Glossary of Terms
Officiant
The person who leads the Daily Office or another church service. The term may indicate a member of the clergy or a lay person. The BCP uses the term to identify the person who leads the Daily Offices of Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Order of Worship for the Evening, Evening Prayer, and Compline; the Great […]
Oglethorpe, James Edward
(Dec. 22, 1696-July 1, 1785). Social reformer and founder of Georgia. He was born in London. After education at Eton and Corpus Christi College, Oxford, he entered the army in 1712. In 1729 Oglethorpe presided over a committee which brought about much-needed reforms in the prison system. From this experience came the idea of founding […]
Ohio, Diocese of
The diocese was first organized on Jan. 5, 1818. The 1874 General Convention voted to divide the diocese and establish the Diocese of Southern Ohio. The Diocese of Ohio includes the following counties: Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Auglaize, Carroll, Columbia, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Geauga, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Holmes, Huron, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, […]
OI
See Oil, Holy.
Oil Stock
Small container for oil that has been blessed for use as chrism or for anointing the sick. The oil stock is typically made of metal, and it may be decorated with a cross.
Oil, Holy
Olive oil that has been blessed is used sacramentally in the liturgical and pastoral ministries of the church. Holy oil is usually applied by the minister of the sacrament or sacramental rite to the forehead of the one who is anointed. The minister often applies the oil with the thumb, making the sign of the […]
Okalona College
Okalona Industrial School, Okalona, Mississippi, was founded in 1902 by Wallace A. Battle as a high school and junior college for African American students to prepare for vocations in manual work. In 1920 the Diocese of Mississippi took over the school to “develop it along church lines.” In 1921 it joined the American Church Institute […]
Okinawa, Missionary District of
The House of Bishops established the Missionary District of Okinawa on Sept. 18, 1967. The first and only Missionary Bishop of Okinawa was the Rt. Rev. Edmond L. Browning. On Jan. 1, 1972, it was transferred to the Holy Catholic Church in Japan (Nippon Sei Ko Kai).
Oklahoma, Diocese of
The House of Bishops in 1859 established the Missionary District of the Southwest. This included Oklahoma. The 1892 General Convention established the Missionary District of Oklahoma. In 1910 the General Convention voted to divide the Missionary District of Oklahoma and established the Missionary District of Eastern Oklahoma. The 1919 General Convention voted to reunite the […]
Old North Church, Boston
It was in the tower of this church on Apr. 18, 1775, that the sexton, Robert Newman, displayed the two lanterns which warned Paul Revere and his fellow riders that the British were marching toward Lexington and Concord. Its official name is Christ Church. It was founded in 1723, when the number of Episcopalians became […]
Old Swede’s Church, Wilmington, Delaware
Officially named Holy Trinity from its consecration on Trinity Sunday, July 4, 1699, it was the oldest of the Swedish Lutheran churches. The congregation existed from the establishment of the first Swedish settlement at Fort Christina in 1638. Gradually the Church of Sweden withdrew its support and the members began to speak English. On Feb. […]
Old Testament
The name traditionally given to the first thirty-nine books of the Christian Bible, i.e., Genesis through Malachi in Protestant versions. Roman Catholic versions and those of the various Orthodox churches have additional books, called the Apocrypha or the Deutero-canonical books. Other versions include the apocryphal books in a separate section of the Bible. In recent […]
Olney Hymns
A 1779 collection of sixty-eight texts by William Cowper (1731-1800) and 280 texts by John Newton (1725-1807). Some of the texts were previously published. Most current hymnals include some texts from this work. Cowper was a widely acclaimed poet. His hymns reflect the melancholy which oppressed him for much of his life. Cowper moved to […]
Olympia, Diocese of
On Oct. 13, 1853, the General Convention established the Missionary District of the Oregon and Washington Territory. On Oct. 15, 1880, the General Convention divided this Missionary District into the Missionary District of Oregon and the Missionary District of Washington. The 1892 General Convention then divided Washington into the Missionary District of Olympia and the […]
Onderdonk, Benjamin Tredwell
(July 15, 1791-Apr. 30, 1861). Controversial Bishop of New York. He was born in New York City. Onderdonk graduated from Columbia College in 1809. He studied theology under Bishop John Henry Hobart of New York, where he learned high church principles. He was ordained deacon on Aug. 2, 1812, and priest on July 26, 1815. […]
Onderdonk, Henry Ustick
(Mar. 16, 1789-Dec. 6, 1858). Controversial Bishop of Pennsylvania. He was born in New York City. Onderdonk graduated from Columbia College in 1805, and then studied medicine in London and Edinburgh. He received his M.D. from the University of Edinburgh. After a few years of medical practice, he studied theology under Bishop John Henry Hobart […]
Ontology
Deriving from the present participle of the Greek verb “to be,” it is the study of being. Ontology studies being in its general, common nature rather than in its particular types and instances. It is also known as the study of first principles or metaphysics.
Open
See Associated Parishes for Liturgy and Music.
Open Communion
An invitation extended to baptized communicants in good standing of one church to receive the Holy Eucharist of another church. The practice is to be distinguished from “free communion” in which “all who love the Lord Jesus” are invited to communion.
Open Pulpit
This policy allows sermons to be delivered at public worship by persons who are not ordained or specially licensed to preach. In the Episcopal Church, sermons are normally given by a member of the clergy. The canons provide that a confirmed lay person with appropriate training and demonstrated competency may be licensed by the bishop […]
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.