubstantiation, receptionism, virtualism. — transubstantiationalist, n.
division into three parts, especially the theological division of man’s nature into the body, the soul, and the spirit. — trichotomic, trichotomous. adj.
the doctrine attributed to Calvin and other reformers that the bread and wine of the communion remain unchanged but are the vehicle through which the spiritual body and blood of Christ are received by the communicant. Cf. consubstantiation, receptionism, transabstantiation.
-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.theology - the rational and systematic study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truththeology - the rational and systematic study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truth
redemption, salvation - (theology) the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil
Creation - (theology) God's act of bringing the universe into existence
theology - the learned profession acquired by specialized courses in religion (usually taught at a college or seminary); "he studied theology at Oxford"
limbo - (theology) in Roman Catholicism, the place of unbaptized but innocent or righteous souls (such as infants and virtuous individuals)
purgatory - (theology) in Roman Catholic theology the place where those who have died in a state of grace undergo limited torment to expiate their sins
divine guidance, inspiration - (theology) a special influence of a divinity on the minds of human beings; "they believe that the books of Scripture were written under divine guidance"
theanthropism - (theology) the doctrine that Jesus was a union of the human and the divine
foreordination, predetermination, preordination, predestination - (theology) being determined in advance; especially the doctrine (usually associated with Calvin) that God has foreordained every event throughout eternity (including the final salvation of mankind)
discipline, field of study, subject area, subject field, bailiwick, subject, field, study - a branch of knowledge; "in what discipline is his doctorate?"; "teachers should be well trained in their subject"; "anthropology is the study of human beings"
angelology - the branch of theology that is concerned with angels
apologetics - the branch of theology that is concerned with the defense of Christian doctrines
ecclesiology - the branch of theology concerned with the nature and the constitution and the functions of a church
eschatology - the branch of theology that is concerned with such final things as death and Last Judgment; Heaven and Hell; the ultimate destiny of humankind
hermeneutics - the branch of theology that deals with principles of exegesis
homiletics - the branch of theology that deals with sermons and homilies
liturgics, liturgiology - the study of liturgies
theodicy - the branch of theology that defends God's goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil
theological system, theology - a particular system or school of religious beliefs and teachings; "Jewish theology"; "Roman Catholic theology"
universalist, universalistic - of or relating to or tending toward universalism
fundamentalist, fundamentalistic - of or relating to or tending toward fundamentalism
catechetical, catechetic - of or relating to or involving catechesis
2.theology - a particular system or school of religious beliefs and teachings; "Jewish theology"; "Roman Catholic theology"
system of rules, system - a complex of methods or rules governing behavior; "they have to operate under a system they oppose"; "that language has a complex system for indicating gender"
theology, divinity - the rational and systematic study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truth
Christian theology - the teachings of Christian churches
liberation theology - a form of Christian theology (developed by South American Roman Catholics) that emphasizes social and political liberation as the anticipation of ultimate salvation
natural theology - a theology that holds that knowledge of God can be acquired by human reason without the aid of divine revelation
procession, emanation, rise - (theology) the origination of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost; "the emanation of the Holy Spirit"; "the rising of the Holy Ghost"; "the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son"
foreordain, predestinate, predestine - foreordain by divine will or decree
reprobate - abandon to eternal damnation; "God reprobated the unrepenting sinner"
reveal - disclose directly or through prophets; "God rarely reveal his plans for Mankind"
3.theology - the learned profession acquired by specialized courses in religion (usually taught at a college or seminary); "he studied theology at Oxford"
learned profession - one of the three professions traditionally believed to require advanced learning and high principles
theology, divinity - the rational and systematic study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truth
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
لاهُوتلاهوت، عِلْم اللاهوت
teologie
teologi
teologia
teologija
teológia
guîfræîi
神学
신학
teologasteologinisteologiškai
teoloģija
teológia
teologi
เทววิทยาศาสนศาสตร์
din bilimidinbilimilâhiyatteoloji
thần học

theology

[θɪˈɒlədʒɪ] Nteología f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

theology

[θiˈɒlədʒi] nthéologie f
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

theology

nTheologie f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

theology

[θɪˈɒlədʒɪ] nteologia
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

theology

(θiˈolədʒi) noun
the study of God and religious belief.
ˌtheoˈlogical (-ˈlo-) adjective
theoˈlogically (-ˈlo-) adverb
ˌtheoˈlogian (-ˈloudʒiən) noun
a person who studies, or is an expert in, theology.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

theology

لاهُوت teologie teologi Theologie θεολογία teología teologia théologie teologija teologia 神学 신학 theologie teologi teologia teologia теология teologi ศาสนศาสตร์ din bilimi thần học 神学
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
References in classic literature ?
Thus, at sixteen years of age, the young clerk might have held his own, in mystical theology, against a father of the church; in canonical theology, against a father of the councils; in scholastic theology, against a doctor of Sorbonne.
"The Muirhead Library of Philosophy was designed as a contribution to the History of Modern Philosophy under the heads: first of Different Schools of Thought--Sensationalist, Realist, Idealist, Intuitivist; secondly of different Subjects--Psychology, Ethics, Aesthetics, Political Philosophy, Theology. While much had been done in England in tracing the course of evolution in nature, history, economics, morals and religion, little had been done in tracing the development of thought on these subjects.
But on the following Friday he was waited upon by the Pillars of the Church, who informed him that in order to be in harmony with the New Theology and get full advantage of modern methods of Gospel interpretation they had deemed it advisable to make a change.
She knew, too, that he was really interested in books dealing with politics, philosophy, and theology, that art was utterly foreign to his nature; but, in spite of this, or rather, in consequence of it, Alexey Alexandrovitch never passed over anything in the world of art, but made it his duty to read everything.
Doubtless the good man has spent many a studious hour in this old chair, either penning a sermon or reading some abstruse book of theology, till midnight came upon him unawares.
I revered our theology, and aspired as much as any one to reach heaven: but being given assuredly to understand that the way is not less open to the most ignorant than to the most learned, and that the revealed truths which lead to heaven are above our comprehension, I did not presume to subject them to the impotency of my reason; and I thought that in order competently to undertake their examination, there was need of some special help from heaven, and of being more than man.
So, listening to the advice of Theology, all the company rode off to London, Guile leading the way.
With us, our Priests are Administrators of all Business, Art, and Science; Directors of Trade, Commerce, Generalship, Architecture, Engineering, Education, Statesmanship, Legislature, Morality, Theology; doing nothing themselves, they are the Causes of everything worth doing, that is done by others.
But we have no such design of imposing on our reader; and therefore those who object to the heathen theology, may, if they please, change our goddess into the above-mentioned basket-woman.
They pass from the subject to the object, from earth (diesseits) to heaven (jenseits) without regard to the gulf which later theology and philosophy have made between them.
Like Dante or Bunyan, he has a revelation of another life; like Bacon, he is profoundly impressed with the unity of knowledge; in the early Church he exercised a real influence on theology, and at the Revival of Literature on politics.
"Yesterday I was at the house of a doctor of theology, whom I sometimes consult about my studies."