The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (206 page)

Annunciation
.

The announcement to the Virgin
Mary
by the angel
Gabriel
that she would conceive a son Jesus (Luke 1.26–38). The Christian festival, also called ‘Lady Day’, is celebrated on 25 Mar., exactly nine months before
Christmas
, even though the date falls in
Lent
.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Judaism
Pouring oil on a person symbolizes their elevation of status, especially in relation to God. In
Israel
, it was performed at the inauguration of kings, the consecration of
priests
, and the cleansing of lepers. The Hebrew term
mashia
(‘anointed one’) came to mean king or
high priest
, and was then transliterated into English as
messiah
.
Christianity
In the New Testament anointing is found as a
charismatic
means of healing: see
UNCTION
. From early times anointing has also been used in the rites of
baptism
,
confirmation
, and
ordination
, as well as in the consecration of churches, altars, bells, etc. See also
CHRISM
.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Anonymous Christians
(view that all in the exercise of humanity are related to Christ)
:

see
RAHNER, K
.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Ansar
(early supporters of Mu
ammad in Mad
na)
:

see
HELPERS
.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

(
c.
1033–1109).
Monk and
archbishop
of
Canterbury
. Born in Aosta, the son of a Lombard landowner, he left Italy and became a monk of Bec, Normandy, in 1060. In 1063 he succeeded Lanfranc as prior, and in 1078 became abbot. In 1093 he succeeded Lanfranc as archbishop of Canterbury, inheriting a conflict with the king. He was in exile 1098–1100 and on his return was involved in the Investiture controversy (see
GREGORY VII
), spending a further period in exile 1103–7. A prolific theologian, his two most famous works were the
Proslogion
(1078–9) and
Cur Deus Homo
(1097–8). Two famous phrases express his conjunction of faith and reason:
fides quaerens intellectum
(‘faith seeking understanding’, his first proposed title for the
Proslogion
) and
credo ut intelligam
(‘I believe in order that I may understand’.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search