Glossary of Terms

Profession (Monastic)

The commitment by which one becomes a full member of a monastic or religious community. This is usually through the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Temporary vows, or “junior profession,” typically follows the novitiate and precedes life profession and full membership in the community.

Proper

Variable parts of the eucharistic liturgy and the Daily Office which are appointed for a particular day according the the season or occasion. These parts of the liturgy may be contrasted with the fixed portions and options of the liturgy which do not vary with the season or occasion. The proper for the Eucharist includes […]

Prophet, Prophecy

A prophet in the OT was called a messenger to proclaim the word of the God of the covenant to the people of the covenant. Prophecy refers to the message or work of a prophet. The prophetic movement in Israel developed over a period of time, from the eleventh century B.C. with ecstatic prophetic groups, […]

Propitiation

The appeasement of divine wrath through sacrifice or its substitute in prayer. The term is not in current usage. It was used in older versions of the BCP. It appears three times in the Authorized Version (King James) of the Bible and four times in the Revised Version. The death of Jesus Christ has been […]

Proposed Book

The Book of Common Prayer, . . . As Revised and Proposed to the Use of the Protestant Episcopal Church (1786) incorporated recommendations from Connecticut and from the other New England states and revisions of a convention of states south of New England. The book was edited by William White of Philadelphia, William Smith of […]

Proposed Book of Common Prayer

Proposals for revision of the 1928 BCP were first published by the Standing Liturgical Commission in a series of Prayer Book Studies, the first of which was published in 1950. When trial use of a revision of the eucharistic rite was authorized by the 1967 General Convention, pew copies were printed in a book titled […]

Prostration

Lying full length and face down on the floor or ground as a gesture of humility and devotion. This posture may also express adoration or submission. Historically, prostrations have been made in some churches by the celebrant and assisting ministers at the beginning of the Good Friday service and during litanies at the Easter Vigil […]

Protestant Churchman, The

This weekly magazine began publication on Aug. 12, 1843, in New York City. In 1862 its name was changed to Christian Times. In 1866 the title was changed to the Episcopalian. The Episcopalian was published simultaneously in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore until 1869. It was mainly a news magazine. With the first issue of […]

Protestant Episcopal Quarterly Review and Church Register

A low church publication critical of Roman Catholicism that was published in New York from Jan. 1854 until Oct. 1861, by the Rev. Herman Dyer.

Protestant Episcopal Review

A journal which claimed to be conservative and yet progressive, liberal and yet reverent, critical and yet constructive, scholarly and popular, catholic and protestant. It was an outgrowth of two previous publications of the Virginia Theological Seminary. The earlier ancestor was The Seminarian, which was published monthly from Nov. 1878, until July 1887. The second […]

Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia, The; Alexandria, Virginia (VTS)

This school, also called the Virginia Theological Seminary, was formed by the Society for the Education of Pious Young Men for the Ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Maryland and Virginia. It opened on Oct. 15, 1823, in a room in St. Paul's Church, Alexandria, with two professors and fourteen students. In 1827 the […]

Protestantism

Western Christianity that is not subject to papal authority. The term is from the protestatio at the Diet of Speyer of 1529 by Lutheran princes against the policies of Charles V that would have practically eliminated the Lutheran territorial churches. The term has positive connotations in the sense of witness and testimony to the truth. […]

Province

1) An internal division of an autonomous national (or multi-national) church of the Anglican Communion. The churches of England and Ireland, the Anglican Church of Canada, the Anglican Church of Australia, and the Episcopal Church are all divided into internal provinces. There are two each in England and Ireland, four in Canada, five in Australia, […]

Provincial Synod

The Episcopal Church is divided into nine provinces. Each province has a synod consisting of a House of Bishops and a House of Deputies. These houses sit and deliberate either separately or together. The synod meets on a regular basis as determined by each province. Every bishop having jurisdiction within the province, every bishop coadjutor, […]

Provoost, Samuel

(Feb. 26, 1742-Sept. 6, 1815). First Bishop of New York. He was born in New York City and graduated from King's College (Columbia) in 1758. Later he studied at St. Peter's College, Cambridge. He was ordained deacon on Feb. 3, 1766, and priest on Mar. 25, 1766. Provoost became rector of Trinity Church, New York, […]

Provost

In the Episcopal Church the title has been used to indicate a priest in charge of a cathedral when the bishop is the dean. Historically, the provost was the official next in dignity to the abbot of a monastery. A provost may also be an administrative officer of a college or university.

Puerto Rico, Diocese of

The Puerto Rican ministry of the Diocese of Antigua was transferred to the Episcopal Church on Oct. 5, 1891. The General Convention of 1901 established the Missionary District of Puerto Rico. On Jan. 1, 1980, the Diocese of Puerto Rico became an Extra-Provincial Diocese related to Province Nine of the Episcopal Church.

Pulkingham, William Graham

(Sept. 14, 1926- Apr. 16, 1993). Charismatic leader. He was born in Alliance, Ohio. Pulkingham received his B.A. from the University of Western Ontario and his M.Div. from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest in 1957. He was ordained deacon on June 20, 1957, and priest on June 13, 1958. In 1957-1958 he was […]

Purcell, Henry

(1659-Nov. 21, 1695). Outstanding English composer. He was born in London. At age eight Purcell was a chorister in the Chapel Royal. He was appointed an unpaid assistant to the Keeper of the King's Instruments in 1673, after his voice changed. From 1674 to 1678 he tuned the organ of Westminster Abbey. In 1677 Purcell […]

Purgatory

A doctrine traceable to patristic times of a temporary, intermediate state between heaven and hell. As developed in the Roman Catholic Church, purgatory is a state or place of hope and anticipation. Venial sins are cleansed, and temporal punishment is completed for forgiven sins. Article XXII of the Articles of Religion states that the “Romish […]

An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Glossary of Terms