Domus Columbe, the house of the dove, used by Tertullian for a church. When writing against the Valentinians, who affected secrecy in their doctrines, he compares them to the Eleusinian mysteries. whose temple was so guarded with doors and curtains that a man must be five years a candidate before he could be admitted to the adytum of the deity, or secrets of the sanctuary. "Whereas," says he, "the house of our dove is plain and simple, delights in high and open places, affects the light, loves the figure of the Holy Ghost, and the orient or morning sun, which is the figure of Christ." "The house of the dove" seems here to be the same as " the house of Christ." Mede explains it, the house of the dove-like religion, or of the dove-like disciples of Christ (Tertullianus contra Valentin. c. 3, cited by Bingham. Orig. Ecclesiastes book 8, chapter 1, § 2.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More