Inter-Varsity Press
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© Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship, Leicester, England, 1988

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Unless otherwise stated, quotations from the Bible are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978 by the International Bible Society, New York. Used in USA by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and published in Great Britain by Hodder and Stoughton, Ltd.

Set in 10/11 pt Sabon
Typeset in Great Britain by Input Typesetting Ltd, London SW19 8DR

UK ISBN 0–85110-636–6
US ISBN 0–8308-1400–0

Printed in the United States of America

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

New dictionary of theology.

1. Theology—Dictionaries
I. Ferguson, Sinclair B. II. Wright, David F.
230’.03’21 BR95

UK ISBN 0–85110-636–6

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
New dictionary of theology/editors, Sinclair B. Ferguson, David F.

Wright: consulting editor, J. I. Packer.

p. cm.—(The Master reference collection)

Bibliography: p.
ISBN 0–8308-1400–0
1. Theology—Dictionaries. I. Ferguson, Sinclair B. II. Wright,

David F. III. Packer, J. I. (James Innell) IV. Series.
BR95.N38 1988
230’.0321—dc19 87–30975
CIP

19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6
99 98 97 96

Contents

Preface

How to use this Dictionary

Abbreviations

List of contributors

Dictionary articles

Preface

‘Everything a theologian does in the church’, said Martin Luther, ‘contributes to the spread of the knowledge of God and the salvation of men.’ That may not sum up every Christian’s attitude to theologians and theology, but it strikes the right note. The root meaning of ‘theology’ is ‘speaking about God’. What Christian theology seeks to do is to spell out the significance of God’s revelation, supremely in Jesus Christ, of himself and his provision and ...