Sources

The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 3rd revised edition

Citation Formats

General Reference

Divinity Atlas. "The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 3rd revised edition." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://dev-divinity.interactiveatlas.org/sources/the-oxford-dictionary-of-the-christian-church-3rd-revised-edition.

APA Style

Divinity Atlas. (n.d.). The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 3rd revised edition. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://dev-divinity.interactiveatlas.org/sources/the-oxford-dictionary-of-the-christian-church-3rd-revised-edition

BibTeX

@misc{divinityatlas-the-oxford-dictionary-of-the-christian-c,
  author = {Divinity Atlas},
  title = {The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 3rd revised edition},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://dev-divinity.interactiveatlas.org/sources/the-oxford-dictionary-of-the-christian-church-3rd-revised-edition},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

This is a one volume reference now in its third revised edition, each edition updating entries against the scholarship current at the time rather than simply reprinting the original 1957 text; that sustained revision across nearly half a century is itself the relevant track record, since a work that stopped being useful would not have been worth re editing three times. It spans the apostolic age to the present across Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions alike, with concise entries carrying their own bibliography a reader can follow further. It is a strong source for facts about councils, creeds, saints, movements and denominations across the whole of Christian history. It is not the right source for how a living church describes itself today, since an outside reference summarizes a tradition rather than speaking in its voice, and a claim about a body's own current teaching is better drawn from that body's own catechism or official statement.

Facts

Assessment

Reliability Tier

A standard one volume scholarly reference on Christian history, doctrine, liturgy and biography from a university press, with signed entries spanning the apostolic age to the present across Christian traditions.

Notes

Standard one-volume reference encyclopedia of Christian history, doctrine, institutions, liturgy and biography from the apostolic age to the present, spanning the full range of Christian traditions including Eastern Orthodox and Protestant bodies alongside Roman Catholicism. Entries are concise scholarly summaries with select bibliography, suitable for general facts about councils, creeds, saints, movements and denominations. Use for established historical and doctrinal facts about Christianity, not for a living body's own current self-description, which its own catechism or official statements state more directly.

Citation

Author

F. L. Cross and E. A. Livingstone (eds.)

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Publication Year

2005

URL

https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780192802903.001.0001/acref-9780192802903

Source Type

reference

Claims Backed By This Source (7,461 claims)

This source backs 7,461 claims across the atlas. As facts: 5,164 well-attested, 140 scholarly debate, 3 popular myth - corrected, 2 open question. As cited relationships: 1,005 holds, 72 connected, 14 critiqued Here, 30 rejected Here, 47 held Differently. Plus 984 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.

Disposition By Topic

Articles, 1,339 claims: 1,228 well-attested, 5 holds, 25 connected, 81 general references.
Figures, 1,202 claims: 957 well-attested, 57 scholarly debate, 3 popular myth - corrected, 60 holds, 1 critiqued Here, 124 general references.
Denominations, 604 claims: 401 well-attested, 89 holds, 8 connected, 8 critiqued Here, 17 rejected Here, 27 held Differently, 54 general references.
Doctrines, 528 claims: 228 well-attested, 26 scholarly debate, 152 holds, 2 critiqued Here, 11 rejected Here, 20 held Differently, 89 general references.
Religious Offices, 434 claims: 156 well-attested, 233 holds, 45 general references.
Holidays & Festivals, 335 claims: 246 well-attested, 39 holds, 50 general references.
Practices, 306 claims: 242 well-attested, 25 holds, 2 connected, 37 general references.
Historical Figures, 290 claims: 185 well-attested, 37 scholarly debate, 1 open question, 25 holds, 1 critiqued Here, 2 rejected Here, 39 general references.
Rituals, 274 claims: 145 well-attested, 3 scholarly debate, 83 holds, 43 general references.
Observance Rules, 226 claims: 146 well-attested, 22 holds, 29 connected, 29 general references.
Beliefs & Restrictions, 195 claims: 140 well-attested, 3 scholarly debate, 5 holds, 47 general references.
Religious Roles & Titles, 186 claims: 120 well-attested, 22 holds, 1 critiqued Here, 43 general references.
Sacred Sites, 181 claims: 138 well-attested, 18 holds, 25 general references.
Organizations, 149 claims: 70 well-attested, 38 holds, 41 general references.
Hymns & Liturgical Texts, 134 claims: 109 well-attested, 4 scholarly debate, 1 open question, 5 holds, 15 general references.
Sacred Objects & Ritual Items, 120 claims: 62 well-attested, 36 holds, 22 general references.
Religious Events, 104 claims: 52 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate, 17 holds, 1 critiqued Here, 33 general references.
Religious Dress & Vestments, 97 claims: 60 well-attested, 19 holds, 18 general references.
Councils and Synods, 82 claims: 38 well-attested, 3 scholarly debate, 27 holds, 14 general references.
Mantras, 67 claims: 54 well-attested, 7 holds, 6 general references.
Prayers, 66 claims: 48 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate, 5 holds, 12 general references.
Other Writings, 57 claims: 43 well-attested, 8 holds, 6 general references.
Scriptures & Texts, 55 claims: 42 well-attested, 3 holds, 10 general references.
Religious Movements, 53 claims: 43 well-attested, 6 holds, 4 general references.
Virtues, 52 claims: 37 well-attested, 4 scholarly debate, 4 holds, 7 general references.
Open Questions, 51 claims: 38 well-attested, 7 connected, 6 general references.
Sacred Architecture, 43 claims: 4 well-attested, 21 holds, 18 general references.
Religious Organization & Structure, 39 claims: 29 well-attested, 3 holds, 1 connected, 6 general references.
Calendars, 33 claims: 25 well-attested, 4 holds, 4 general references.
Esoteric Texts, 22 claims: 6 well-attested, 8 holds, 8 general references.
Subcategories, 19 claims: 14 well-attested, 5 general references.
Categories, 18 claims: 14 well-attested, 4 general references.
Empires & Polities, 14 claims: 10 well-attested, 2 holds, 2 general references.
Religions, 12 claims: 10 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
Creeds & Confessions, 10 claims: 5 well-attested, 2 holds, 3 general references.
Scholarly Disciplines, 9 claims: 9 general references.
Textual Witnesses, 9 claims: 1 well-attested, 8 general references.
Religious Symbols, 8 claims: 4 holds, 4 general references.
Sources, 8 claims: 8 well-attested.
Cities, 5 claims: 3 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
Deities, 5 claims: 3 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
Sacred Foods, 5 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate, 1 holds, 2 general references.
Myths & Sacred Narratives, 4 claims: 2 well-attested, 2 general references.
Days of the Week, 3 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
Pilgrimage Routes, 3 claims: 3 general references.
Religious Legal Instruments, 3 claims: 2 holds, 1 general references.
Years, 2 claims: 1 holds, 1 general references.