Glossary of Terms
Rikkyo University
See St. Paul's University, Tokyo.
Rings
Christians have apparently worn finger-rings with Christian symbols since the third or fourth centuries. Rings have been associated with fidelity. There are several specific Christian uses of rings. Wedding Rings. […]
Rio Grande, Diocese of
The 1892 General Convention established the Missionary District of New Mexico. The 1895 General Convention voted to take the counties of El Paso, Reeves, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Presidio, Brewster, Terrell, […]
Ritchie, Arthur
(June 22, 1849-July 9, 1921). Anglo-catholic leader. He was born in Philadelphia, and received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1867. After teaching at the Episcopal Academy, Philadelphia, […]
Rite
A form for religious ceremony. It includes both what is said and what is done in the religious observance. Rite expresses the church's relationship with God through words, actions, and […]
Rite 1, Rite 2
The 1979 BCP provides the services of Morning and Evening Prayer, the Holy Eucharist, and the Burial Office in both traditional language and contemporary language rites. The traditional language rites […]
Rite 3
The nickname given to “An Order for Celebrating the Holy Eucharist” (BCP, pp. 400-405). This rite is in the form of an outline that allows the participants to prepare many […]
Ritual
Liturgical texts and ceremonies of divine worship. The term originally indicated the prescribed words of worship, but it came to include the entire liturgical action and presentation of the rite. […]
Ritual Controversy
See Ritualism.
Ritualism
Ritual refers to the prescribed form of words of an act of worship and also has been used to indicate the ceremonial of worship. The term “ritualism” was applied to […]
Roanridge Training Conference Center
Wilbur Cochel, a deputy from West Missouri to the 1940 General Convention, believed that a good rural priest needed to know about farming. In 1942 he and his wife offered […]
Robbins, Harold Chandler
(Dec. 11, 1876-Mar. 20, 1952). Cathedral dean, preacher, and writer. He was born in Philadelphia. Robbins received his B.A. from Yale University in 1899 and graduated from the Episcopal Theological […]
Roberts, Owen Josephus
(May 2, 1875-May 17, 1955). First lay president of the House of Deputies, and associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. He was born in Philadelphia. Roberts received his […]
Robertson, John J.
(1796-Oct. 5, 1881). Missionary to Greece. He was born in New York City. After study at the Virginia Theological Seminary, Robertson was ordained deacon on Dec. 10, 1820. He was […]
Rochester, Diocese of
The 1931 General Convention voted to divide the Diocese of Western New York. The primary convention of the Diocese of Rochester met at Trinity Church, Geneva, New York, Dec. 15-16, […]
Rochet
A vestment of white linen or similar material which replaced the alb and which in time came to be used only by bishops. Early American bishops found the huge balloon […]
Rodenmayer, Betsy
(June 11, 1909-Jan. 14, 1985). Christian educator. She was born in Detroit, Michigan. Rodenmayer received her B.A. from the University of Michigan, her M.R.E. from Columbia Teachers College, and her […]
Rogation Days
Traditionally, these are the three days before Ascension Day on which the litany is sung (or recited) in procession as an act of intercession. They originated in Vienne, France, in […]
Rollo
At Cursillo, one of the fifteen talks on Christian faith and life. The person assigned to give the rollo is called a “rollista.”
Romanticism
The term is applied to an intellectual and cultural development which flourished in western Europe and North America in the late-eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It was largely a reaction against […]
Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.