Trinity: The Christian doctrine that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The
orthodox version of this doctrine is called Nicene theology.
typology: From the Greek word typos or type, often translated into Latin
as ¿ gura and hence into English as “¿ gure,” a form of Christian reading
in which persons, things, and events in the Old Testament are taken as
pre¿ guring Christ, Christians, the Church, or Christian life.
uncreated: This technical theological term designates what is in the strictest
sense divine, by contrasting it with all the things God has created. (The
meaning of the term is thus parallel to “not made” rather than “unmade.” The
word “uncreated” does not imply that God ever “unmakes” anything.) The
underlying idea is that everything that exists is either created by God or is
God the creator, who is uncreated. Hence it is an important question whether
grace (or one kind of it) is created or uncreated.
unitarianism: This is a label for Christian theologies that deny the doctrine
of the Trinity (unitarianism being opposed to trinitarianism), including an
American church denomination espousing unitarian theology, now called the
Unitarian Universalist church.
Vatican, First Council: A council of Roman Catholic bishops in 1869–
1870, presided over by Pope Pius IX, known for its de¿ nition of the doctrine
of papal infallibility and also for the teaching that the existence of God can
be known by natural reason.
Vatican, Second Council: A council of Roman Catholic bishops in
1962–1965, presided over by Pope John XXIII and then Pope Paul VI
which, in a move called in Italian aggiornamiento or “updating,” envisioned
a new and more positive relation between the church and the modern world,
other religions, and other Christian groups, including a powerful emphasis
on ecumenism.
Vestiarian controversy: Debate in the Church of England beginning in the
1560s and marking the emergence of Puritan theology, which objected to the
continued use of Catholic vestments, such as cope, surplice, and stole.