Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, June 15th, 2025
Trinity Sunday
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Bible Dictionaries
Generally Necessary

The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia

Search for…
or
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Prev Entry
General Theological Seminary
Next Entry
Genuflexion
Resource Toolbox

In the definition given in the Church Catechism of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper, these Sacraments are declared to be "generally necessary to salvation." From the way many persons postpone their own Baptism, neglect the Baptism of their children and ignore the Holy Communion, it would seem that they think the word "generally" in the above clause, means "usually," but not essential to religious life. This is a mistake. The word "generally" as used when the Catechism was set forth is simply the Anglicized form of the Latin word generaliter, meaning universally, always, absolutely necessary for every one who would be saved, and therefore, imperative where the Sacraments may be had.

Bibliography Information
Miller, William James. Entry for 'Generally Necessary'. The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​acd/​g/generally-necessary.html. 1901.
 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile