The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (294 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
13.52Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
Aurva
.
In Hindu mythology, the son of
Cyavana
and the grandson of
Bh
gu
. The Aurvafire, sometimes called
v
av
gni
(Skt., ‘marefire’) because it has a mare's head, awaits the time when it is unleashed to destroy the universe.
Auschwitz
.
The largest Nazi concentration camp. Established in 1940 on the outskirts of Oseiecim, Poland. It has become a symbol of the horrors of the
Holocaust
—as also of the extreme issues of
theodicy
, of ‘Theology after Auschwitz’ (see
HOLOCAUST
).
Authorized Version
.
An English translation of the
Bible
published in 1611. It was ordered by King James I (hence the American name ‘King James Version’) and was the work of
c.
50 scholars. The words ‘Appointed to be read in Churches’ appear on the title-page, but it has never otherwise been ‘authorized’.
Autocephalous
(Gk.,
autos
, ‘self’ +
kephal
, ‘head’). Term describing an
Orthodox church
whose hierarchy is independent of any other. Thus ‘the Orthodox Church’ comprises a variable number of autocephalous ‘Orthodox churches’, whose
patriarchs
are ranked only in honour (
1. Constantinople,
2. Alexandria,
3. Antioch,
4. Jerusalem,
5. Moscow, etc.
). Some autocephalous churches are very small, e.g. Sinai (one monastery) and Czechoslovakia (autocephalous since 1951).

Other books

The Dispatcher by Ryan David Jahn
Snow Blind by Archer Mayor
Loving Teacher by Jade Stratton
This Is My Brain on Boys by Sarah Strohmeyer
Inheritance by Michael, Judith
Sparkling Steps by Sue Bentley