"Epistle to the Laodiceans The Epistle to the Laodiceans is a lost letter of Paul the Apostle, the original existence of which is inferred from an instruction to the church in Colossae to send their letter to the church in Laodicea, and likewise obtain a copy of the letter ""from Laodicea"" (, ""ek laodikeas""). Several ancient texts purporting to be the missing ""Epistle to the Laodiceans"" have been known to have existed, most of which are now lost. These were generally considered, both at the time and by modern scholarship, to be attempts to supply a forged copy of a"
"Epistolary novel An epistolary novel is a novel written as a series of documents. The usual form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings and other documents are sometimes used. Recently, electronic ""documents"" such as recordings and radio, blogs, and e-mails have also come into use. The word ""epistolary"" is derived from Latin from the Greek word ἐπιστολή ""epistolē"", meaning a letter (see epistle). The epistolary form can add greater realism to a story, because it mimics the workings of real life. It is thus able to demonstrate differing points of view without recourse to the device of an omniscient"
"the postal card, which has a pre-printed postage on the card. The fact that this communication is visible by other than the receiver often causes the messages to be written in jargon. Letters are often studied as an example of literature, and also in biography in the case of a famous person. A portion of the New Testament of the Bible is composed of the Apostle Paul's epistles to Christian congregations in various parts of the Roman Empire. See below for a list of famous letters. A style of writing, called ""epistolary,"" tells a fictional story in the form of"
"Epistolography Epistolography, or the art of writing letters, is a genre of Byzantine literature similar to rhetoric that was popular with the intellectual elite of the Byzantine age. The letter became a popular literary form in the fourth century AD and combined Christian and classical Greek traditions. The collections of the emperors Julian, Libanios, and Synesius, and the work of the Cappadocian Fathers were particularly notable, while letters of Aristotle, Plato and the Pauline Epistles of the New Testament were influential in the development of the genre. In some cases large numbers of letters have survived from the more prolific"
"Ecclesiastical letter Ecclesiastical letters are publications or announcements of the organs of Roman Catholic ecclesiastical authority, e.g. the synods, but more particularly of pope and bishops, addressed to the faithful in the form of letters. The popes began early, by virtue of the Primacy of the Roman Pontiff, to issue canon laws as well for the entire Church as for individuals, in the form of letters which popes sent either of their own will or when application was made to them by synods, bishops or individual Christians. Apart from the Epistles of the Apostle Peter, the first example of this"
"Apostle An apostle (), in its most literal sense, is an emissary, from Greek ἀπόστολος (""apóstolos""), literally ""one who is sent off"", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (""apostéllein""), ""to send off"". The purpose of such sending off is usually to convey a message, and thus ""messenger"" is a common alternative translation; other common translations include ""ambassador"" and ""envoy"". The term derives from the Greek of the New Testament and was used for Jesus's original Twelve Apostles (including Peter, James, and John), as well as a wider group of early Christian figures, including Paul and Barnabas. Some other religions use the term"
"11th and 12th centuries. Epistolography Epistolography, or the art of writing letters, is a genre of Byzantine literature similar to rhetoric that was popular with the intellectual elite of the Byzantine age. The letter became a popular literary form in the fourth century AD and combined Christian and classical Greek traditions. The collections of the emperors Julian, Libanios, and Synesius, and the work of the Cappadocian Fathers were particularly notable, while letters of Aristotle, Plato and the Pauline Epistles of the New Testament were influential in the development of the genre. In some cases large numbers of letters have survived"
"Message in a bottle A message in a bottle is a form of communication in which a printed, typed, or handwritten message is sealed in a container (typically a bottle) and released into a conveyance medium (typically a body of water). Messages in bottles have been used to send distress messages; in crowdsourced scientific studies of ocean currents; as memorial tributes; to send deceased loved ones' ashes on a final journey; to convey expedition reports, and to carry letters or reports from those believing themselves to be doomed. Invitations to prospective pen pals and letters to actual or imagined love"
"Epistulae (Pliny) The Epistulae are a series of personal missives by Pliny the Younger directed to his friends and associates. These letters are a unique testimony of Roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century. The style is very different from that in the ""Panegyricus"", and some commentators maintain that Pliny initiated a new genre: the letter written for publication. This genre offers a different type of record than the more usual history; one that dispenses with objectivity but is no less valuable for it. Especially noteworthy among the letters are two in which he describes the eruption"
