 |
|
| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
(HebrewGôyîm; Greekethne, ethnikoi,Hellenes;VulgateGentes, Gentiles, Graeci).
A word of Latin origin and usually employed in the plural. In the English versions of both Testaments it collectively designates the nations distinct from theJewish people. The basis of this distinction is that, as descendants ofAbraham, theJews considered themselves, and were in fact, before the coming ofChrist, the chosen people ofGod. As the non-Jewish nations did not worship thetrue God and generally indulged in immoral practices, the termGôyîm "Gentiles" has often times in theSacred Writings, in theTalmud, etc., a disparaging meaning. Since the spread ofChristianity, the wordGentiles designates, intheological parlance, those who are neitherJews norChristians. In theUnited States, theMormons use it ofpersons not belonging to theirsect.SeePROSELYTES.
(Catholic authors are marked with an asterisk.) SCHURER, History of the Jewish People, second division, vol. I (New York, 1891); SELBIE in HAST., Dict. of the Bible, s.v.; LESÊTRE* in Vig., Dict de la Bible, s.v. Gentils; HIRSCH in Jewish Encycl., s.v. (New York, 1903); BROWN, BRIGGS, AND DRIVER, Hebrew and English Lexicon, s.v. XXX (New York, 1906); DÖLLINGER*, The Gentile and the Jew (tr. London 1906).
APA citation.Gigot, F.(1909).Gentiles. InThe Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06422a.htm
MLA citation.Gigot, Francis."Gentiles."The Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 6.New York: Robert Appleton Company,1909.<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06422a.htm>.
Transcription.This article was transcribed for New Advent by Scott Anthony Hibbs.
Ecclesiastical approbation.Nihil Obstat. September 1, 1909. Remy Lafort, Censor.Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmasterat newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.