Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

269 results found

Chloe

(Encyclopedia)Chloe klōˈē [key], in the New Testament, Corinthian woman in whose house there were Christians. ...

Donatism

(Encyclopedia)Donatism dŏnˈətĭzəm [key], schismatic movement among Christians of N Africa (fl. 4th cent.), led by Donatus, bishop of Casae Nigrae (fl. 313), and the theologian Donatus the Great or Donatus Magn...

Saladin

(Encyclopedia)Saladin sălˈədĭn [key], Arabic Salah ad-Din, 1137?–1193, Muslim warrior and Ayyubid sultan of Egypt, the great opponent of the Crusaders, b. Mesopotamia, of Kurdish descent. He lived for 10 year...

John the Baptist, Saint

(Encyclopedia)John the Baptist, Saint, d. c.a.d. 28–a.d. 30, Jewish prophet, considered by Christians to be the forerunner of Jesus. He was the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, who was also a kinswoman of Mary, th...

Peter, epistles of the New Testament

(Encyclopedia)Peter, two letters of the New Testament, classified among the Catholic (or General) Epistles. Each opens with a statement of authorship by the apostle St. Peter. First Peter, the longer book, is addre...

Jacobite Church

(Encyclopedia)Jacobite Church jăkˈəbītˌ [key], officially Syrian Orthodox Church, Christian church of Syria, Iraq, and India, recognizing the Syrian Orthodox patriarch of Antioch as its spiritual head, regarde...

Appii forum

(Encyclopedia)Appii forum ăpˈēī [key] [Lat.,=Appius' market], important stop on the Appian Way, c.40 mi (64 km) E of Rome. It was at the head of a canal through the Pontine Marshes. When Paul arrived here on hi...

James, Saint (the “brother” of Jesus)

(Encyclopedia)James, Saint, in the Bible, the “brother” of Jesus. The Gospels make several references to the brothers of Jesus, and St. Paul speaks of “James the Lord's brother.” While Protestants generally...

Dorylaeum

(Encyclopedia)Dorylaeum dŏrĭlēˈəm [key], ancient city of N Phrygia, Asia Minor, now in NW Turkey. It was an important trading city of the Romans but later fell to ruins. At this site on July 1, 1097, the Chris...

idol

(Encyclopedia)idol, an object, frequently an image, which is worshiped as a deity. Idols are usually found in human or animal form and may be treated as though alive; they are fed, bathed, anointed, crowned, and so...

Browse by Subject