History and Mystery: The Complete Eschatological Encyclopedia of Prophecy, Apocalypticism, Mythos, and Worldwide Dynamic Theology Vol. 3

By Bernie L Calaway

Bernie Calaway is a retired Navy chaplain and biblical scholar, positions attained not without some struggle. He's a native Texan who quickly learned he'd be a happier minister than a cotton farmer on the high plains. Now, in active retirement, he writes, draws, takes regular naps, and tries to keep the squirrels off the back stoop. Ber

• Language: English
• Publisher: Authors Press
• Release date: Apr 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781643144863

Bernie L Calaway

Bernie L. Calaway is a Navy chaplain (retired), teacher, and biblical scholar. Oracles from Olivet is his sixth book. His writing is open, sensitive, and never lacking interest and humor. Obvious research and writing skills belie his oft-repeated quip: "Writing is more fun than bowling and allows me to sit through most of the work." You can visit Bernie's website at www.berniecalawaybooks.com

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Copyright © 2021 by Bernie L Calaway

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ISBN: 978-1-64314-460-3 (Paperback)

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FOREWORD TO THE ESSAYS AND ENCYCLOPEDIA

Are you aware that

the major task of a prophet is not to predict stuff? Has your neighbor used the term eschaton and left you puzzled? Having trouble with the details of those multi-horned monsters in the book of Revelation? Don’t know how to properly use an athame?

Fear not. The History and Mystery: The Complete Eschatological Encyclopedia of Prophecy, Apocalypticism, Mythos, and Worldwide Dynamic Theology has arrived to help you out. Few of us have the leisure of thumbing through thick Bible dictionaries or clicking on twenty websites, only to find there are no definitions that differentiate the apocalyptic from the eschatological material. (Uh, what is apocalyptic and eschatological substance anyway?) Nor is it convenient to stop a study here and there along the way wondering what exactly one is reading. To push the idea a bit more, an attempt has been made to introduce Bible names and terms that not only pertain directly or exclusively to prophecy and eschatology, but also to history, science, the mystery religions, ecclesiology, philosophy, ethics, religious aberrations and cults, anthropology, pagan or foreign religions and many other disciplines. The word reviews are as thorough as possible but back away from tedious. Or, as one reviewer put it, These aren’t definitions; they’re explanations. A person can actually understand them.

The encyclopedia you are clutching is unique. The first segment of the five-volume set is a series of some sixty essays relating to prophetic or theological topics that may be a bit difficult or begging for fuller explanation. The information provides a good base from which to start the search for information and understanding and is therefore placed in front. Next door to the explanations come the definitions themselves. Prophetic or esoteric words and phrases are identified and defined. Here is everything from Aaron to Zwingli. But still, more is needed since the interpretation of such a complex subject must delve into myth, religious history, and worldwide concepts of beliefs that are required for a comprehensive perspective. You will find terms not readily available in most standard Bible dictionaries or encyclopedias, either conveniently online or in print.

Surely, there are risks when a solitary person (i.e., without resources from specialized researchers, editors, brains, etc.) attempts to compile a glossary. The words must be carefully chosen and neither too detailed nor too generalized. Edgar Allen Poe once effused: A definition is that which so describes its object as to distinguish it from all others. By contrast, the philosopher F.C.S. Schiller said, All words cannot be defined. Somewhere within this annoying juxtaposition somebody has to try for the practical. Within the hubris of theology versus mysticism, that task is even more daunting. All words and every nuance of definition are not included—that’s an impossible task. If the subject is too vast to be reasonably explored, only the most common references are listed. But the important terms are present, at least all those I could think up or look up. Biblical and historical figures have been selectively chosen with more expansion in the essays. Both the expositions and the dictionary carry a Christian, perhaps even an evangelical, bias that seems logical and consistent to the purpose of the research.

Still, the questions keep piling up. What does a kiss have to do with apocalyptic judgment? How did the Moabites help form Hebrew and Christian eschatology? How does Roman Catholic end time doctrine line up with the Baptists? or a Hindu? Why do Branch Davidian types and Islamic terrorists seek suicide in apocalyptic fervor but the general public lends it scant attention? How can a lamb be ferocious and a wolf be a pacifist? Why did the Vikings see the world ending in violence but the ancient pharaohs only heard a gentle whimper? How is magic different from foreordination? And who cares? To hear the Almighty, do we need a God helmet or a prophet’s mantle? My Social Security number has three sixes in it. Should I upgrade? Am I a universalist or a pre-millennialist? Who started the odd Quaker apocalyptic movement? Was the wizard Merlin a better prophet than Robin Goodfellow? How come the Mayans got it wrong? Is the UN about ready to tax your unleaded gasoline and your diet sodas? How are prophecies related to miracles? Puzzles like that can slow your metabolism and keep you up all nights.

Nobody knows all the answers, and even fewer of the questions, but we can learn something. Certainly, it’s a great help to have a dictionary at hand. As a tip to the user, bear in mind that different translations of the Scripture and other sources may employ alternate words for the same subject. In most cases, the New International Version is the preferred Bible translation used here with scholarly essay for the remaining supply. If that doesn’t work, I am confident you’re smart enough to find another approach to the solution. Be a valiant, intrepid reader.

This lexicon edition hits church history (heavily American) and the human condition (both ancient and modern) with more than a gentle tap. Those features are intentional because our living faith today (and certainly beyond today) is the lasting bequeathal of the prophetic thrust. All is not done. Everything relates. Even the pagan and the modernist feed off each other sometimes. Those high-octane technical words are also important because they’re the language of the theologians. The extended "See also sections following most of the definitions are sure to aid in further study if desired, as will the consulting bibliography at the end. Also, don’t forget to use the history and mystery of… section of the lexicon for a sort of mini-index to related or linked subject matter. And you will need assistance to facilitate your research, being aware that aside from the Scripture, world culture and local usage also show multiple terms that may be identical or may differ from our own common understanding. Or there may be several meanings. Despite what may be a violation of accepted dictionary alphabetizing, any s within parentheses to indicate the plural is ignored when arranging alphabetically. As to all those words that think they should be capitalized—who knows? Most major characters of the Old and New Testaments are identified to enhance clarity and give the human" touch. Only the most prophetically, historically, and theologically pertinent titles and terms are cited in the encyclopedia, lest the texts become unwieldy. Even so, there are around 10,000 entries throughout the five volumes in an effort to be comprehensive.

A word of caution may be in order next. Some may feel offended that certain individuals, groups, or institutions are classed within the textbook as cults, false prophets, or some other seemingly maligned description. If such there be, I see no remedy for it. The work is, after all, written in the Christian perspective and that which is considered clearly outside the bounds of that faith can only be; it is what it is. Certainly there is no subtle pleasure or ulterior motive associated with the treatment of any term defined or explained. Remember, Christianity itself is (and always has been) hardly immune to negative labeling, worthy of it or not and true or not. Striving for artificial political correctness would inevitably drive both dictionary essays into the ditch of mediocrity.

One more caveat needs careful explanation. The reader will hardly fail to notice the prominence of dispensational and premillennial theology in both the expositions and the dictionary. The predominance of those themes is almost inevitable. Furthermore, knowledge dealing with dispensationalism and premillennialism are the most complex and detailed structures of modern eschatology and apocalyptic writing whereas other viewpoints are relatively straightforward. According to non-dispensational theories, all apocalyptic description in the Bible is either: (1) symbolic or metaphorical—almost never literal, (2) such language and the apocalyptic style of writing were common in the first century and in post-Babylonian Judaism but is practically unfathomable today, (3) various Bible renditions have mistranslated some of the text, which can therefore, be manipulated according to a favorite interpretation, (4) apocalyptic language, and its sister non-literal genre (poetry), must always be taken in as romantic or esoteric writing—never historically, (5) all apocalyptic scenes and descriptions are whole within themselves and bear little or no relation to similar paradigms, (6) details of dispensational eschatology are being foisted upon the uniformed and youthful generation who are incapable of full comprehension and should thereby be subject to vilification or, at least, refutation, (7) the Bible does not discuss the end of the age anywhere at any time. Any one of the assumptions mentioned can easily explain eschatology in such a context for it refers only to a theology of symbolic hope and steadfast perseverance in times of trouble. That essentially makes eschatology practically irrelevant to our times, except in its last remaining function as encourager to the believer. Premillennial and dispensational thinking, however, require far more investigation and explanation to expound the doctrine fairly. So then, the emphasis in the word list exceeds the simple comfort and hope purposes for the future and develops, not necessarily from the author’s personal hermeneutics, but from sheer necessity.

Finally, (sigh mournfully) something you need may have been omitted, or maybe an error is made somewhere. I regret that (really) but am not to be surprised by it. So then, accept my humble apologies beforehand. Kindly try to remember the writing is from the perspective of biblical scholarship, not stupefying theology.

Here’s hoping that what is presented will be interesting and helpful. If that happens, I’m one happy old writer dude.

Bernie L. Calaway

Myrtle Beach, SC

Encyclopedia of Eschatological

and Mystical Terminology

E

Ea: chief god of Babylon, considered to be the savior of the kingdom and the god of physicians. He is usually identified as Enki, one of the half-brother gods in the major Sumerian pantheon. See also Enki and Enlil; idol(s); Sumerian and Babylonian pantheon.

eagle(s): a majestic bird of prey and a scavenger fowl. They could also be trained for message carrying like a homing pigeon. Metaphorically, the eagle as predator sometimes represents regal power and a dynamic life-force (Ps. 103:5) and was the symbol of Jupiter in ancient history. Some apocalypticists claim the eagle is really a Phoenix, symbolizing a rebirth from the ashes of destruction. In apocalyptic literature, the eagle may sometimes refer to an angel. One of the Cherubim in Revelation 4:7 resembles an eagle. Revelation 8:13 recites the image of such a flyer (or angel?) seen airborne across the sky shouting woes because additional trumpet blasts of disaster are about to come onto the earth. The Greek word here is aetos—eagle—and not a term for angel. Still, the idea of a talking eagle has led many to substitute eagle for angel, which may or may not be acceptable in this instance. There are many references to the bird throughout the Bible. The eagle is also the logo of both ancient Rome and the United States of America. Because of the former designation, the Jews routinely became agitated when the Roman legions attempted to bring their emblems or standards onto holy ground. Vulture may be an acceptable substitute or alternate translation for eagle in certain instances. See also angel(s); animals, birds, and insects, symbology of; bird; eagle and the condor, the; eagle of woe, the; eagles’ wings; Ezekiel’s eagles, vine, and cedar allegory; names, symbology of; Phoenix; Romans as nationality; Rome; star(s); twelve eagles prediction; vulture.

eagle and the condor, the: the two birds of prey by which the Incas symbolized the reuniting of the peoples of earth, according to their Prophecy of the Great Change. The eagle represents North America and the condor is South America. See also animals, birds, and insects, symbology of; Aztecs; Chilam-Balam; conquistador(s); Cortez, Hernando; eagle(s); Eagle Bowl; Fifth World, the; five stages of earth, the; Great Change, Prophecy of the; idol(s); Inca; Itza-Katun Prophecies; Itza-Maya; Maya; Mesoamerica; Montezuma II; Pahana; Popul Unh; Quetzalcoatl; Sun Stone; Toltecs; transition of consciousness; 2012 prophecy, advocates of; 2012, prophecy of; Votan, Pacal; zodiac.

eagle (angel) of woe, the: the eagle (angel?) of Revelation 8:13 who announces sorrows or disasters (woes) upon the earth because the trumpet blasts of punishment are about to be sounded. See also angel(s); eagle(s); eschatology, eschatology; woe(s).

Eagle Bowl: one name for the Aztec calendar, a large monolithic structure excavated in Mexico City in 1970. The find, also called the Sun Stone, is over 2,000 years old and is dedicated to the solar god Tonatiuh, who was believed to be the fifth sun-god and the one who could prevent suffering if human sacrifices were made to him. The calendar itself, like all the Mesoamerican calculations, is considered quite precise. See also Aztecs; calendar; Chilam-Balam; Cortez, Hernando; eagle and the condor, the; Fifth World, the; five stages of earth, the; Great Change, Prophecy of the; idolatry; Inca; Itza-Maya; Maya; Moai; Montezuma II; Pahana; Quetzalcoatl; Sun Stone; transition of consciousness; 2012 prophecy, advocates of; 2012, prophecy of; Votan, Pacal; zodiac.

eagles (two) and the vine. See Ezekiel’s eagles and a vine allegory.

eagles’ wings: a metaphor for deliverance and protection. The theme of divine rescue via the symbol of eagle’s wings is most clearly illustrated in Exodus 19:4 and Revelation 12:14; in both instances, Israel is to be preserved as a remnant by God’s deliberate choice to save the nation. Isaiah 40:31 is the same promise but directed to everyone who hopes in the Lord. See also eschatology, eschatological.

Eannead. See Ennead, the Great.

ear(s): the hearing apparatus of a living body. When uncovered symbolically, the term may indicate the ears pierced for decoration or enslavement (Ex. 21:6), for heeding (Rev. 2:2) of instruction, or a petty yearning for gossip or false doctrine (i.e., itching ears (2 Tim. 4:3)). See also ephphatha.

earthen vessels. See jars of clay.

earthly tent: our mortal, fleshly body known to the Greeks as sarx. This we are destined to lose at the resurrection to be replaced with the glorified and perfected body promised to us by Christ (2 Cor. 5:4–10) and modeled by him following his resurrection. See also body; carnal; flesh; jars of clay; tent.

earthquake(s): a violent shaking of the earth caused by the shifting of subterranean geologic plates. Earth tremors occur frequently in Scripture not only as a physical occurrence of nature but also as a sign of God’s dramatic action in a given circumstance. An earthquake was experienced at the time of Jesus’ death on the cross and at other significant events when God desired special effects to call attention to His actions. The most prominent earthquake experiences recorded in Scripture include: the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:18), as experienced by Elijah in his cave (1 Ki. 19:11), during the reign of Uzziah (Zech. 14:5; Amos 1:1), as felt by the guards stationed at the tomb of Christ (Mt. 28:2–7), and as experienced by the Philippian jailor and the prisoners at midnight (Acts 16:26). Another occurred in Judea in the seventh year of Herod’s solitary reign (at the same time the battle of Actium was in progress) but Herod attributed this one to a natural event to be faced with courage, not with the fear of God’s retribution on the nation. New England experienced the great earthquake of 1727 causing the governor of Massachusetts to call for a day of fasting and soliciting the aid of Jonathan Edwards. Many scholars attribute the event as the first light of the First Great Awakening in America. Revelation, not surprisingly, features earth upheavals prominently and names one of the future destined to be the most violent in history (Rev. 16:18). Interestingly enough, all three of the series of disasters in Revelation, the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls, end in earthquakes. In all, there are five earthquakes in Revelation: Revelation 6:12; 8:5; 11:13; 11:19; and 16:18. The Bible’s fascination with earthquakes as an apocalyptic expression continues with references to them as signs and warnings (Isa. 29:6; Hag. 2:6; Heb. 12:26–27; Mt. 24:7). Jesus predicted that they would become more frequent and intense as the world nears its end. The prophecy of Zechariah (Zech. 14:5) predicts an earthquake as a sign of Christ’s return. See also eschatology, eschatological.

earth, war on. See war on earth.

east: the compass direction of some significance in apocalyptic literature. Revelation 7:2-3 displays an angel from the east arriving to seal, or protect, the 144,000 witnesses. So, most likely, we are to view the direction as the source of blessing. For the Israelites, it served precisely that function; they faced east as the primary direction and orientated themselves from that stance. Welcome events were believed to originate from there. The vision of Ezekiel relating God’s presence among His people shows His glory entering the east gate of the restored Temple (Ezk. 43:4; 44:1–3), previously sealed awaiting that purpose, just as he did on Palm Sunday 2,000 years ago. Cathedrals and chapels are often oriented eastward, as well as some graveyards, which place the body with the head to the west (so that, ostensibly, at the resurrection, the new body will face east). The wilderness tabernacle and the Jerusalem temples were purposefully faced in that direction. Good things come from there, such as the promise of the Millennium (Mt. 8:11). Most synagogue designs face east as well. Jewish prophecy demands that the Eastern Gate be officially sealed until the Messiah’s return but the Arabs have deliberately desecrated the area to prevent his entry. See also Eastern Gate; east wind; eschatology, eschatological; kings of the East; land of Nod; lightening from east to west.

Easter: the religious holiday celebrated by Christendom as the day of Christ’s resurrection. The correct date for the occasion has been a source of controversy. The Eastern practice was to recognize the day according to the moon, regardless of what day of the week was on the calendar. Roman practice was to wait until the following Sunday. The Council of Nicaea (

A.D

. 325) officially decreed that Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox on March 21. Thus, the date for Western Christendom varies between March 22 and April 25. Eastern Orthodoxy celebrations vary from April 4 to May 8. Oddly enough, the name Easter is derived from the old English word Eastre or Eostre which may have been promoted by the Venerable Bede prior to

A.D

. 899. The term honors the Anglo-Saxon pagan goddess by that name. Furthermore, the term may even have earlier connotations with the infamous Nimrod and his queen Semiramis. In some ways, the holiday bears semblance to the Jewish Passover. It has even been said that the Easter observance is a Christianized version, so say the mythologists, with a double tradition—it constituted a Christian reply to the Jewish Passover and gave a dimension to the great Celtic myths of passage to the Otherworld. In any case, there would be no Christianity were there no resurrection and the celebration of it. So what of the Easter bunny and his colorful eggs and all that sticks to the traditions? In some folklore stories, Easter eggs were supposedly carried to children by the bells on their way back from Rome or distributed by the Easter bunny himself. In other climes, the egg-giver was a fox or stork or a white hen or a cuckoo or a rooster or some other farmyard animal. The Chinese believed a rabbit lived on the moon where he was busily cooking immortal food. An egg laid on Good Friday could bestow good health to both humans and animals. They could also expose and disarm witches and protect from lightening. If you can preserve a yoke of an Easter egg for 100 years it will transform into a precious stone and forever ensure fortune for the owner. Considering the benefits, no wonder children love bunnies and work hard to find hidden eggs. See also Ash Wednesday; Bright Monday; Bright Sunday; Celtic folklore and religion; compuctus; Council of Nicaea; Fat Tuesday; feasts and special days of high liturgy faiths; feasts and special days of Protestantism; Good Friday; holiday(s); Holy Saturday; Holy Week; idol(s); Lent; lilies; liturgical year; liturgy, Christian; Maundy Thursday; Norse and Old Germanic pantheon; Palm Sunday; Paschal; Paschal controversy; Paschal greeting; resurrection(s); resurrection of Jesus; Shrove Tuesday.

Eastern Gate: perhaps the most sacred entry and egress to and from the Temple of God in Jerusalem. As the spirit of God departed from the Eastern Gate, he will return via the same route (Ezk. 46:2). Ezekiel and other prophets emphasize this entrance and exit as significant in both ritual and symbolism (Ezk. 10:18–19). Jewish law has ordained the closure of the Eastern Gate on Mount Zion until the return of the Messiah. See also Beautiful Gate; east; gates of Jerusalem; Golden Gate; Western Gate.

Eastern languages, key religious terms of the:

Alakh Niranjan: Hindu and Sikhism reference to the Creator and a way to describe God and the Self.

amitabha, amituofo: words with multiple meanings depending on the context; they can serve as a greeting, express regret, offer welcome, etc.

anatman: Buddhism’s denial of a permanent, immortal soul; literally, no self.

arhat: or arahant, one who has attained total Enlightenment in Theravada Buddhism; a Buddhist monk who has freed himself from samsara, the eternal life-cycle or birth, life, death, and rebirth.

arya: not ordinary, a Buddhist considered a spiritual hero or excelling in righteousness.

ashram: hermitage, a Hindu retreat center for learning and contemplation, usually led by a guru.

asura: a Hindu anti-god or demon.

atman: the Hindu belief that the soul resides in the heart and transmigrates at death.

Avalokiteshvara: a god of compassionate feeling in Buddhism; in China, the god is a female called Guanyin.

bagua: a Chinese and Korean practice allied to the I Ching and Taoism.

Baisakhi: the Sikh New Year celebration.

bardo: a stage of existence experienced between death and rebirth, according to some Buddhist belief.

bhajan: a Hindu praise song or prayer.

bhaki: Hindu for praise or devotion to a god.

bodhi: to achieve enlightenment in Buddhism.

bodhisattava: one who has attained, or is striving to attain, sufficient spiritual merit to achieve Buddhahood to the benefit of all sentient beings. In Mahayana Buddhism, bodhisvattas are spirit beings, once human but now incarnate, living on a higher plane of existence dedicated to the enlightenment of all living things.

Bon Festival: a day when Shinto believers reverence the dead by visiting graveyards, usually bearing gifts.

bonze: an East Asian Buddhist monk, especially from China, Japan, or Vietnam.

Borobudur: famous Buddhist temple near Jogjakarta in Java.

Brahmin: the priestly caste of Hinduism.

Chaturmos: the four-month period (ending in November) when devotees of Hinduism and Jainism may observe some form of vow with penance, fasting, and other ritual.

chorten: a Buddhist shrine housing relics of the faith.

dagoba: the Sinhalese (Sri Lanka) name for a Buddhist stupa.

dainin: a true adult or a mature person striving to be a bodhisvatta or Buddhalike.

dainoku: a chant before the gohonzon box in Soka Gakkai Buddhism.

Dalada Maligawa: Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, Sri Lanka said to hold a tooth of Buddha.

Da Luo Tian: the highest of the twenty-seven heavens of Taoism.

Dhammapada: Buddhist script in Sanskrit, the Pali.

Dhanibuddhas: the five saints in rank below Buddha whose images are often displayed in temples.

Diwali: the Hindu Festival of Lights. Gifts are exchanged and fireworks displayed.

Dvapara: a prolonged Hindu age corresponding to a season of the year.

gohonzon: the chest or box in Soka Gakkai Buddhism which acts as a worship center.

gongyo: the act of kneeling and chanting before the gohonzon box as practiced in Soka Gakkai Buddhism.

gossho no bompu: one striving to live by karma (bompu) but opposed by worldly strife (gossho).

gurdwara: a Sikh meeting place.

Harijahn: the untouchables caste of Hinduism.

inana: Buddhist term for higher knowledge or wisdom.

japa: Japanese practice of continual repeating of a mantra, similar versions of the act that is practiced nearly worldwide.

jesa: rituals for worship of the dead in some Eastern cultures.

jnana: the higher knowledge and wisdom of Buddhism.

Kali: a prolonged Hindu age corresponding to the winter season (an alternative meaning to Kali the goddess).

Kalki: last of the expected avatars of Lord Vishnu.

kama: a Sanskrit word for love and desire.

kelpa: Sanskrit for a long period of time; the Puranas says the measure is 2.4 billion years.

koan: a Buddhist riddle posed by a master teacher to instruct student monks; used as a learning tool.

Krishna: the eighth or ninth incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.

Krita: a prolonged age in Hinduism corresponding to the spring season.

ksana: a Buddhist term for a very brief space of time – about 13.3 milliseconds; 4,500 ksanas make a minute.

Kshatriya: the soldier caste of Hinduism.

ku: an expanded state of consciousness after death according to followers of Soka Gakkai International.

kut: a worship service in Korea led by a shaman.

lakangs: residences of resurrected Lamas.

lamasery: a Buddhist residence or temple of Nepal and Mongolia.

Lara Jonggrang: famous Hindu temple complex in Prambana, Java.

Mahabharta: Hindu epic of Indonesia portrayed in writing, drama, music, dance, and wayang kulit (shadow puppetry).

Mahayana: Buddhism for the greater way, great way, or greater path stressing the importance of helping others as a means to enlightenment.

mandap: a Hindu ceremony or wedding tent.

matha: a Hindu or Jainist monastery.

maya: the illusion of the physical world according to Eastern religion. The restriction must be broken to end eternal reincarnation.

modang: a female shaman of Korea.

moksha: a Hindu concept signifying the release from samsara—the life cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. In Buddhism, a similar term is Nirvana.

nasma: a body of pure light called Noor which controls the human’s physical body. It can be detected by Kirlian photography after which the revealed lights are called aura.

nenju: Buddhist meditation beads.

nirodha: Buddhist idea of the end of suffering.

Oharai-taisai: a purification ceremony (performed on July 29) to cleanse Shinto believers from sins of the year past. Participants walk through a ring of woven grass and reeds positioned before an entrance to a Shinto shrine.

oshu: a Buddhist priest in charge of a temple.

Potala: the foundation of the palace residence of the Dalai Lama.

Punja: a religious festival of India at which the adventures of Rama are dramatized.

punya: or punna, good karma (merit) in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, also one who accumulates good deeds for value that carries over into the afterlife.

qi: Chinese for air or "breath’ with metaphysical application.

Rama (Ramachandra): a divine incarnation of Vishnu.

Ramayana: Hindu epic literature of Indonesia enacted in drama, music, dance, and wayang kulit (shadow puppetry).

ren: the Confucian ideal as being fully human in manners, ethics, etc.

Rig Vita: Hindu poetic writings.

rupa: a religious reference to material objects, like statues or the body, for Hinduism, Buddhism, and other Eastern religions.

sadhana: a series of Eastern spiritual exercises intended to attain enlightenment or moksha.

sadhu: an ascetic or itinerate holy man of India.

samaddhi: a state of supernatural absorption active for Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and yoga practices.

samahdi: Buddhist insight gained by meditation.

samsara: the never-ending life cycle as viewed by Hindus—birth, life, death, rebirth. In Sikhism, the term also means release from the cycle of rebirth (of which there are 8.4 million reincarnations) brought on by the five evils of Sikhism—ego, anger, greed, attachment, and lust.

sangha: the monks and nuns of Buddhist monasticism.

Sanghai: the Buddhist community of believers.

sansin: mountain spirits in some parts of animasic Korea.

Shramana: the wandering ascetics of Buddhism.

Simran: the Eastern concept of remembering or contemplating. It is the highest form of meditation from which the highest aspect of life may be encountered. Change occurs everywhere but recall will reveal what is important.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib: meaning book in Punjabi. Sikhs treat the volume (some 1430 pages) as a living guru. It contains sayings from the originators of the Sikh sect with some references to Hinduism and Islam.

stupa: a Buddhist or Hindu shrine or statue.

sunyata: a Buddhist term for emptiness, an unreal life.

sutra: Buddhist scripture which includes some teaching from Buddha. The most famous collections are called the Suttanipata and the Dhammapada.

Suwunism: a splinter group of Cheonodoism.

Tantra: a concept in both Hinduism and Buddhism that denies caste and gender, a belief that will lead one faster to Nirvana. Hindu theology sees Tantra as expressions concerning which practices lead to enlightenment.

thanka: an icon or Buddhist religious picture common in Nepal painted by using pigments of powdered rocks.

Theravada: the true way or way of the elders of Buddhism, recognizing the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path but featuring personal belief over the collective.

tilak: a mark on the forehead of a Hindu believer representing the spiritual third eye.

Treta: a prolonged Hindu age corresponding to a season of the year.

yuga: the ages of mankind according to Hinduism, of which there are four in number: satya, treta, dvapara, and kali.

Uttarakuru: an unpleasant place lacking motivation; a state of disability or a period (like today) between the Buddha and his successor.

Vaikuntha: Hindu heaven.

Vaishya: the middle class caste of Hinduism.

Vajrayana: a.k.a. Tantric Buddhism, Mantrayana, True Word Sect, or the third Buddhist path. The term means diamond vehicle, which allows the believer to achieve enlightenment quickly—even within a lifetime.

vipassana: insight meditation.

Wesak: a festival in Sri Lanka commemorating the life of Buddha.

Yana: a vehicle or path in Buddhism. There are two paths: Tantric and Mahayana. Vajrayana may be a third.

Zazen: Zen Buddhism practice of sitting in meditation.

Zhongyuan jie: the ghost festival of Taoism (celebrated on August 25), the day when deceased ancestors may visit homes of the living.

