An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Glossary of Terms


Lectern

A book stand or reading desk that holds the book used for reading scripture in public worship. It may also be used for preaching the Word, and it may hold […]

Lectio Continua

The liturgical reading of selections of scripture by starting at the beginning of a particular book and working through consecutive readings to the end. This contrasts with selective readings (“propers”) […]

Lectio Divina

The term means, at root, the “reading of Holy Scripture.” In Jerome and in the Rule of St. Benedict, it meant the scriptural text itself, the lectio, the “lesson” or […]

Lection

See Lesson.

Lectionary

An ordered system for reading the Holy Scriptures at the eucharist and the Daily Offices. It is usually presented in the form of a table of references for the psalms […]

Lectionary Cycle

The Lectionary in the BCP and other contemporary lectionaries use a three-year cycle, referred to as Years A, B, and C. Year A begins on the First Sunday in Advent […]

Lector

A lay person trained in reading scripture who is appointed by the clergy person in charge of the congregation to read lessons or lead the prayers of the people. The […]

Lee, Alfred

(Sept. 9, 1807-Apr. 12, 1887). Tenth Presiding Bishop. Lee was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard University in 1827 and then studied law. He later studied for ordained […]

Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

In 1865 Judge Asa Packer (1805-1879) asked the Rt. Rev. William Bacon Stevens (1815-1887), the fourth Bishop of Pennsylvania, to help him plan a university. On Feb. 9, 1866, a […]

Lent

Early Christians observed “a season of penitence and fasting” in preparation for the Paschal feast, or Pascha (BCP, pp. 264-265). The season now known as Lent (from an Old English […]

Lenten Array

Lenten array usually refers to a rough or homespun fabric. It may have an off-white color or it may be made without any dye. Lenten array may be decorated with […]

Leo the Great

(d. Nov. 10, 461). Defender of orthodox Christology and pope. On Sept. 29, 440, he was consecrated Bishop of Rome. He was a great opponent of heresy, and his major […]

Lesser Feasts and Fasts, The (LFF)

A collection of proper collects, lessons, and psalms for the eucharist on each of the weekdays of Lent, weekdays of Easter season, and each of the lesser feasts of the […]

Lesser Silence (Little or Simple Silence)

In monastic and religious communities, the silence that should be kept in working hours. Local regulations may tie it to specific times and places. It is generally less absolute than […]

Lesson

A selection of scripture that serves as a reading for a church service. It is also known as a lection or a reading. The BCP appoints lessons for the eucharist […]

Letter of Agreement

A written agreement concerning terms of employment, either for a priest in charge of a congregation or a member of a diocesan staff. Several dioceses provide for Letters of Agreement […]

Letter of Transfer

This term was previously used for a certificate of membership, typically used when a member of a congregation in the Episcopal Church moves to another congregation.

Letters Dimissory

Clergy may transfer canonical residence from one diocesan jurisdiction to another by presentation of Letters Dimissory from the ecclesiastical authority of the former diocese to the ecclesiastical authority of the […]

Lewis, Clive Staples

(C. S.) (Nov. 29, 1898-Nov. 22, 1963). Author and one of the best-known Christian apologists in the Anglican Communion. Lewis's works included literary history, criticism, essays, three science fiction novels […]

Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi

A Latin phrase often used in the study of liturgy, it means “the rule of prayer [is] the rule of belief.” The phrase describes the pervasive pastoral reality that habits […]

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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.