A Theological Miscellany: 160 Pages of Odd, Merry, Essentially Inessential Facts, Figures, and Tidbits about Christianity

© 2005 by W Publishing Group.

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Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible (RSV), copyright 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

Other Scripture references are from the following sources:

The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

The New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV), ©1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA.

The King James Version of the Bible (KJV).

The New King James Version (NKJV®) copyright ©1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.

The New American Standard Bible (NASB), © 1960, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.

The Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

McTavish, T. J.

A theological miscellany / by T.J. McTavish.

    p. cm.

ISBN 0-8499-1839-1

1. Christianity--Miscellanea. 2. Church history--Miscellanea. 3. Bible- Miscellanea. I. Title.

BR96.M38 2005

230--dc22

2004027066

05 06 07 08 09 QW 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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Table of Contents

PREFACE

THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH

THE PSALMS OF PENITENCE

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS’ STATEMENT OF FAITH

THREE POPES ARE TWO TOO MANY

THE BIRTH OF JESUS AND THE MILLENNIUM

THE CONSTRUCTION OF JEHOVAH

CALENDARS: EAST MEETS WEST

THE SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND THEIR RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS

THE FOUR EVANGELISTS (GOSPEL WRITERS)

MUSLIM BELIEFS ABOUT JESUS

TEN PLAGUES OF EGYPT

TWELVE APOSTLES OR SIXTEEN?

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN’S LEFT-HANDED SLINGSHOTS?

WHY TWELVE TRIBES?

THE SERENITY PRAYER

HEAVEN: FACT OR FICTION?

THE SEVEN . . . NO, THREE . . . OR IS IT TWO? . . . SACRAMENTS

HOW DID THE MASS BECOME THE MASS?

CHRISTIANS WHO WON’T VOTE

THE WEST HAS ROME; THE EAST HAS . . .

THE TRADITIONAL WAY TO PRAY THROUGH THE DAY

BRANCHES OF JUDAISM

THE MOST TRAVELED PREACHER EVER . . . AND THE RUNNER-UP

GREAT PREACHERS OF CHRISTIAN HISTORY

THE FISH SYMBOL

CHURCHES THAT LOOK ORTHODOX BUT ARE CATHOLIC

THE FIVE FUNDAMENTALS OF FUNDAMENTALISM

DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE CITIES OF THE DECAPOLIS

CHURCHES THAT ARE NOT CATHOLIC, ORTHODOX, OR PROTESTANT

THE ORIGIN OF THE TERM DEVIL’S ADVOCATE

POPES WITH THE SHORTEST REIGNS

THE FIRST TWELVE TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE

CHRISTIAN BESTSELLERS

THE CHALCEDONIAN CREED

ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS: THE CRUSADES OF CHRISTENDOM

BIBLICAL WOMEN NAMED MARY

THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF CHRIST

THE UNFORTUNATE WIVES OF HENRY VIII

THE SEVEN CHURCH COUNCILS

POPULAR BIBLICAL NAMES FOR CHILDREN

CHURCH CANDLES

CHRISTIAN ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS EARMARKS OF A CHRISTIAN CULT

OF CATHEDRALS AND BASILICAS

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

RIVERS OF THE BIBLE

YOUR RELIGIOUS NEIGHBORS

ORIGINS OF CHRISTMAS

JOHN WESLEY’S GENERAL RULES

SOME CHRISTIAN OLOGIES

CHRISTIAN FEASTS THAT CHANGE DAYS FROM YEAR TO YEAR

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD

THE CHRISTIAN FLAG

A CHURCH BULLETIN FROM AD 150

CHRISTIAN COMPOSERS PAST AND PRESENT

A TRADITIONAL EASTER VIGIL

DENOMINATIONAL AFFILIATIONS OF U.S. PRESIDENTS

WHERE THE FOUR H ’S CAME FROM

WELL-KNOWN LATIN HYMNS

AVERAGE SIZE OF A CHURCH IN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES

