Category Archives: Essential Vocab

“A further distinction can be made between (1) providentia ordinaria, ordinary or general providence, by means of which God conserves, supports, and governs all things through the instrumentality of secondary causes in accord with the laws of nature; and (2) providentia extraordinaria, extraordinary or special providence, according to which God in his wisdom performs specialContinue reading “Providentia Extraordinaria: Extraordinary Providence”

For today’s Essential Vocab we look again into Muller’s dictionary of Greek and Latin theological terms and specifically at the term, Verbum Dei or Word of God. As you will see, it is important especially in nuanced theological discussion to distinguish between these four meanings of Word of God as well as to observe theirContinue reading “Verbum Dei: Word of God”

variae lectiones: variant readings; specifically, variant readings in the several ancient codices of Scripture that led to debate concerning the infallibility of the scriptural Word. Richard Muller, Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms: Drawn Principally from Protestant Scholastic Theology, Term: variae lectiones. First, the Reformed Scholastics, or the Third-Wave Reformers, understood that there wereContinue reading “Variae Lectiones (Variant Readings)”

“usus rationis: the use of reason; specifically, the use of reason in theology.” Richard Muller, Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms: Drawn Principally from Protestant Scholastic Theology, Term: usus rationis. Can the use of reason be abused in the work of theology? We know that human reason enables the Christian to come to manyContinue reading “Reason and Theology”

“Textus Receptus: the Received Text; i.e., the standard Greek text of the New Testament published by Erasmus (1516) and virtually contemporaneously by Ximenes (the Complutensian Polyglot, printed in 1514 but not circulated [i.e., published] until 1522), and subsequently reissued with only slight emendation by Stephanus (1550), Beza (1565), and Elzevir (1633). Richard Muller, Dictionary ofContinue reading “Textus Receptus”

“Scripturam ex Scriptura explicandam esse: Scripture is to be explained from Scripture one of several forms of a maxim employed by both Lutheran and Reformed orthodox to indicate the normative authority and self-authenticating character of Scripture over against the Roman Catholic contention that the church has absolute authority to explain the text.” Richard Muller, DictionaryContinue reading “Scripture Is Its Own Interpreter”

“Scriptura Sacra: Sacred or Holy Scripture The Protestant scholastics elaborated the Reformation principle of sola Scriptura into an entire dogmatic locus.” Richard Muller, Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms: Drawn Principally from Protestant Scholastic Theology, Term: Scriptura Sacra. Where part of the Reformer’s battlecry was the five solas; the Protestant scholastics came after themContinue reading “Sacred or Holy Scripture”

“principium: principle, fundamental or foundational principle namely, that from which anything proceeds in whatever manner” Richard Muller, Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms: Drawn Principally From Protestant Scholastic Theology, Term: principium In theological argumentation there are two principium: principium cognoscendi and principium essendi. The former is the ground and foundation of theological knowledge –Continue reading “Principium (Principle)”

Praedicatio Verbi Dei Verbum Dei est: The preaching of the Word of God is the Word of God. Richard Muller, Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms: Drawn Principally From Protestant Scholastic Theology, Term: Praedicatio Verbi Dei Verbum Dei est. For the Protestant Scholastics and for us here at StandardSacredText.com, there are three ways inContinue reading “Preaching the Word”