Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit, otherwise known as the Holy Ghost, is a concept within Abrahamic religions. In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is understood as the divine quality or force of God manifesting in the world, particularly in acts of prophecy, creation and guidance. In Nicene Christianity, this conception expanded in meaning to represent the third person of the Trinity, co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Son.
Serpents in the BibleWilliam Blake, The Temptation and Fall of Eve, 1808 (illustration of John Milton's Paradise Lost). Serpents (Hebrew: נָחָשׁ, romanized: nāḥāš) are referred to in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. The symbol of a serpent or snake played important roles in the religious traditions and cultural life of ancient Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Canaan.
Chaos (cosmogony)In the context of religious cosmogony, Chaos (Ancient Greek: χάος, romanized: kháos) refers to the division of reality outside or in contrast to the ordered cosmos. As such it refers to a state, place, or time beyond the known, familiar, and reliable world, often said to be inhabited by strange, ominous, or demonic beings. According to the creation of the universe (the cosmos) in early Greek cosmology, Chaos was the first being to exist.
Hippolytus of RomeHippolytus of Rome ( , Ancient Greek: Ἱππόλυτος; Romanized: Hippólytos, c. 165 – c. 235 AD) was one of the most important Christian thinkers of the second and third centuries, though his provenance, identity, and corpus remain elusive to scholars and historians. Suggested communities include Rome, Palestine, Egypt, Anatolia, and other regions of the Middle East.GnosticismGnosticism is a collection of different religious and philosophical ideas and systems that fully developed by the mid-second century among sects of early Christianity and other faiths. It is not a singular, homogeneous tradition or religion, but an umbrella term used by modern scholars to describe different groups and beliefs that shared certain characteristics.
Epiphanius of SalamisEpiphanius of Salamis (Ancient Greek: Ἐπιφάνιος; c. 310–320 – 403) was the bishop of Salamis, Cyprus, at the end of the 4th century. He is considered a saint and a Church Father by the Eastern Orthodox, Catholic Churches, and some Presbyterians. He gained a reputation as a strong defender of orthodoxy. He is best known for composing the Panarion, a compendium of eighty heresies, which also included pagan religions and philosophical systems.
PhilastriusPhilastrius (also Philaster or Filaster) Bishop of Brescia, was one of the bishops present at a synod held in Aquileia in 381.
Pseudo-TertullianThere have been many works attributed to Tertullian in the past which have since been determined to be almost definitely written by others. Nonetheless, since their actual authors remain uncertain, they continue to be published together in collections of Tertullian's works. The unknown authors of these works are usually called Pseudo-Tertullian by scholars.
IrenaeusIrenaeus of Lyon ( or ; Koine Greek: Εἰρηναῖος, romanized: Eirēnaîos, IPA: [i.re̝ˈnɛ.os]) was a Greek bishop in the second century, noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in the southern regions of present-day France and, more widely, for the development of Christian theology by opposing Gnostic interpretations of Christian Scripture and defending orthodoxy.
MosesIn Abrahamic religions, Moses was the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the Exodus from Egypt. He is considered the most important prophet in Judaism and Samaritanism, and one of the most important prophets in Christianity, Islam, the Baháʼí Faith, and other Abrahamic religions. According to the Abrahamic scriptures, God dictated the Mosaic Law to Moses, which he wrote down and which formed part of the Torah.
Ancient GreekAncient forms of the Greek languageBeginning of Homer's OdysseyMap of Homeric GreeceLinguistic map of the Roman Empire c. 400Ancient Greek (Ἑλληνική, Hellēnikḗ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC.
Against HeresiesAgainst Heresies is a work of Christian theology written in Greek by Irenaeus, the bishop of Lugdunum (now Lyon in France). Due to its reference to Eleutherus as the current bishop of Rome, the work is usually datedc. 180. In it, Irenaeus identifies and describes several schools of Gnosticism, and other schools of Christian thought, whose beliefs he rejects as heresy. He contrasts them with orthodox Christianity (proto-orthodox Christianity).*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.