Glossary

Terms starting with D — browse A–Z or jump to the blog.

Terms — D

22 terms

Glossary
Daniel

Daniel is the prophet of the Babylonian exile whose vision of the 'Son of Man coming on the clouds' Jesus applied to himself — and whose faithfulness in trial is a model for all Christians.
Glossary
Davidic Kingdom

The Davidic Kingdom is the golden age of Israel's monarchy — the fulfillment of God's covenant with David of an eternal throne, which finds its definitive fulfillment in Jesus Christ, Son of David.
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Deacon

A deacon is an ordained minister of the Church who is called to the service (diakonia) of the liturgy, the Word, and charity.
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Decalogue

The Decalogue — the Ten Commandments — is the foundational moral law given by God to Moses, expressing the essential duties of every human person toward God and neighbor.
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Definition (Dogmatic)

A solemn declaration by an ecumenical council or by the Pope that a doctrine is revealed by God and must be believed by the universal Church.
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Demon

A demon is a spiritual, personal creature — a fallen angel — who through a radical and irrevocable choice rejected God and his Kingdom.
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Denominationalism

The tendency to separate into different religious groups.
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Deposit of Faith

The Deposit of Faith is the totality of divine revelation — Scripture and Tradition — entrusted by Christ to the Apostles and handed on through the Church for all generations.
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Descent into Hell

The descent into hell refers to Christ’s state in death when He visited the realm of the dead to proclaim the Gospel to the spirits imprisoned there.
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Despair

Despair is the sin of ceasing to hope for personal salvation from God or for the forgiveness of sins.
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Detraction

Detraction is the sin of disclosing another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them and have no right to know.
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Development (Doctrinal)

Growth in the understanding of God's Revelation, which continues through the contemplation and study of believers, theological research, and the preaching of the Magisterium (CCC 94).
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Devil

Satan, or the Devil, is a fallen angel who rejected God and seeks to lead humanity away from Him.
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Diaconate

The diaconate is the first degree of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the office of the deacon.
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Diaspora

The Diaspora is the scattering of Jewish communities outside Israel — the context in which much of late Scripture was written and the world into which Jesus was born, prepared for the Gospel.
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Diocese

A diocese is a portion of the People of God entrusted to the pastoral care of a bishop.
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Disciple

A disciple is one who follows Jesus — accepting his teaching, living his way, and sharing his mission — the fundamental identity of every baptized Christian called to lifelong following of Christ.
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Dispensationalism

An interpretive system for the Bible dividing history into eras.
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Divine Office

The Divine Office — also called the Liturgy of the Hours — is the public prayer of the Church which sanctifies the whole course of the day and night, through which Christ continues his priestly work through the prayer of his people.
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Divine Revelation

Divine Revelation is God's free act of making himself known to humanity — through creation, the prophets, Scripture, Tradition, and definitively through Jesus Christ, his eternal Son.
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Divorce

Divorce is the civil dissolution of a marriage, which the Church teaches cannot dissolve a valid, consummated sacramental marriage bond.
Glossary
Doxology

A doxology is a Christian prayer which gives praise and glory to God — often to the three divine Persons of the Trinity — and traditionally concludes the liturgy's central prayers.