See also aikido; Ashoka; ashram; bagua; Bhagavad Gita; Bhakti; Bodhi Tree; Bon; Buddhism; caste system; chakra; charnel ground; Cheondoism; Chi; Chondogwan; Confucius, Confucianism; Daejonggyo; Daesun Jinrihoe; Dalia Lama; Dasa Laksana; Dhammapada; dharma; Divali; Dussehera; Eight Adversities of Buddhism, the; Feng Shui; Five Hindrances of Buddhism, the; Five Poisons of Buddhism, the; Five Precepts of Buddhism, the; Four Noble Truths, the; Ganesha; Ganga; Ganges River; Greek language, Gautama Buddha; Indra; key religious terms of the; Hebrew language, key religious terms of the; Hinduism; Jade Empire, the; Jeungsanism; Jewels of Buddhism, the; Kama; Kama Sutra; karma; kundalini; latihan; li; maya; moksha; M’ra; Muslim languages, key religious terms of the; Nirvana; pagoda; Pali Canon, the; Puranas; Pure Land, the; Rama; Rudra; Satgagaha; Shakti; Skandas; Soka Gakkai International; stupa; Suttanipata; Sutta Pitaka; Tantric Buddhism; Taoism; Tenrikyo; Theravada Buddhism; Three Marks of Existence of Buddhism, the; Yiguandao.

Eastern Learning Movement. See Chenondoism.

Eastern Orthodox Church: the Eastern branch of Catholicism, situated mostly in the lands of the ancient Roman countries of Byzantium (with others in Europe and Asia). The faith group may also be recognized as the Byzantine Church or Greek Orthodox, along with its variations in Asia, the Middle East, Syria, Russia, and elsewhere. The official name is Catholic Orthodox Church but alternative identifiers are more popular. In Egypt, the church is now made up of the Coptic Christians after the Council of Chalcedon divided control between Alexandria and Constantinople in

A.D

. 451. In Ethiopia, the church is known as Nestorian. When the Great Schism irrevocably split the Roman Church in 1050, Constantine had long ago removed the capital (in

A.D

. 330) from Rome to Constantinople (now Istanbul). Affiliations to Greek Orthodoxy (as it is sometimes known) are those who observe the Greek rites of worship rather than the Roman. One salient feature of Orthodoxy as opposed to the Roman rite involves sanctification. The Eastern Church is open to the idea that believers can be sanctified through the liturgy and ministry of the Church, plus a heavy labor of testing, or works, by the individual. This tenet is far removed from Augustine’s insistence that a great gulf lies between God and His Creation. Orthodoxy gains much of its theology from their concept of theosis, which can be translated as deity. Whereas the patron saint of Rome was declared to be Peter, the base of the Eastern Church seems to have been the apostle Andrew. The faith of ancient Constantinople has spread to other eastern regions, including Russia (where it is generally known as the Russian Orthodox Church), the Balkans, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Albania, and other places. Major patriarchates are based in Constantinople but were formed further away in Russia, Serbia, Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Cyprus, Albania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Slovakia, Turkey, Macedonia, Ukraine, Montenegro, and other regions. Church doctrine does not accept papal infallibility, refuses the alleged supremacy of the Roman Catholic Church, bishops are allowed to marry (most did and grew long beards to proclaim it), and encourages congregants to worship in their own language. Orthodox hymnody is rich and the multiplicities of icons are unquestionably the most beautiful in the world. The Eucharist is always sung, not spoken, as is the rest of the liturgy, sermon excepted. The seat of Eastern Orthodoxy in Turkey is considered to be the locale of Paul’s first established church. The chief patriarch there—however he may popularly conceived—is not the supreme leader of the body as is the pope of Roman Catholicism. See also acolytes; aerial toll houses; Agnus Dei; akathist; altar board; Anagignoskomena; ante-Nicene fathers; Apollinarianism; archiereus; archimandrite; Ascension Day; Augsburg Interim; axceyous; axios; baptism of desire; Basil; Believers’ Liturgy; Black Madonnas; Bockelson, Jan; Bright Sunday; Byzantine Church; canonical hours; canon(s) of the church; Cappadocia; Cappadocian fathers; Cassian of Gaul, John; catechumen; catholicos; Charles V; chorbishop; chorepiscope; Chrismation; Christotokos; Chrysostom, John; church bodies in America (typed); Constantinople as city; Coptic Church; councils, church; Councils of Constantinople; Councils of Nicaea; Cross, Feasts of the; Crusades; deacon(s), deaconess(es); delict; Diet of Worms; diocese; Dionysius the Areopagite; diptych; Divine Liturgy; Doctors of the Church; donkey walk; Dormition of the Theotokos; dulia; Easter; elugia; Entry into the Temple of the Theotokos; eparchy; Euchology; Eulogia; Evagrius; excommunication; Fifth Council of Constantinople; gathliek; ghaliloun; Great Lent; Great Schism, the; Gregory of Nazianzus; Gregory the Illuminator; hegymanos; Hesychasm; Holy Days of Obligation; holy fire; Holy Roman Empire; Holy Rus; Holy Theophany of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; holy water; Holy Week; icon, iconography; Iconoclasts, War of the; Irene; Jacobites; Jesus Prayer, the; Jesus Sutras; Joint Catholic-Orthodox Declaration of 1965; Justinian I; katechon; kontakion; Kormchaia; latria; Macedonius; Mandylion, the Holy; Mariolatry; Maronite Church; Mar Thoma Church; Maximus; Meatfare Sunday; Melito; Menologium; Methodius of Olympus; metousiosis; Merilo Pravedoyne; metropolitan; miaphysitism; monasticism; monasticism, degrees of Eastern Orthodox; monergism; monk(s); monoenergism; nepsis; Nestorianism; Nestorius; Nicolas; Northern Crusades; oblate; Oecumenical Orthodoxy; One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church; Palamism; Palladium; pallium; Pannychis; Pantocrator; parish; Paschal; Paschal greeting; patriarch(s); patriarchate(s); Paulicianism; pentarchy; Photian Schism, the; Pippin III, King; Plenarium; Pneumatomachi; Polycrates; prefect(s); priest(s); primate; proskynesis; Quadratus; rasophore; Russian Orthodoxy; Saint Catherine’s Monastery; salvation; Sarathiel; Schism, the Great; Second Ecumenical Council; see; Sergianism; shrine(s); Serafim of Sarov; Sophronius; starets; staurolaty; Symmachus; synaxarium; synaxis; Syrian Orthodox Church; Tabor light; taxiarch; Theodora; Theodore of Mopsuestia; Theodoret; Theodoric the Great; Theodosius I; Theodotion; Theophorus; Theotokos; Third Council of Constantinople; Thirty Years’ War; tones of hymns; tonsure; traditionalism; tradition (Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic); Transfiguration, Feast of; transubstantiation; triangle; triduum; Trinity Sunday; Triodion; Triumph of the Cross, Feast of the; troparion; Typicon; Ulfilas; Uniat Church; viceroy; Victorinus; zeon; zinnar.

Eastern Sea. See Dead Sea.

east of Eden. See land of Nod.

east wind: the prevailing air currents of a hot day (Jer. 4:11–12) in the Middle East that are usually omens of destruction. The prevailing winds could bring locusts, drought, or the scorching punishment of judgment (Gen. 41:6). A scorching east wind was sent as punishment for the agitated prophet Jonah as he sat outside the city of Nineveh hoping for its destruction (Jonah 4:8). The east wind is a common metaphor for God’s power (e.g., parting the Red Sea (Ex. 14–15) or defeating the His enemies and transforming creation (Joel 3)). The east wind, even today, realistically refers to the dry desert sirocco such as the seasonal Santa Ana flows of Southern California.

