Quietism: Roman Catholic theological term for a form of mystical theology
originating in 17th century Spain and inÀ uential in France and Italy, which
focused on passive contemplation and letting God work in the soul, denying
the importance of the active pursuit of virtue, holiness, salvation, and even
the desire for beatitude.
Real Presence: The doctrine that Christ’s body and blood are really present in
the Eucharist, in such a way that they are literally eaten by those who partake
of it (whether or not they believe it or partake worthily). Transubstantiation
is the Roman Catholic version of this doctrine, according to which the
substance of bread and wine are removed from the Eucharist and changed
into the substance of Christ’s body and blood. Whereas Lutherans teach
that the bread and wine remain and the body and blood of Christ are present
in them.
Reformation: A 16th century movement for church reform beginning with
Luther in Germany and Zwingli in Switzerland, from which arose the
Protestant churches.
Reformed: The form of Protestantism originating in Switzerland,
predominant in Holland, and represented in the English speaking world by
Puritans, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and many Baptists, its most
important founding ¿ gures are Zwingli and Calvin. It takes its name from
the conviction that the church needs to be reformed according to the word
of God. It is important to note that, despite the similarity of words, the
Reformed do not represent the whole of the Reformation, which includes
non Reformed movements such as the Lutherans and Anabaptists.
regeneration: From a Latin term meaning “born again,” any theological
doctrine describing an individual’s passage from birth in Adam, which means
a life subject to sin, to rebirth, and new life in Christ. Baptismal regeneration,
for example, is the doctrine that one is born again through baptism—a
doctrine shared by Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Lutherans, and
Anglicans, but rejected by most other Protestants, who associate rebirth with
the experience of conversion.