General Terms & Abbreviations

For books of the bible, see this list of standard abbreviations. Also see this list of standard ecclesiastical abbreviations.

CCC (Catechism of the Catholic Church) – View it online.

CRC (Christian Reformed Church) – a small, conservative Reformed denomination. View their official website.

Extraordinary Form – a reference to the extraordinary form of the Catholic mass. This is otherwise known as the “Tridentine mass”, TLM, The Latin Mass or The Traditional Mass. In 1970, the “novus ordo” became the ordinary liturgy of the Roman rite. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI liberalized the use of the Extraordinary form and priests are now permitted to say this mass without prior approval from the bishop.

FSSP (Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Petri) – In English: the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. A traditional society founded with the approval of Pope John Paul II in 1988 “for the formation and sanctification of priests in the framework of the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite”. See their official site for more info.

FV (Federal Vision) – a recent controversial perspective on Reformed theology. See here for more information.

KJV (King James Version) – a bible translation. Also known as the ‘Authorized Version’ and published under King James of England in 1611. For the New Testament, it is based on the Greek manuscript family known as the Texus Receptus. Some fundamentalists hold this to be the only faithfully preserved English translation. Originally included the so-called Apocrypha in an appendix.

NAB (New American Bible) – a bible translation. This is a popular Catholic translation and is approved for use in the liturgy by the USCCB.

NIV (New International Version) – a bible translation. This is a popular Protestant translation of the 66 books which they accept as canonical.

NPP (New Perspective on Paul) – an intellectual movement pioneered largely by Protestant scholars such as Sanders and Wright that understands Paul’s theology on justification in terms which conflict with traditional Protestant readings of Paul. See here for more info.

Novus Ordo – Latin. Meaning: “new order”. The Ordinary Form of the Catholic mass in the Roman rite since 1970.

NRSV (New Revised Standard Edition) – a bible translation. This is an edition using more contemporary language, and in some cases, more inclusive language than its predecessor, the RSV.

Ordinary Form – a reference to the ordinary form of the Catholic mass. This is otherwise known as the “novus ordo” since 1970 and is ordinarily celebrated by all Catholic parishes of the Roman rite.

OPC (Orthodox Presbyterian Church) – a small, conservative Presbyterian denomination. View their official website.

PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) – a small, conservative Presbyterian denomination. View their official website.

RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) – The ordinary catechetical process by which an adult enters the Catholic Church.

RSV (Revised Standard Edition) – a bible translation. This is one of two translations approved by the USCCB for liturgical Scripture readings. This is the choice translation for many scholars both Catholic & Protestant.

Soli Deo Gloria – Latin. A principle of the Reformation – to “God alone be the glory.”

Sola Fide – Latin. A principle of the Reformation – that salvation is through “faith alone.”

Sola Gratia – Latin. A principle of the Reformation – that salvation is by “grace alone.”

Sola Scriptura – Latin. A principle of the Reformation – that the “scripture alone” is infallible.

Solus Christus – Latin. A principle of the Reformation – that “Christ alone” is the mediator between God and man.

SSPX (Society of Saint Pius the Tenth) – a schismatic or quasi schismatic society of priests founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in reaction to Vatican II and the liturgical reforms which followed. Visit their official site for more information.

TULIP – an anacronym describing the essentials of salvation in a Calvinistic/Puritan soteriology. (Also known as the “five points of Calvinism.” T – Total Depravity, U – Unconditional Election, L – Limited Atonement, I – Irresistable Grace, P – Perseverance of the Saints. See this article for more information.

USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) – a local pastoral assembly of bishops. See their official website.

WCOF or WCF (Westminster Confession of Faith) – a Reformed confession of faith drafted largely by members of the Church of England at the Westminster Assembly in 1646. This is the standard confession of faith for many Reformed Protestant denominations today. Read the text online here.