Barry C Black Sermons Downloadl
Gaetan Boren
Achievement Motivation: As used in the psychology of religion, it is the role of religion in shaping value orientations and motivation to succeed in work. The classic example is the "Protestant ethic," where hard work and economic success is viewed as a sign of salvation (Weber 1904). For Jews, the history of Talmudic learning reinforces both the value of learning and critical thinking, making Jews one of the highest educated and financially successful religious groups in the United States (Hood, Hill and Spika 2009).
Adherent: 1) A person who identifies with some religious tradition. It is a broader term than "member" because the latter refers to an official status that varies according to congregation or denomination. 2) Note that in ARDA's online Maps & Reports, "adherent" has a more specific meaning: "All members, including full members, their children and the estimated number of other participants who are not considered members; for example, the 'baptized,' 'those not confirmed,' 'those not eligible for communion,' 'those regularly attending services,' and the like," according to the Religious Congregations and Membership Study, 2010 (Grammich et al. 2012: xvi).
Adventist Family: Churches originating from founder William Miller in the late 19th century. Miller taught that Christ would soon return to earth and that Saturday, rather than Sunday, should be observed as the Christian Sabbath. The Adventist family includes the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which was founded by Ellen White and James Springer White, as well as offshoots such as the Advent Christian Church (Melton 2009: 560-561).
Afterlife: The fate of humans after death (Smith and Green 1995: 31). Descriptions of the afterlife will differ by cultural, historical and geographical context (see Egyptian Book of the Dead and Tibetan Book of the Dead). In Eastern religions, such as Hinduism or Buddhism, reincarnation is an afterlife concept. In the monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam discussions of the afterlife also entail whether an individual goes to either heaven or hell based on God's judgment (Hinnells 1984: 25-26).
Agnosticism: A philosophical position neither affirming nor denying belief in a deity. Agnostics believe the question of whether God exists must be left open and unanswered. The concept comes from David Hume (1711-1776), who questioned the idea of causality, and by extension the historical accuracy of biblical miracles. The term "agnostic" was coined by Thomas Huxley (1825-1895), and was used as a method more than a belief system, claiming that one should seek truth until a certain point where the evidence becomes scarce or non-existent (Reid et al. 1990: 31).
Ahimsa: A term in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism that is often translated as "non-violence," referring to not harming or wishing to harm. In Jainism, nonviolence is considered the highest moral duty, as Jain ascetics even attempt to avoid the injury and death of insects. Ahimsa also influenced Gandi and his nonviolent campaign in India (Prothero 2008: 194-195).
Al-Qaeda: An international terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden in the 1980s. The organization seeks to establish a transnational Islamic empire that strictly adheres to Islamic law. The group is most famous for the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001. The leader, Osama bin Laden, was killed on May 2, 2011 by U.S. Navy seals and CIA operatives (Prothero 2008: 196).
Alcohol/Drug Use, Religion and: The relationship between alcohol/drug use and religion is complex. In Jewish and Christian tradition, drinking wine was an ordinary occurrence, and some sacramental observances involved the use of wine. However, drunkenness tends to be denounced among the large world religions (Miller 1998). The use of drugs, like the hallucinogen Peyote, is common among Native American groups for religious purposes, but many religions tend to prohibit the use of mind-altering substances. In general, religiousness tends to be associated with less alcohol and drug use (see Koenig, King and Carson 2012).
Ali: One of the most important caliphs in Islam. He was cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam. Ali was brutally murdered in 661 CE by an assassin. Sunnis consider him the fourth caliph, while Shi'ite Muslims consider him the first. In addition, Shiite Muslims trace the lineage of the imams through him (Esposito 2011: 241).
All Saints Day: A feast celebrated in the Western Church on the first of November to commemorate Christian martyrs and all those who have led conspicuously holy lives. In the Eastern Church it is observed on the first Sunday after Pentecost (Reid et al. 1990: 36).
Amillennialism: A Christian theological position that the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ is symbolic, not literal, and is a period between the ministry of Christ and the Second Coming. It emphasizes the present reality of the Kingdom of God, and that the perfect age will not arrive until the establishment of the new heaven and the new earth. This is an alternative interpretation of Chapter 20 in the New Testament's Book of Revelation, and it differs from a premillennial interpretation (Reid et al. 1990: 57). See Premillennialism for more.
