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Fathers of the Church

(Encyclopedia)Fathers of the Church, collective name for the Christian writers of early times whose work is considered generally orthodox. A convenient definition includes all such writers up to and including St. G...

seas, freedom of the

(Encyclopedia)seas, freedom of the, in international law, the principle that outside its territorial waters (see waters, territorial) a state may not claim sovereignty over the seas, except with respect to its own ...

Seth, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Seth, in the Bible, son of Adam and Eve, father of Enosh. In the chronology in the Gospel of St. Luke, Seth is an ancestor of Jesus. The Nag Hammadi codices preserve revelatory discourses ascribed to ...

Shamir, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Shamir shāˈmĭr [key], in the Bible. 1 In 1 Chronicles, Levite serving in the Temple. 2 In Joshua, unidentified town, S Palestine. 3 In Judges, unidentified place, E Palestine, home of the judge Tol...

Sheba, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Sheba shēˈbə [key]. 1 In the Bible, rebel against David. 2 Queen of Sheba, who according the the Bible visited Solomon after hearing about the fame of his wisdom. In Arabic legend, Solomon and the ...

Shechem, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Shechem shĕkˈəm, shēˈ– [key], in the Bible. 1 Hivite prince. 2 Manassite chief. ...

ship of the line

(Encyclopedia)ship of the line, large, square-rigged warship, carrying from 70 to 140 guns on two or more completely armed gun decks. In the great naval wars of the 17th, 18th, and early 19th cent., ships of the li...

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