An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Glossary of Terms


Elizabethan Settlement

Religious and political arrangements worked out during the reign of Elizabeth I in England. Elizabeth I (1533-1603), daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, became Queen of England in 1558. […]

Ellerton, John

(Dec. 16, 1826-June 15, 1893). Hymn writer. He was born in London. He was educated at King William's College on the Isle of Man, and at Trinity College, Cambridge. Shortly […]

Ellinwood, Leonard Webster

(Feb. 13, 1905-July 8, 1994). Hymnal editor and music historian. He was born in Thomaston, Connecticut, and received his B.A. from Aurora College in 1926. He received his Master of […]

Elliott, Stephen

(Aug. 31, 1806-Dec. 21, 1866). Bishop and educator. He was born in Beaufort, South Carolina. In the fall of 1822 he entered the sophomore class at Harvard, and the next […]

Elohim

A Hebrew word in the plural which occasionally means pagan gods, superhuman creatures, or earthly judges in the OT; but the term usually refers to Israel's one God, Yahweh. Although […]

Elohist, The

One of four sources for the composition of the Pentateuch, according to a theory accepted by many biblical scholars. Known as Documentary Theology, the theory assigns the name Elohist to […]

Ely, Richard Theodore

(Apr. 13, 1854-Oct. 4, 1943). Social Gospel advocate. He was born in Ripley, New York. He received a B.A. from Columbia University in 1876 and a Ph.D. from Heidelberg University […]

Emancipation, African American, and the Episcopal Church

Beginning with the founding of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts in 1701, Anglican slave holders sought to incorporate African Americans within the traditions of […]

Ember Day Letter

Every postulant or candidate for holy orders in the Episcopal Church is required by canon to report to the bishop four times a year, during the Ember Weeks. The report […]

Ember Days

Three days which occur four times a year: the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after St. Lucy's Day (Dec. 13), Ash Wednesday, the Day of Pentecost, and Holy Cross Day (Sept. […]

Ember Weeks

The four weeks in each year during which the Ember Days occur. See Ember Days.

Emery, Julia Chester

(Sept. 26, 1846-Jan. 9, 1922). Leader of women's ministry. She came to New York in 1874 to edit The Young Christian Soldier. In 1876 she was appointed secretary of the […]

Emery, Margaret Theresa

(Aug. 3, 1849-July 20, 1925). She worked in the national office of the Woman's Auxiliary of the Episcopal Church from 1876 until 1919. She edited The Young Christian Soldier and […]

Emery, Mary Abbot

(Mrs. Alvi Tabor Twing) (Feb. 23, 1843-Oct. 14, 1901). The oldest daughter of Charles and Susan Hilton Emery, she was appointed secretary of the newly formed Woman's Auxiliary to the […]

Emery, Susan Lavinia

(Sept. 26, 1846-Mar. 1, 1914). She wrote children's stories and edited The Young Christian Soldier, the Episcopal Church's missionary magazine for children, from 1871 until 1875. Julia Chester Emery, Margaret […]

Emma of Hawaii

( See Kamehameha and Emma, King and Queen of Hawaii.)

Emmanuel

A Hebrew word that means “God is with us.” It is mentioned in Is 7:14 as a sign from the Lord and the name of a child to be born. […]

Emmanuel Movement

The Rev. Dr. Elwood Worcester became the rector of Emmanuel Church, Boston, in 1904, and served there until his retirement in 1929. While at Emmanuel Church he worked on combining […]

Empie, Adam

(Sept. 5, 1785-Nov. 6, 1860). College president and rector. He was born in Schenectady, New York. Empie was educated at Union College, Schenectady, and decided to enter the ordained ministry […]

English Hymnal, The

A British hymnal published in 1906 under the leadership of Percy Dearmer as general editor and Ralph Vaughan Williams as musical editor. A second edition including minor but important changes […]

149 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.