Amish: A group of the Mennonites who broke away in the late seventeenth century, led by the minister Jacob Amman. He supported a strict interpretation of discipline and the practice of avoidance, shunning excommunicated members. They arrived in America in the early 1700s, and have retained a fairly separatist environment from modern culture ever since, preferring to cultivate a community more representative of the late seventeenth century (Melton 2009: 439). Examples of Amish churches include the Beachy Amish Mennonite Churches and Old Order Amish Mennonite Church
Analogical Imagination: A religious perspective that emphasizes God's presence in the world, expressed through every aspect of creation. Moreover, it stresses the community. The analogical imagination contrasts with the dialectical imagination, which stresses the individual and the belief that God has withdrawn from the sinful world. This concept was developed by Andrew Greeley (1989), who believed that Catholics tend to have analogical imagination, while Protestants tend to have dialectical imagination.
Ananda: Cousin and disciple of the Buddha who lived in the sixth century BCE. He used his exceptional memory to recite the Buddha's sermons, and played a pivotal role in forming the Buddhist community after the Buddha's death. He also is known for his support of female disciples (Smith and Green 1995: 46).
Anatman: A Buddhist doctrine denying the reality of a permanent, immortal soul as the spiritual center of a human. The term means "no self," and it is meant to teach that all things are connected and there is no separate existence (Esposito et al. 2012a: G-6).
Ancestor Worship: The worship, feeding and petitioning of the souls of dead ancestors at home altars, temples and graves. This practice is most common among East Asian religions (Esposito et al. 2012b: G-15).
Angel: A superhuman intermediary between the divine and human realm. Angels exist in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Perhaps the most famous angel is Gabriel, who reveals himself as God's messenger in the Hebrew scriptures, Christianity's New Testament and Islam's Koran. Theological discussions of the nature of angels vary by tradition (Smith and Green 1995: 49-50).
Anglican Family: Churches originating in England that broke with Roman Catholicism during the 16th century Reformation after King Henry VIII rejected papal supremacy. Some view the Anglican Church as a "middle way" between Catholicism and Protestantism, since both traditions have influenced Anglican theology and practice (Mead et al. 2005: 102). Churches in the Anglican family include the Church of England and the Episcopal Church in the United States. For more information on the Anglican family, click here.
Anti-Semitism: Unreasoning hostility toward and discrimination against the Jews. It can range from a formal doctrine and from mild antipathy to active efforts to kill the Jews. German writer Wilhelm Marr coined the term in 1880 to distinguish between secular hatred for the Jews as a people and hatred toward the Jewish religion, although the modern usage of the word denotes hatred for the Jews and Judaism in all forms (Smith and Green 1995: 53).
Antichrist: In Christian literature, the Antichrist is an evil figure that deceives people into thinking that he is holy. In the end-times, according to the Christian tradition, Jesus will come back and defeat the Antichrist (Smith and Green 1995: 53). In Islamic eschatology, there also is an Antichrist figure that is depicted in the Hadith as a one-eyed monster from the East who rules the earth for a period of time before Jesus comes to vanquish him (Hinnells 1984: 44).
Antinomianism: 1) The belief that certain religious allegiances exempt one from following secular law. 2) The belief that secular laws ought to be disobeyed because they are evil (Smith 1995: 53). 3) A theological position in which subjective elements of Christianity are emphasized over objective elements of Christianity, like moral law. The famous "Antinomian Controversy" took place in the 1630s, where Anne Hutchinson was brought to trial in Massachusetts for claiming to follow her direct revelation of the Holy Spirit instead of Scripture alone. She was banished from the colony in 1638 (Reid et al. 1990: 69).
Apocalypse: Catastrophic end-times battle between good and evil, in which good will triumph over evil. The Greek term refers to "hidden things." The most famous apocalyptic literature is the Book of Revelation at the end of the New Testament. In contemporary usage, the apocalypse has been popularized by Tim LaHaye's Left Behind series of Christian novels (Prothero 2008: 197).
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