Eastern religion
A broad term used to distinguish religions that are centered in East Asia and India from those centered in Western Europe, the Western Hemisphere and the Middle East (which is obviously only relatively "west").
The "western religions" would generally be understood to be specifically Judaism, Islam and Christianity, whereas "eastern religions" would encompass a much broader spectrum including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Taoism and many other "sub-religions."
The distinctions between eastern and western religions are generally rooted primarily the philosophical / theological concepts of God, man, nature, reality and truth, and the manner in which reality and truth are apprehended. Eastern religions tend to identify God as an impersonal force, with God and nature constituting a single all-encompassing reality. Man, being a part of nature, would also be a part of this single reality. This being the case, truth is generally seen to be apprehended through achieving a such a state of consciousness that man simply "understands" independent of reason.
In contrast, Judaism, Christianity and Islam identify God as a personal being who is distinct from the Creation. Truth is generally understood to be arrived at through both revelation and reason. If mysticism is part of a specific sub-division of one of the western religion (i.e., some groups in medieval Catholicism), then truth is also seen to be apprehended by a sort of intuition similar to "eastern means."
The New Age movement is largely an adoption and adaptation of eastern religious thought by those who have grown up in the West.
Easy-believism
A derogatory term used to describe a view of the gospel and associated evangelistic methods that does not emphasize the need for someone to submit to the Lordship of Christ in order to be saved. It is generally used in contrast to what is termed "Lordship salvation."
It is often associated with "cheap grace" which is sometimes characterized as simply an "eternal life insurance policy" - something that undermines the costly nature of the gospel as seen in Christ's sacrifice on the cross. It is said to unbiblically separate saving faith from genuine repentance and commitment to "take up one's cross and follow Christ." To use another rather crude illustration, it is sometimes caricatured as being a "Get Out of Jail Free" card that is obtained by simply saying a "sinner's prayer."
In response to the charges by Lordship salvation proponents, it is countered that no one believes someone can consciously reject the Lordship of Christ and be saved. Nor is a "sinner's prayer" some kind of magic formula that automatically saves a soul unto eternal life.
Also in response to the Lordship view, it is noted that that care must be taken to not place unbiblical demands upon an unbeliever which they are incapable of meeting, being spiritually dead. Nor should works be attached to the gospel in the form of forethought or promises to live in full commitment to the Lord, because salvation is by faith alone.
And finally, all would understand that genuine saving faith is not mere mental assent to the facts of the gospel and that saving faith can only be exercised by someone who has a repentance heart that recognizes they are a sinner before a holy God.
See also: Cheap Grace, Lordship Salvation
Ecclesiology
The technical theological term for the study of the doctrine of the Church.
Ecstatic utterances
Often confused with genuine biblical speaking-in-tongues. However, biblical tongues were always the ability to speak a genuine language which the speaker had never learned. Ecstatic utterances, on the other hand, have no identifiable linguistic characteristics such as grammar, syntax or vocabulary.
Linguists have closely studied what is claimed to be speaking-in-tongues as practiced in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches over the last century and have concluded that they are not languages of any sort.
God is the creator of the language spoken by and to Adam and Eve. He created multiple languages at the judgment at the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. Both the Lord and angelic beings have communicated mankind over the centuries in understandable languages. Therefore, to conclude that tongues today are a "heavenly language," not necessarily having identifiable characteristics of language, is completely inconsistent with the entire biblical record.
Furthermore, ecstatic utterances have been characteristic of pagan religions over the millennia, so they would not have been a sign of the true God being at work. Paul seems to be addressing the problem of people in the church at Corinth manifesting the same type of ecstatic utterances that were found in the mystery religions in that city in 1 Corinthians 14.
Ecumenism
A philosophy of cooperative ministry between religious groups (between Christian denominations or between Christian groups and those in other religions) which emphasizes commonly-held beliefs, while de-emphasizing or ignoring significant doctrinal differences (which often involved doctrines which are mutually exclusive).
Emerging Church
The term "emerging church" notoriously defies clear definition, precisely because many who identify with this "conversation" do not wish it to be defined, and especially not as a "movement."
However, some within the movement (Eddie Gibbs, Ryan Bolger) have given a broadly applicable definition in the book Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures (Baker Academic, 2005):
Emerging churches are communities that practice the way of Jesus within postmodern
cultures. This definition encompasses nine practices. Emerging churches (1) identify
with the life of Jesus, (2) transform the secular realm, and (3) live highly communal lives.
Because of these three activities, they (4) welcome the stranger, (5) serve with generosity,
(6) participate as producers, (7) create as created beings, (8) lead as a body, and (9) take
part in spiritual activities.
Eschatology
The technical theological term for the study of the doctrine of last things (those things that are yet future from our viewpoint). "Personal eschatology" is the study of what happens to someone after their physical death.
Eternal security
The doctrine that teaches the moment one trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation and are born again by the Spirit of God, they inherit eternal life, are adopted as children of God forever, are sealed by the Holy Spirit and can never lose their salvation.
