Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms: Drawn Principally from Protestant Scholastic Theology, 2nd ed.

by Richard Muller

Publisher:

Baker Academic

, 2017

Overview

This indispensable companion to key post-Reformation theological texts provides clear and concise definitions of Latin and Greek terms for students at a variety of levels. Written by a leading scholar of the Reformation and post-Reformation eras, this volume offers definitions that bear the mark of expert judgment and precision. The second edition includes new material and has been updated and revised throughout.

Key Features

• A convenient all-in-one tool for understanding scholastic and medieval theological concepts
• Transliterates all Greek theological terminology for accessible reading
• Distinguishes terms drawn directly from the New Testament from those drawn from the patristic period

Contents

Top Highlights

“In the Reformed view, an original indifference to good or evil would have been a defect in the creature.” (Page 202)

“the visible Word of God, distinct but not separate from the audible Word or Holy Scripture” (Page 316)

“The former qualification, in concreto, refers to the concretion of Christ’s person in the incarnation and personal union; the two natures are here considered as joined in the person, and the interchange of attributes is understood as taking place at the level of the person and not between the natures.” (Page 69)

“The Reformed therefore make a further distinction between the imago Dei intrinseca, the intrinsic image of God, consisting in the faculties of intellect and will, the affections, and the conscience (or at least the capacity to know good, the synderesis), i.e., the imago abstractly or metaphysically considered, and the imago Dei extrinseca, the extrinsic image of God, consisting in these faculties in their righteousness, holiness, and purity, i.e., the imago concretely and ethically considered.” (Page 159)

“The human nature, then, partakes of the divine attributes without either losing its own idiomata or conferring human, finite idiomata upon the divine nature. The genus maiestaticum thus accounts for the ubiquity (ubiquitas, q.v.), or omnipresence (omnipraesentia, q.v.), of Christ’s human nature and provides the dogmatic underpinning in Lutheran orthodoxy for the real presence of Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper (see Logos non extra carnem; multivolipraesentia; praesentia).” (Page 70)

Praise for the Print Edition

Of the thousands of books in my academic library, there are only three titles that I treasure so highly that I keep one copy at my office and another at home. In the early years of my academic career, Richard Muller's dictionary was the very first to attain such esteemed status. Not only is it a repository of information impossible to find so quickly anywhere else, it is just a darn good read. It's a primer of Latin syntax and at the same time a sophisticated introduction to careful theology. It's a thrill to see it newly improved, some thirty years later! Serious students of Latin, serious students of theology, and—frankly—serious students of clear thought will be in Richard's debt for another generation to come. Well done!

—John L. Thompson, Fuller Theological Seminary

If one of the most well-read theologians of his generation presents a dictionary, one has high expectations, and Richard Muller does not disappoint! Besides more common terms, one also finds here lucid explanations of rarer scholastic expressions, so that even the specialist will learn and profit from this book. This is a must-have for students and professors and for everybody who studies the Christian tradition.

—Ulrich L. Lehner, Marquette University

Few theological resources offer as much insight and useful information as Muller's dictionary. I regularly encourage my students to buy this book and read it cover to cover! This is more than a reference occasionally to be consulted; it is a key to unlocking the riches of classic Reformed theology. I highly recommend this book to students, pastors, and scholars--to anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the historic Protestant faith.

—J. V. Fesko, professor of systematic and historical theology, Westminster Seminary California

Product Details

• Title: Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms: Drawn Principally from Protestant Scholastic Theology
• Author: Richard A. Muller
• Edition: 2nd
• Publisher: Baker Academic
• Publication Date: 2017
• Pages: 432
• Resource Type: Dictionary
• Topic: Theology

About Richard Muller

Richard A. Muller is the P.J. Zondervan Professor of Historical Theology at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan.