Glossary of Terms
Most Reverend
See Reverend, The.
Motet
A composition based on a sacred Latin text, sung by two or more voices. It was traditionally unaccompanied. The text sung by the upper part was a paraphrase of the […]
Mother House
Traditionally, it is the headquarters for a community where the superior lives. It is distinguished from branch houses or dependent foundations of the community.
Mothering Sunday
” The fourth Sunday in Lent, also known as Refreshment Sunday and Laetare Sunday. It was the traditional mid-Lent Sunday. It was a time of refreshment and relaxing the penitential […]
Movable Feast
A feast of the church year that is not celebrated on a fixed date. The date of the movable feast’s celebration in each year is determined by other liturgical rules. […]
Mozarabic Rite
The ancient liturgy of the Christian church in Spain. Its center was at Toledo. The term is derived from Arabic, “a would-be Arab.” Its use stems from the centuries when […]
Mozetta, or Mozzetta
A short cape that covers the shoulders. It is fastened at the neck, and it may have a hood. It is traditionally worn by bishops and other ecclesiastical dignitaries.
Muhlenberg Memorial
Statement presented by William Augustus Muhlenberg, rector of the Church of the Holy Communion, New York City, and others to the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church at the […]
Muhlenberg, John Peter Gabriel
(Oct. 1, 1746-Oct. 1, 1807). An eighteenth-century Anglican priest who served Lutheran congregations. He was born in Trappe, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He went to Halle, Germany, for his education. After […]
Muhlenberg, William Augustus
(Sept. 16, 1796-Apr. 8, 1877). A leading Episcopal priest of the nineteenth century. He was born in Philadelphia and baptized in the Lutheran Church. When the vestry of St. James' […]
Mulford, Elisha
(Nov. 19, 1833-Dec. 9, 1885). Social Gospel leader. He was born in Montrose, Pennsylvania. Mulford graduated from Yale in 1855. He studied theology at Union Theological Seminary, New York, and […]
Muller, James Arthur
(Dec. 23, 1884-Sept. 5, 1945). Historian and theologian. He was born in Philadelphia. Muller received his B.A. in 1907 and his Ph.D. in 1915, both from Princeton University. He received […]
Murphy, Edgar Gardner
(Aug. 31, 1869-June 23, 1913). Social Gospel theologian and southern liberal. He was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and studied at the University of the South, where he was deeply […]
Murray, John Gardner
(Aug. 31, 1857-Oct. 3, 1929). The first elected Presiding Bishop. He was born in Lonaconing, Maryland, and educated at Wyoming Seminary, near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. In 1879 he entered Drew Theological […]
Murray, Pauli
(Nov. 20, 1910-July 1, 1985). First African American woman priest. She was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and raised in Durham, North Carolina. Murray graduated from Hunter College in 1933, and […]
Musical Settings
A term commonly used for music provided for prose texts from the BCP that cannot be used with metrical tunes. The Hymnal 1982 provides such music (the items whose numbers […]
Mutual Ministry
A term given to the concept of shared ministry and leadership in a congregation. Mutual ministry is an approach to Christian ministry that is lived out of the promises made […]
Mutual Responsibility and Interdependence in the Body of Christ (MRI)
This manifesto was issued by the Pan Anglican Congress in Aug. 13-23, 1963, in Toronto, Canada. It pointed to three central truths: 1) the church's mission is to respond to […]
Myers, Chauncie Kilmer
(Feb. 14, 1916-June 27, 1981). Bishop and leader in urban mission. He was born in Schuylerville, New York. Myers received his B.A. from Rutgers in 1937 and his S.T.B. from […]
Mystagogy
From the Greek mystagogos, the term refers to a process of initiation into “mysteries.” It may take place after baptism at the Easter Vigil, lasting throughout the Great Fifty Days […]
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.