Evangelicalism
Evolution, atheistic
Evolution, theistic
Exegesis
Exposition
A broad term used to distinguish religions that are centered in East Asia and India from those centered in Western Europe, the Western Hemisphere and the Middle East (which is obviously only relatively "west").
The "western religions" would generally be understood to be specifically Judaism, Islam and Christianity, whereas "eastern religions" would encompass a much broader spectrum including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Taoism and many other "sub-religions."
The distinctions between eastern and western religions are generally rooted primarily the philosophical / theological concepts of God, man, nature, reality and truth, and the manner in which reality and truth are apprehended. Eastern religions tend to identify God as an impersonal force, with God and nature constituting a single all-encompassing reality. Man, being a part of nature, would also be a part of this single reality. This being the case, truth is generally seen to be apprehended through achieving a such a state of consciousness that man simply "understands" independent of reason.
In contrast, Judaism, Christianity and Islam identify God as a personal being who is distinct from the Creation. Truth is generally understood to be arrived at through both revelation and reason. If mysticism is part of a specific sub-division of one of the western religion (i.e., some groups in medieval Catholicism), then truth is also seen to be apprehended by a sort of intuition similar to "eastern means."
The New Age movement is largely an adoption and adaptation of eastern religious thought by those who have grown up in the West.
Easy-believism
A derogatory term used to describe a view of the gospel and associated evangelistic methods that does not emphasize the need for someone to submit to the Lordship of Christ in order to be saved. It is generally used in contrast to what is termed "Lordship salvation."
It is often associated with "cheap grace" which is sometimes characterized as simply an "eternal life insurance policy" - something that undermines the costly nature of the gospel as seen in Christ's sacrifice on the cross. It is said to unbiblically separate saving faith from genuine repentance and commitment to "take up one's cross and follow Christ." To use another rather crude illustration, it is sometimes caricatured as being a "Get Out of Jail Free" card that is obtained by simply saying a "sinner's prayer."
In response to the charges by Lordship salvation proponents, it is countered that no one believes someone can consciously reject the Lordship of Christ and be saved. Nor is a "sinner's prayer" some kind of magic formula that automatically saves a soul unto eternal life.
Also in response to the Lordship view, it is noted that that care must be taken to not place unbiblical demands upon an unbeliever which they are incapable of meeting, being spiritually dead. Nor should works be attached to the gospel in the form of forethought or promises to live in full commitment to the Lord, because salvation is by faith alone.
And finally, all would understand that genuine saving faith is not mere mental assent to the facts of the gospel and that saving faith can only be exercised by someone who has a repentance heart that recognizes they are a sinner before a holy God.
See also: Cheap Grace, Lordship Salvation
Ecclesiology
The technical theological term for the study of the doctrine of the Church.
Ecstatic utterances
Often confused with genuine biblical speaking-in-tongues. However, biblical tongues were always the ability to speak a genuine language which the speaker had never learned. Ecstatic utterances, on the other hand, have no identifiable linguistic characteristics such as grammar, syntax or vocabulary.
Linguists have closely studied what is claimed to be speaking-in-tongues as practiced in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches over the last century and have concluded that they are not languages of any sort.
God is the creator of the language spoken by and to Adam and Eve. He created multiple languages at the judgment at the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. Both the Lord and angelic beings have communicated mankind over the centuries in understandable languages. Therefore, to conclude that tongues today are a "heavenly language," not necessarily having identifiable characteristics of language, is completely inconsistent with the entire biblical record.
Furthermore, ecstatic utterances have been characteristic of pagan religions over the millennia, so they would not have been a sign of the true God being at work. Paul seems to be addressing the problem of people in the church at Corinth manifesting the same type of ecstatic utterances that were found in the mystery religions in that city in 1 Corinthians 14.
Ecumenism
A philosophy of cooperative ministry between religious groups (between Christian denominations or between Christian groups and those in other religions) which emphasizes commonly-held beliefs, while de-emphasizing or ignoring significant doctrinal differences (which often involved doctrines which are mutually exclusive).
Emerging Church
The term "emerging church" notoriously defies clear definition, precisely because many who identify with this "conversation" do not wish it to be defined, and especially not as a "movement."
However, some within the movement (Eddie Gibbs, Ryan Bolger) have given a broadly applicable definition in the book Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures (Baker Academic, 2005):
Emerging churches are communities that practice the way of Jesus within postmodern
cultures. This definition encompasses nine practices. Emerging churches (1) identify
with the life of Jesus, (2) transform the secular realm, and (3) live highly communal lives.
Because of these three activities, they (4) welcome the stranger, (5) serve with generosity,
(6) participate as producers, (7) create as created beings, (8) lead as a body, and (9) take
part in spiritual activities.
Eschatology
The technical theological term for the study of the doctrine of last things (those things that are yet future from our viewpoint). "Personal eschatology" is the study of what happens to someone after their physical death.
Eternal security
The doctrine that teaches the moment one trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation and are born again by the Spirit of God, they inherit eternal life, are adopted as children of God forever, are sealed by the Holy Spirit and can never lose their salvation.
Evangelicalism
Evolution, atheistic
Evolution, theistic
Exegesis
Exposition
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