An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Glossary of Terms


Dix, Morgan

(Nov. 1, 1827-Apr. 29, 1908). Long-time rector of Trinity Church, New York City, and General Convention leader. He was born in New York City. Dix graduated from Columbia College in […]

Doane College

This school in Crete, Nebraska, had extremely tenuous Episcopal connections. It was founded in 1872. It was not endorsed by the Diocese of Nebraska until 1931, when Bishop Ernest Vincent […]

Doane, George Washington

(May 27, 1799-Apr. 27, 1859). High church bishop. He was born in Trenton, New Jersey, and graduated from Union College, Schenectady, New York, in 1818. In 1820 he entered the […]

Doane, William Croswell

(Mar. 2, 1832-May 17, 1913). Leader of the high church party. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Doane graduated from Burlington College in 1850. He studied for the ordained ministry […]

Docetism

  A heretical teaching about the person of Christ which holds that Christ, the divine Word, only seemed to assume the flesh of Jesus. The term is from the Greek […]

Doctors of the Church

See Patristics.

Doctrine

The term is from the Latin docere, “to teach.” It means teaching or instruction in the most general sense. In a theological context the word carries the implication of belonging […]

Dod, Robert Stockton

(Jan. 13, 1855-Aug. 27, 1924). One of three founders of the Order of the Holy Cross. He studied at General Theological Seminary. Dod was ordained deacon on June 9, 1878, […]

Doddridge, Philip

(June 26, 1702-Oct. 26, 1751). English independent theologian, writer, and poet. He was born in London and educated at Kingston Grammar School at the Rev. John Jenning's Dissenting Academy, Kibworth, […]

Dogma

Definitive teaching of the church which is to be believed by the members of the church. The term is from the Greek dokein, “to seem.” It designates doctrine which has […]

Dom

An abbreviated form of Dominus, which means “master.” This title is given to some professed Benedictine monks and to some monks in other monastic orders.

Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society

The missionary organization and corporate body of the Episcopal Church. The constitution of the missionary society was first adopted by the special General Convention of 1821 and incorporated by the […]

Dominic

(c. 1170-Aug. 6, 1221). Dominic de Guzman was born in Calaruega, Castile, Spain. He studied at the University of Palencia, in the Kingdom of Leon. In 1216 Pope Honorius III […]

Dominical Letter

See Sunday Letter.

Dominical Sacraments

Sacraments associated with the Lord Jesus Christ. The two great sacraments given by Christ to his church are Baptism and Eucharist (BCP, p. 858). The term “dominical” is from Latin […]

Dominican Republic, Diocese of the

Anglicanism was brought to the Dominican Republic in 1897 when Benjamin Isaac Wilson migrated from the Virgin Islands. Wilson was a teacher of the Christian faith, and was ordained priest […]

Don

This term comes from “Dominus.” In Spain it was a title given to a nobleman. It is now used for the head of a college and for fellows in English […]

Donatism

Rigorist schism. Donatists were the followers of Donatus Magnus, a schismatic bishop of Carthage in the mid-fourth century, who believed that the validity of a sacrament depended on the personal […]

Donne, John

(1572-Mar. 31, 1631). Noted preacher and poet. He was born in London, sometime between Jan. 24 and June 19, 1572. Donne studied at Hart Hall, Oxford. In 1592 he was […]

Door Keeper

See Minor Orders.

118 records

Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.