SANTA CLAUS AND OTHERS LIKE HIM

THE SEVEN SORROWS OF THE VIRGIN MARY

WORLD RELIGIONS AT THEIR CORE

THE OLDEST MANUSCRIPTS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

BIBLICAL WEIGHTS AND MEASURES OLD TESTAMENT

THE FOUR CHIEF ARCHANGELS

POPULAR SAINTS

DANTE’S LEVELS OF HELL

FAMOUS MISSIONARIES

FIVE PHILISTINE CITIES

THE ORIGIN OF CHAPTERS AND VERSES

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE BIBLE

THE FAMOUS LAMBETH QUADRILATERAL

THE NICENE CREED

WHO REFORMED THE REFORMATION?

JESUS GOES TO HOLLYWOOD: MOVIES ABOUT THE LIFE OF CHRIST

WOMEN WHO LED THE ISRAELITES

BALD AND FAT MEN OF THE BIBLE

BIBLE MONEY IN TODAY’S DOLLARS

THE ORIGINS OF EASTER

ENGLISH BIBLE TRANSLATIONS, POPULAR, HISTORIC, AND OBSCURE

THE LITURGICAL COLOR SCHEME

BAPTIST GROUPS IN NORTH AMERICA

HEBREW-ARAMAIC WORDS WE STILL USE TODAY

SUPERSCRIPTIONS IN THE PSALMS

CHRISTIANS WHO LIVE IN COMMUNES

ARAMAIC PASSAGES OF THE BIBLE

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

SOME CHRISTIAN OLATRIES

BIRDS HAVE NESTS, FOXES HAVE DENS, CLERGY HAVE . . .

COUNTRIES WITH THE MOST ANGLICANS

MOST POPULAR NAMES FOR THE POPE

TYPES OF CHRISTIAN CHORAL MUSIC

THE ATHANASIAN CREED

CLIMBING THE CHURCH LADDER: LEVELS OF HOLY ORDERS

AFRICANS IN THE BIBLE

TITLES OF CHURCH WORKERS WHO AREN’T PASTORS OR PRIESTS

COMPARATIVE HEIGHT OF BIBLICAL MOUNTAINS

RELIGION AND VOTING

SOME PRESIDENTS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS

TYPES OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT

CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS

THE ROSARY

COMPARING THE THREE JEWISH TEMPLES OF THE BIBLE

BISHOPS AND THEIR JURISDICTIONS

WHY THE HUGUENOT DID FRANCE NEVER BECOME PROTESTANT?

LIFESTYLES OF MONKS, HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY

U.S. CITIES WITH THE MOST CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS

THE CHIEF END OF MAN, ACCORDING TO THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION

RAILROAD CHAPEL CARS

SATAN: REAL OR IMAGINED?

MOST-REPEATED WORDS IN THE BIBLE

CZAR NICHOLAS II—SAINT AND MARTYR

DAYS OF THE WEEK

FAMOUS PHYSICALLY DISABLED OR HANDICAPPED CHRISTIANS

THE WESLEY GRACE

FIRST BIBLES OFF THE PRINTING PRESS

TEN WORDS OR PHRASES NOT FOUND IN THE BIBLE

SAINTS NAMED CATHERINE !!

THE SEVEN CONTRARY VIRTUES

POPULAR HYMNS OF FANNY CROSBY

U.S. REVIVALS

BIBLE MEN NAMED JOSHUA

OTHER FAMILY TRAGEDIES EXPERIENCED BY MARTIN LUTHER KING SR.

LEAST POPULAR BIBLICAL NAMES

ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL(S)

FOUR THEORIES OF ATONEMENT

MEANING OF IHS SYMBOL

THE WORLD’ S ONLY OFFICIALLY CHRISTIAN NATION

RUNNING THE NUMBERS ON KING SOLOMON

SEVEN RULERS NAMED HEROD

CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENT BLOOPERS

THE WORLD’S TOP TEN CHRISTIAN NATIONS

A FEW OF THE 580 PLACES NAMED AFTER SAINTS IN QUEBEC

THREE ENDINGS TO MARK’S GOSPEL

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PURITAN AND A PILGRIM?

HISTORICALLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN DENOMINATIONS

GOOD-LOOKING MEN AND WOMEN OF THE BIBLE

DEWEY DECIMAL CODES FOR RELIGION

MOST REPRINTED HYMNS

STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS IN THE NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL

THE PSALMS BY CHAPTER AND VERSE

THE FIRST WOMAN BISHOPS

RESTORATION CHURCHES IN AMERICA

THE LARGEST CHURCHES IN THE WORLD AND IN THE UNITED STATES

FAMOUS AFRICANS OF CHURCH HISTORY

THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

DOCTORS OF THE CHURCH

THE LARGEST U.S. DENOMINATIONS

CHILDREN OF THE POPES

THE FIVE POINTS OF CALVINISM

CHRISTIAN POETS

PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE REPEATED IN SCRIPTURE

LITERARY GENRES FOUND IN SCRIPTURE

HOW A POPE IS ELECTED

THE AMAZING SANTA

THE FIVE POINTS OF ARMINIANISM

WELL-KNOWN WOMEN OF CHRISTIAN HISTORY

HISTORIC ORDERS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE

PRESBYTERIAN BODIES IN NORTH AMERICA

DENOMINATIONS THAT ORDAIN WOMEN AS PASTORS OR PRIESTS

A TYPICAL SINNER’ S PRAYER

TWO CHERUBIM OR FOUR?

LEAST RELIGIOUS STATES IN THE UNITED STATES

NOTABLE CHURCH ARCHITECTS

THREE CHRISTMAS ISLANDS

THE COLLECT, A PATTERN FOR PRAYER

BIRTH ORDERS OF SOME CHRISTIAN LEADERS

SUPPOSED SAYINGS OF JESUS NOT FOUND IN SCRIPTURE

FAMOUS EXCOMMUNICATES

CHRISTIAN HUMANITARIANS

ST. PATRICK’S BREASTPLATE

CHRISTIAN PICKUP LINES

HOW TO BENEFIT FROM A LECTIONARY

BIBLE RECIPES

HYMNS BASED ON THE PSALMS

THE FAMOUS WESLEYAN QUADRILATERAL

NORTH AMERICAN TOWNS WITH BIBLICAL NAMES

WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF PAUL

CHRISTIAN QUOTABLES

FAMOUS MARTYRS

GROWTH OF MAJOR RELIGIOUS GROUPS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1650–1950

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE

THE CURSING PSALMS

PHONY FEASTS AND FUNNY FESTIVALS

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

REFORMERS BEFORE THE REFORMATION

THE COUNTER REFORMATION

THE CHRISTMAS CACTUS

SOME LUTHERAN BODIES IN NORTH AMERICA

U.S. PRESIDENT WHO WAS A MINISTER

THE FIRST AND ONLY ENGLISH POPE . . . AND THE MAN WHO NEARLY BECAME THE SECOND

RELIGIOUS WORDS TURNED SECULAR

AMERICAN RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS STARTED BY WOMEN

A WORD THAT CHANGED CHURCH HISTORY

THE MYSTERIOUS Q: FACT OR FICTION?

MODERN MORALITY

PROVERBS NOT FOUND IN THE BIBLE

CHURCHES THAT WON’T USE INSTRUMENTS

TERMS USED IN THE STUDY OF BIBLICAL MANUSCRIPTS

TRADITIONAL CLERGY AND WORSHIP GARB

NUMBER OF LANGUAGES THE BIBLE HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO

A MOTLEY CREW: ISRAEL’ S JUDGES

THREE EXTRA FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT FOUND IN THE VULGATE

THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS

CLASSIC ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

KOSHER REGULATIONS

SELAH IN THE PSALMS

WAYS TO SING THE PSALMS

NOVELS BASED ON THE BIBLE

WOMEN EVANGELISTS

RULES FOR THE BANNS OF MARRIAGE

THREE VIEWS OF THE MILLENNIUM

METHODIST DENOMINATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

MANY NAMES FOR MEN OF THE CLOTH

CRUCIFIXION SURVIVOR

ARAMAIC AND HEBREW WORDS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

POPULAR HYMNS OF CHARLES WESLEY

CATHOLIC SAINTS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

BIBLE STORIES YOU KNOW AND LOVE— AS SEEN ON THE BIG SCREEN

THE TRADITIONAL SECTIONS OF A CHURCH BUILDING

HISTORIC CHURCH CONFESSIONS

PROTESTANT SAINTS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

HERETICS AND THEIR HERESIES

OTHER GODS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE

107 SEVENS FOUND IN THE BIBLE

SIX LATIN PHRASES YOU NEED TO KNOW

OBSCURE CHRISTIAN ISMS

UNUSUAL ANIMALS OF THE BIBLE

COMMON ENGLISH PHRASES TAKEN FROM THE BIBLE

SUBJECT INDEX

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PREFACE

What you’re holding is more than just a book. It’s a labor of love. It’s blood, sweat, and tears. It’s the sum total of the knowledge I’ve been endowed with by the One who’s seen fit to . . . uh, endow me. It’s gold among the dross of other books. It’s a shining testament to . . .

Okay, maybe it is just a book. But it’s an extraordinarily unique one. In fact, it may very well save you a great deal of embarrassment. How many times have you been at a swanky dinner party when the conversation has turned to the popes who have served the shortest terms, or the five points of Calvinism, or famous bald men in the Bible, only to slink down into your chair in horror, realizing that you had nothing intelligent to add to the conversation? You didn’t even know there were three points of Calvinism, much less five.

Well, be embarrassed no longer! Dive deeply into these pages . . . or skim the surface if you’re afraid to commit. You’ll come away amazed at your newfound sense of assurance in future theological conversations, your grasp of deep philosophical and biblical truths, and your annoyance at having wasted precious hours here while you could have been watching Gilligan’s Island reruns.

Best wishes,

T. J. McTavish

November 2004

Thou art beside thyself;

much learning doth make thee mad.

—Acts 26:24 (KJV)

THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH

The term Fathers of the Church refers to the writings from the early Christian centuries by theologians, preachers, popes, and others. A recent editor remarks, To be regarded as a Father, one must have orthodox doctrine; but this does not exclude all doctrinal error. An occasional material heresy can be found even in the greater lights among the Fathers.

Greek Fathers

Justin Martyr (100–165)

Athenagoras of Athens (late second century)

Irenaeus of Gaul (140–202)

Clement of Alexandria (150–215)

Hippolytus of Rome (170–236)

Eusebius of Caesarea (263–340)

Cyril of Jerusalem (315–386)

Basil the Great (330–379)

Gregory of Nazianzus (329–389)

Gregory of Nyssa (330–395)

Theodore of Mopsuestia (350–428)

John Chrysostom (344–407)

Cyril of Alexandria (died 444)

John of Damascus (675–749)

Latin Fathers

Tertullian (160–220)

Cyprian of Carthage (died 258)

Lactantius (250–317)

Hilary of Poitiers (315–367)

Ambrose of Milan (339–397)

Jerome (342–420)

Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Prosper of Aquitaine (390–463)

Pope Gregory I the Great (540–604)

THE PSALMS OF PENITENCE

Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for no man living is righteous before thee (Ps. 143:2). This is the mood of seven of the Psalms, traditionally called the Penitential Psalms. In liturgical churches these psalms are often used on Ash Wednesday or during Lent. They are Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143.

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS’

STATEMENT OF FAITH

The National Association of Evangelicals exists to extend the kingdom of God through a fellowship of member denominations, churches, organizations, and individuals, demonstrating the unity of the body of Christ by standing for biblical truth, speaking with a representative voice, and serving the evangelical community through united action, cooperative ministry, and strategic planning.

To that end, the organization embraces this statement of faith:

We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.

We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection,