Abbey of Maria Laach (123): German abbey which participated in the Benedictine revival that had begun at Solesme. Tried to recover the early Christian thoughts on the rite of the church. They believed that the priest merely presided over the eucharist, instead of being a mediator between God and the congregation.
Lucian Laberthonniere (114): (1860-1932) French theologian and modernist. Attacked papal authority, and tried to form an action-oriented theology. Said that the function of authority in the church was one of service, not domination.
Latitudinarianism (95) : Theologians inspired by the success of the natural sciences to apply reason to scripture. Active in the seventeenth century.
William Laud (95) : (1573-1645) Became Archbishop of Canterbury under Charles I. Strongly conservative and supportive of an authoritarian monarchy. Impeached and executed by the Long Parliament.
William Lawrence (103): Organized the Church Pension Fund in 1917. Espoused the "gospel of wealth", holding that wealth was the inevitable result of hard work. God had directed humanity to subdue nature, promote order, and be fruitful. God would reward those who worked hard. America was divinely ordained and chosen by God to do His work.
Lay investiture (85) : Process whereby a monarch bestowed a bishop with his insignia of office, thus implying a Church subordinate to the State. Resolved by the Concordat of Worms in 1122.
Leap of Faith (109): From Kierkegaard, reason alone cannot comprehend Jesus and God. There is a chasm between wisdom and rational understanding, and the truth of God. To bridge that gap requires a leap of faith.
The Marks of the New Learning (93) : An abandonment of scholasticism in favor of a humanist approach to the problems of literature, religion, and manner of living.
Legend (2): A near-factual story, usually describing a hero. The legend of Sampson, for example. Leo's Tome (82) : Bishop of Rome, Leo, wrote a letter to be read at the Robber Synod. The reading was blocked by Dioscorus. Supported our current orthodoxy of two natures, complete and entire, in one person, Jesus Christ.
Captivity Letters (63): Pauline letters written from captivity; Phillipians, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians.
Great Letters (63): Pauline letters; Romans, Galatians, First and Second Corinthians.
Pastoral Letters (63): First and Second Timothy, and Titus.
Travel Letters (63): Pauline letters written during his active ministry; Romans, Galatians, First and Second Corinthians, First and second Thessalonians, and perhaps First Timothy and Titus.
Lex Talionis (8): Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. Gen 18:20-33, no longer is unrestricted blood revenge on a whole community the law. A sense of proportion is required when seeking vengeance.
Lex Orandi Lex Credendi (123): As one prays, so one believes.
Libertines (92) : Members of respected Genevan families who were in favor of moderate reform, and opposed Calvin. One of their number was beheaded for blasphemy.
Libri Canonici (112): (canonical books) Authentic Hebrew scriptures (Jerome).
Libri Ecclesiastici (112): (books of the church) Another term (due to Jerome) for the Apocrypha.
Liebnitz (98) : (1646-1716) German scientist and philosopher. Insisted that Biblical interpretation should be strictly controlled by reason. Co-inventor of Calculus. Strauss's Life of Jesus (114): (1836) David Strauss was a student of Schleiermacher who first introduce the idea of myth into New Testament criticism. He held that both the literalist and rationalist interpretations of the miracles were inadequate. The Gospel writers used the miracle stories to express their awareness of who Jesus was.
Limit Experiences (110): Due to David Tracy. Experiences that surprise us with meaning and hope coming from unexpected sources in our lives. Suffering is a mystery, but so is the way goodness breaks into our lives in unexpected and mysterious ways.
Liturgical (22): Having to do with the form of corporate worship. Liturgy derives from "work of the people".
Logos (40): Reason. A harmony that pervades the Universe and is basic to it. The divine spark in us all. The mind of God that produces order and rationality.
Lollards (87) : Movement inspired by the writings of Wyclif. Name comes from abusive term "mumbler." Covered all of Britain as reformers, itinerate preachers, and Bible translators.
Peter Lombard (86) : (1100-1160) Established the number of sacraments as 7. One of the scholastics. He established the sacraments as baptism, confirmation, eucharist, penance, extreme unction, ordination, and marriage.
Bernard Lonergan (117): (1904-1984) Theologian who built a new foundational theology after Vatican II.
Religion of Love (114): Proposed by Albert Schweitzer as an answer to the question, "what can Jesus mean to us who are so far distant from the context in which He lived and taught?" The religion of love was and is essentially the same in all ages and all places. It is the true constant core of the Gospel. Luther's View of Law and Gospel (90) : The Law [every demand by which humans are compelled to perform service for others] establishes community. The Gospel is Christ's voice (Vox Christus).
Lutron (61): (Greek for Ransom) Used for the Hebrew ga'al (redeem), kopher (cover a debt), pidyon (redemption, ransom money).
Lux Mundi (114): ("Light of the World", 1889) Publication of members of the Anglican high church party which defended high church traditions, but also embraced modernism.