Eaton, Theophilus: Puritan clergyman (1590–1658) who, with James Davenport, founded New Haven, Connecticut (then called Quinnipiac on Long Island Sound). Eaton and Davenport were called the Moses and Aaron of the colony, and Eaton was its lifetime governor. He and his partner wrote the colony’s blue laws and governed New Haven as a theocracy. When Eaton died, the city was absorbed into the Connecticut colony. See also blue laws; Davenport, John; New Haven Colony; Puritanism, Puritans.

Ebed-Melech: a Cushite and palace official under King Zedekiah. He was responsible for heroically rescuing Jeremiah from the cistern where the prophet had been cast by his enemies instigated from within in the court of Zedekiah (Jer. 38:1–13).

Ebeh: a Sumerian mountain god. See also idol(s); Sumerian and Babylonian pantheon.

Ebenezer: the name given by the prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 7:12) to his stone of remembrance erected near Mizpah. The monument commemorated a defeat of the Philistines on that site and was an act of gratitude to God for the victory. The name means Thus far has the Lord helped us. Many of the prophets preferred to copy Samuel and offer some form of tangible thanks to God for His aid and blessing from time to time. Memorial stones were a common way of commemorating important events in Jewish history. See also messebas; sacred stones.

Eber: an ancestor of Abraham (Gen. 10:21, 25) but also a tribal representative of the early Syrians. Their ancestry, as recorded in Genesis, makes them precursors of Abraham and thus in the messianic line (Lk. 3:35). Abraham himself was called a wandering Aramean (Deut. 26:5). Certain prophecies have decreed a Syrian defeat which may have occurred with the Roman victory over the last king of Syria, Antiochus XIII in 63

B.C

. (e.g. Num. 24:24). It is from this ancestor that the very name Hebrews is derived. See also Abrahamic Covenant; Aram, Arameans; Syria.

Ebionites: sometimes labeled as Nazarene Christians, a sect of early Jewish converts who believed Jesus was a virtuous man but not pre-existent. They revered James the Just as leader of the Jerusalem church but rejected the theology of Paul. The Ebionites were called the poor ones because they esteemed voluntary poverty. They insisted on observing many Old Testament Jewish laws and customs. Their founder was Ebion, who can likely be labeled a Gnostic. See also Ebionitism; Gnosticism, Gnostic(s); Josephus, Flavius; Judaizers.

Ebionitism: the theological concept (considered heresy by orthodox Christianity) that Jesus was merely human who happened to be endowed with charismatic gifts. Ebionitism also rejects the virgin birth doctrine of Jesus Christ. Ebionite doctrine asserts that Jesus was indeed the Messiah but not divine (he was human only) and clings to many of the ceremonial laws and customs of Moses. Paul’s theology is rejected in its entirety. See also Ebionites.

Ebla: an ancient kingdom of the Levant region now in the bounds of Syria. The area’s population was a prosperous one with a long history. See also Ebla Tablets; Levant; Syria.

Ebla Tablets: an archeological treasure of some 1800 clay tablets and many fragments from 2500–2250

B.C

. Their contents have generally proven to be less instructive to biblical accounts that what first appeared to be. See also Ebla.

Eblis: an evil spirit (a jinn) named in the Qur’an which Muslims believe can roam about the earth as a shape-shifter able to appear in either animal or human form. See also genie(s); devils; Iblis; idol(s); Islam; nagual; Shaytan.

ecce homo: 1. Latin for behold the man, spoken by Pontius Pilate (Jn. 19:5) when Jesus was presented, scourged, and crowned with thorns before the crucifixion crowd. The theme is prized in art, sermonizing, and countless other art forms. Moreover, it is a poignant attraction between man and the Son of Man, seemingly made all the more ironic by being uttered by a pagan dictator. Little did he know of the impact of his introduction of the savior. 2. the unofficial name for the start of the Via Dolorosa, whether that site can be absolutely determined or not. See also Antonia Fortress; Jerusalem, landmarks of; Lithostrotos; Pilate, Pontius; Praetorium; Quad scripsi, scripsi; Tower of David; Via Dolorosa.

Ecclesiastes as Old Testament book: an Old Testament book counted among the Writings. The true title is Qoheleth, meaning teacher or the preacher. Some linguists call the name Ecclesiastes, a clumsy translation of Qoheleth attempted by the later Greek interpreters. The content, which may derive from Solomon, is a rather pessimistic rendering as opposed to most other Old Testament writings, especially its companion, Proverbs. Solomon’s authorship is denied by the majority of scholars. It does bear eschatological interest in that the book’s comment, He who increases knowledge increases sorrow sounds much like Daniel’s line, Many will go here and there to increase knowledge (Dan. 12:4). See also Hagiographa.

ecclesiastic(s): a broad definition for anyone specializing in religious duties, usually limited to the Christian persuasions (i.e., church officials, administrators, priests, educators). Sometimes the title of dominie answers as well. See also abbot; ablegate; agapetae; archbishop(s); archimandrite; auxiliary ministries; bishop(s); camerlengo; canon(s) of the church; canons regular; cardinal(s); catholicos; celebrants; chaplain(s); chorepiscope; clergy; curate; deacon(s), deaconess(es); dean; divine; don; ecclesiology; elder(s); episcopate; evangelist(s), evangelism; flying bishop(s); friar(s); grand mufti; hegymanos; hierophant; loco tenens; man of God; metropolitan; monk(s); monsignor; nuncio; officiant; padre; parson(s); pastor(s); patriarch(s); pope; preacher(s); prefect(s); prelate(s); presbuteros; priest(s); primate; provost; rector; Reverend; starets; suffragan; supply clergy; vicar general; vicar of Christ; viceroy.

Ecclesiasticus: also known as The Wisdom of Sirach or Ben Sira. The book (ca. 200–175

B.C

.) is a compilation of proverbs or maxims similar to the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament. Its canonicity is recognized by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and some few others but favored for study only by Lutherans and a few Protestant sects. It is not recognized in Orthodox Jewish Scripture nor mainline Protestantism but does appear in the Septuagint. The author was Shimon ben Yeshua ben Eliezer ben Sira of Jerusalem. See also Ben Sira; proverb(s).

ecclesiology: any investigation or discussion involving the nature of the Church, its rationale, or its organization. Western ecclesiology is the study of the Christian Church as to its constituency, history, purpose, administration, rituals, polity, mission, theology, future disposition, and any other aspect of its existence as an institution. See also acephali; autocephalous; church, administration of the early; church models; conciliarism; congregational polity; connectional polity; ecclesiastic(s); ekklesia; episcopate; faith and order; Free Church(es); hierarchical polity; magisterium; plebania; polity; prelacy; presbytery; representative polity; rite; ritual; shepherding (cultic); shepherding (discipleship); shepherding (pastoral); sobornost.

Eckankar: a term meaning co-workers with God, involving the essence of karma and belief in reincarnation. The sect practices spiritual exercises in order to prepare oneself to work with God in the afterlife. Eckankar presents itself as first-time truth but the fact is that almost all of its beliefs are borrowed. See also cult(s); idolatry.

Eckart, Deitrich: a master occult practitioner who discovered Adolf Hitler and carefully tutored him in the arts and practices of the dark side. In this, he was spectacularly successful and was able to boast to a friend, Do not mourn for me: I shall have influenced history more than any other German. Eckart bragged further that Hitler could dance but he called the tune. See also Hitler, Adolf; occult, occultic; Thule, land of; Thule Society.

eclipse(s): in astronomy, the overshadowing of one heavenly body when it intervenes, partially or wholly, in the line of sight of another, thus obscuring the sun’s light. A lunar eclipse transpires when the moon is within earth’s shadow; a solar eclipse occurs when the moon is between the sun and the observer. The ancients feared any such celestial event as bad omen. The Chinese thought a huge dragon was trying to consume the celestial body and the Norse believed the sun and moon were being constantly pursued by two wolves—almost catching them at times. A lunar eclipse was particularly alarming because earth’s atmosphere filters out the blue light spectrum and bends the red toward the moon. A blood moon was to be feared and an eschatological sign of terror. Some ancients saw the events as the time when sun and moon were reunited after being long-lost lovers or twins. The Scripture contains a number of them, often related to God’s direct visible action on earth. Some proponents of the 2012 prophecy theory have predicted that age would be presaged by three dramatic eclipses—the second of two lunar on November 28, a solar on November 13, and the most telling being the transit of Venus, a celestial body particularly sacred to many ancient cultures. A final manifestation will see the sun in the center of the Milky Way galaxy, the most marked event of the 2012 phenomenon. See also astronomy, astronomists; blood moon(s); cosmic cross; cosmology; Dark Rift; galactic alignment; impact event; Jupiter Effect, The; Maya; moon; planets as gods, the; precession of the equinoxes; sun; 2012 prophecy, advocates of; 2012, prophecy of; supermoon; Venus; zodiac.

economy: in practical terms, the accounting of monetary income and spending and attention to the status of each discipline, or in a broader sense, the state of the financial affairs of an affiliated group or a nation. In a mundane context, therefore, the word as derived from the Greek pertains to laws of the home—household management. Theologically speaking, the concept basically describes God’s plan to save the universe (Eph. 1:9–10), and, in the meantime, keep it in balance. According to historic economy, the identifiable acts of God in this world constitute a sort of detached logic separate from His transcendency. It allows discussion of concrete statements about God’s work and our cooperative efforts with Him in the world but not associating them with God’s divine essence. It is also the base theology from which dispensationalism is derived since historical economies (oikonomo) are noted as significant. The idea is central to dispensationalist’s theme of designating historical eras to represent much of Church history. See also church age theory; dispensation(s); dispensational theology; oikonomo; six-day theory, the; six (or seven) ages of the world; stewardship.

ecstasy: from the Greek ekstasis, the highest gradation of the prophetic condition wherein the seer’s mental state is beyond the normal modes of thinking and mental retention. John was possibly in this situation when he penned Revelation (Rev. 1:10). In the earlier times of ancient Israel, some individuals or groups of prophets practiced a frenetic, slavering, dribbling, dancing, and otherwise frenzied form of prophetic utterance, which could be classed as ecstasy. The state of altered consciousness produced is a frequent expression of Pentecostalism, certain occult or New Age practices, and Eastern or Islamic religions. The above definition does not explore ecstasy in the psychological and psychopathological disciplines where the word is far more technical and clinical. See also charisma; charm(s); Christ within; dream(s); dreams and visions; illumination; inspiration; in the Spirit; liturgy, Christian; liturgy, Jewish; locution; mantra; meditation; numinous; orans; plenary inspiration; quietism; revelation, general; revelation, theological; river, the; sons (school) of the prophets; sorcery, sorceries; theolepsy; tremendum; visualization.

ectoplasm: an unknown substance said to be extruded at times from the body of a spiritualist medium, often apparently appearing through the nose. Its true existence is not accepted by most rational investigators and the substance is easily faked. See also idol(s); medium; spiritism.

Ecumenical Council of

A.D

. 999: a church council with some influence which set the date for Christ’s coming (to Jerusalem) on January 1,

A.D.

1000. See also councils, church.

ecumenism: the ideal of Christianity, which posits that all divergent wings of the faith can someday fellowship and worship together in harmony. The experiment has always been something less than a success, perhaps because the basic disagreements have not been resolved. As one prime example, Catholicism interprets the Eucharist as a sacramental exercise in which the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ, either through transubstantiation or consubstantiation. Most Protestants reject the sacramental idea, which, for them carries no inherent grace in its actual practice. Agreement on this issue was almost concluded in October of 1529 between two key parties. The major reformers, Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, Bucer, and Melanchthon met at Marburg in Germany. Zwingli was willing to concede that the body of Christ was spiritually present in the elements, and Luther was ready to agree that the Eucharist was effective only for the believer. Intercommunion might have come about between these two branches of the Reformation, except for the objections of Melanchthon, who feared the action would make reconciliation with the Catholics impossible. Legend reports that Luther, in line with Lutheran Eucharistic thinking, then wrote in the dampness of the table, This is my body (1 Cor. 11:24). Some of the early Church councils strived for ecumenism but failed, in general, because of internal rivalry and doctrinal differences. Perhaps a more modern terminology may substitute pluralism or interfaith dialogue for ecumenism, with the implication of inclusiveness of religion and denominations, an experiment of only moderate success. The movement did lead to the formation of the World Council of Churches in the 1940s, most ably directed by J. H. Oldham. The civil rights march organized by Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama, may be one of the more remarkable ecumenical expressions of the 20th century. Many present-day anti-ecumenists even see the possibility of a cooperative and singular church movement as the precursor of the one world government of the False Prophet. But, as of now, true ecumenism appears to be an impossibility. See also consubstantiation; eirenics; Eucharist; Eucharistic theory of the Reformers; Focolare Movement; Fosdick, Harry Emerson; homo religiosus; inclusive language; Lord’s Supper; Luther, Martin; Marburg Conference; Merton, Thomas; multiconfessional; mutual insistence; National Council of Churches; National Day of Prayer; Parliament of the World’s Religions; Paulist Fathers; PC; Schaff, Philip; transubstantiation; Week of Prayer for Christian Unity; World Council of Churches; Zwingli, Ulrich (Huldrych).

Edda, the: or the Elder Edda, the Icelandic book of myth and prophecies as supposedly told to Odin by the seeress Valuspa. The Edda is extant in a prose edition and another in poetic format. Both relate the Norse version of creation, the first man and woman, various wars of evil versus good, and Ragnarok—the final battle. Finally, it speaks of the world’s rebirth. The Edda uses symbolic images to convey a message of the end: the Monstrous Wolf who will eat the sun to be released at Ragnarok; the great world serpent representing the unpurified lower nature of man to come out of the ocean; the golden tables hidden in the grass to be found for the restoration of wisdom; and the appearance of Baldr, the White God or Mighty Ruler—the one of beauty and justice. See also Fimbulwinter; idolatry; Norns; Norse and Old Germanic pantheon; Ragnarok; reptilian theory; seven great prophecies of world peace, the; Valkyries; Valuspa.

Eddy, Mary Baker: founder of Christian Science (July 16, 1821–December 3, 1910). Mrs. Eddy suffered from illnesses and injury much of her life (she claimed) that sometimes reduced her to near-invalid status requiring constant care. Nevertheless, over the years she married George Glover (by whom she had one child), Dr. Daniel Patterson, and Asa Eddy, meanwhile maintaining a steady interest in esoteric philosophy and alternative medicine. In time, she came under the influence of one Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, a magnetic healer practicing a form of mind over matter healing. From that association, Mrs. Eddy systematized her own version of curative theories to be practiced without use of drugs, hygiene, or medicines. The church she formed to promulgate the system was called the Church of Christ, Scientist headquarted in Boston, and her guiding publication was a book entitled Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Her ideas essentially deny the existence of pain or negative suggestion, and are practiced as a complex blend of positive thinking and what she called divine science. Mrs. Eddy hinted broadly that she was the radiant woman of Revelation 12, while many of her followers (calling her Mother) claimed she was equivalent to Christ (a concept she did not discourage). See also Church of Christ, Scientist; idol(s); magnetism; mind science; New Thought Movement; Quimby, Phineas Parkhurst; sect(s); woman clothed in (with) the sun, the.

Eden: the name for the special garden created by God to be indwelt and farmed by Adam and Eve (Gen. 2:8–25) and from which they were expelled. The name means delight. The place has eschatological significance simply because of its promised restoration during the Millennium. Modern archeologists and amateurs have tried in vain to locate the Garden of Eden within our geography. Their efforts have ranged in speculation from the Middle East to the Gobi Desert. The major problem seems to be that no one can agree on the locations of the four rivers named in Genesis that could pinpoint Eden’s location—the Pishon, Gihon, the Hiddekel or Tigris, and the Euphrates (Gen. 2:10–14). Eden was also a minor city in ancient Syria. See also Edenic Covenant; New Eden; tree of life, the; tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the.

Edenic Covenant: a title for the agreement between God and Adam and Eve that He would grant life and blessing as the first humans to supervise Eden in obedience to His commands. The couple was disobedient, however, and expelled from their sanctuary. The Lord then devised alternate means to salvation and freedom from the guilt and penalty of sin (animal sacrifice and later the atonement in Christ), which had been foisted on the race because of their blunder. See also Adam; Adamic Covenant; covenant(s), biblical; covenant theology; Eden; Eve; Fall, the; federal theory of guilt; Original Sin.

Edessa: a small kingdom lying at the eastern edge of the Roman Empire. It became a center for Eastern, mostly Aramaic, Christianity. Edessa was eventually absorbed into the Roman Empire and later into the Persian Empire and is now the region of Urfa, Turkey. See also Abgar; Addai; Roman Empire.

edible scrolls, the: 1. Ezekiel’s experience within the vision of the movable chariot of heaven when he was obligated to eat a scroll representing the message he was to preach to the Israelites (Ezk. 2:8–3:3). 2. a similar episode occurring in Revelation 10 when John was told to devour another little scroll with comparable content. The experience of devouring the Word of God can be a blessed experience, as stated in Jeremiah 15:16: Your words were found, and I ate them… Furthermore, the practice of delving into or consuming the Word of God can be either comforting or disturbing when the conscience is stirred, as in Revelation 10:10: It tasted sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. See also little scroll, the; scroll(s).

Edict of Milan: the decree of Constantine I that established Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire (dated

A.D

. 313) and ended state-sponsored Christian persecution in that era. The edict allowed substantial favors to the newly recognized Christian Church, a circumstance that proved to be a mixed blessing since Christian devotion seems to thrive better under the pressure of opposition and fares worse when coddled. The edict should not be classified as disestablishmentarianism because it clearly favored Christianity alone among religions. See also antidisestablishmentarianism; Christianity in the Roman Empire; Constantine I; Edict of Toleration; Roman Empire.

Edict of Nantes: a proclamation by King Henry IV of France that granted certain civil rights and freedom of religion to French Calvinists (Huguenots) on April 13, 1598. It was revoked in 1685 and persecution resumed with a vengeance. Some 400,000 Protestants chose to leave the country in fear of another Saint Bartholomew’s Day massacre. Many of the exiles ended up in the Netherlands, where some made significant contributions to humanism and the Enlightenment. See also antidisestablishmentarianism; Booke of General Lawes and Liberties; caesaropapacy; civil religion; collegialism; disestablishmentarianism; Edict of Toleration; Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause; Geghan Bill; Huguenots; Massachusetts Body of Liberties; Pontifex Maximus; princeps; principis; state church; Toleration Act of 1649; ultramontanism; Virginia’s Religious Disestablishment law.

Edict of Toleration: the decree of the emperor Galerius in

A.D

. 311 that made Christianity on a par with all other Roman religions. See also antidisestablishmentarianism; Booke of General Lawes and Liberties; caesaropapacy; civil religion; Christianity in the Roman Empire; collegialism; Dionysius, Pope; disestablishmentarianism; Edict of Milan; Edict of Nantes; Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause; Galerius; Roman Empire; Geghan Bill; Massachusetts Body of Liberties; Pontifex Maximus; princeps; principis; state church; Toleration Act of 1649; ultramontanism; Virginia’s Religious Disestablishment law.

Edicule: the enclosure for what many believe to be the tomb of Jesus in Jerusalem. The structure was renovated in 2017 to prevent its collapse and has been improved in appearance and functionality. See also Anastasis; church; Church of the Holy Sepulcher; Jerusalem, landmarks of.

edification: in theological terms, the building up or strengthening of faith and knowledge, a commendable ethic according to Scripture (1 Cor. 14:4). See also biblical criticism; religious education.

Edom, Edomites: a term meaning red, likely because the people of the land of Edom were descendants of Esau, who was said to be a ruddy, hairy man. As a nation, they flourished from about the thirteenth to the sixth centuries

B.C

. in the mountainous region of the Negeb and constituted a rather advanced civilization depending chiefly on trade. Major cities included Teman and Bozra with Sele (rock) as its capital. The latter city became Petra. Ezekiel called the country Mount Seir (Ezk. 35). The Edomites seemed to be an aloof, unfeeling group, causing the Lord to curse them more than once (e.g., Amos 1:11–12) through many prophets. At one point, God labeled them the Wicked Land (Mal. 1:4). The nation has some eschatological interest in that they, along with Ammon and Moab, are to be spared the wrath of the northern king according to Daniel 11:41. Yet, Isaiah predicts God’s eschatological wrath will commence south and east of Jerusalem in the territory of Edom as the Messiah treads the winepress of his anger (Isa. 63:1-3, 6). No nation exists by that name today nor did in Daniel’s time. The most reasonable explanation of the prophecy is that some modern equivalent country will be allied to the Antichrist (the northern king) and be spared his wrath in the end days. See also Ammon, Ammonites; Azel; Bozra; Duma; Edom, Moab, and Ammon; Idumea, Idumeans; Joktheel; Moab, Moabites; Mount Seir; Nabateans; Petra; Seir; Sele; Teman; Wicked Land, the.

Edom, Moab, and Ammon: a section of the Middle East that Daniel the prophet (Dan. 11:41) claimed will be spared when the Antichrist rampages over the latter-day nations. Its exact geographic location is debated, but the most likely site is western Jordan and the area south of Israel, territories likely to be affiliated with the beast. Or the opposite interpretation could apply, namely, the Israelis will hold these territories in addition to half of Jerusalem just prior to the Second Coming. Some prophetic students assume that the besieged Jews of Jerusalem in the final days will find refuge at Bozrah (now called Petra) through this corridor of safety (Isa. 16:4). If the latter description is accurate, the Jordanian region is spared by an act of God in order for the area to be a refuge for the Jews, or at