"Epistula Apostolorum The Epistula Apostolorum (Latin for ""Letter of the Apostles"") is a work from the New Testament apocrypha. Probably dating from the 2nd century CE, it was within the canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, but not rediscovered in the Western world until the early 20th century. In 51 chapters, it takes the form of a letter from the apostles describing key events of the life of Jesus, followed by a dialogue between Jesus and the apostles. The work's apparent intent is to uphold orthodox Christian doctrine, refuting Gnosticism - in particular the teachings of Cerinthus - and"
"Telegraphy Telegraphy (from Ancient Greek: τῆλε, ""têle"", ""at a distance"" and γράφειν, ""gráphein"", ""to write"") is the long-distance transmission of textual or symbolic (as opposed to verbal or audio) messages without the physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas pigeon post is not. Telegraphy requires that the method used for encoding the message be known to both sender and receiver. Many methods are designed according to the limits of the signalling medium used. The use of smoke signals, beacons, reflected light signals, and flag semaphore signals are early examples. In the"
"Letter (message) A letter is one person's written message to another pertaining to some matter of common concern. Letters have several different types: Formal letters and informal letters. Letters contribute to the protection and conservation of literacy. Letters have been sent since antiquity and are mentioned in the ""Iliad"". Both Herodotus and Thucydides mention letters in their histories. Historically, letters have existed from the time of ancient India, ancient Egypt and Sumer, through Rome, Greece and China, up to the present day. During the seventeenth and eighteenth century, letters were used to self-educate. Letters were a way to practice critical"
"Text messaging Text messaging, or texting, is the act of composing and sending electronic messages, typically consisting of alphabetic and numeric characters, between two or more users of mobile devices, desktops/laptops, or other type of compatible computer. Text messages may be sent over a cellular network, or may also be sent via an Internet connection. The term originally referred to messages sent using the Short Message Service (SMS). It has grown beyond alphanumeric text to include multimedia messages (known as MMS) containing digital images, videos, and sound content, as well as ideograms known as emoji (happy faces, sad faces, and"
"Message A message is a discrete unit of communication intended by the source for consumption by some recipient or group of recipients. A message may be delivered by various means, including courier, telegraphy, carrier pigeon and electronic bus. A message can be the content of a broadcast. An interactive exchange of messages forms a conversation. One example of a message is a communiqué (), which is a brief report or statement released by a public agency. In communication between humans, messages can be verbal or nonverbal: There are two main senses of the word ""message"" in computing: messages between the"
"reading, self-expressive writing, polemical writing and also exchange ideas with like-minded others. For some people, letters were seen as a written performance. For others, it was not only seen as a performance but also as a way of communication and a method of gaining feedback. Letters make up several of the books of the Bible. Archives of correspondence, whether for personal, diplomatic, or business reasons, serve as primary sources for historians. At certain times, the writing of letters was thought to be an art form and a genre of literature, for instance in Byzantine epistolography. In the ancient world letters"
"Catholic epistles The Catholic epistles (also called the universal epistles or general epistles) are seven epistles of the New Testament. Listed in order of their appearance in the New Testament, the Catholic epistles are: The word ""Catholic"" in the term ""Catholic epistles"" has been a convention dating from the 4th century. At the time, that word simply meant 'general', and was not specifically tied to any denomination, for example, what would later become known as the Roman Catholic Church. Nevertheless, to avoid the impression these letters are only recognised in Catholicism, alternative terms such as 'general epistles' or 'general missionary"
"Communication Communication (from Latin ""commūnicāre"", meaning ""to share"") is the act of conveying meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs, symbols, and semiotic rules. The main steps inherent to all communication are: The scientific study of communication can be divided into: The channel of communication can be visual, auditory, tactile (such as in Braille) and haptic, olfactory, electromagnetic, or biochemical. Human communication is unique for its extensive use of abstract language. Development of civilization has been closely linked with progress in telecommunication. Nonverbal communication describes the processes of conveying a type of"
"Email Electronic mail (email or e-mail) is a method of exchanging messages (""mail"") between people using electronic devices. Invented by Ray Tomlinson, email first entered limited use in the 1960s and by the mid-1970s had taken the form now recognized as email. Email operates across computer networks, which today is primarily the Internet. Some early email systems required the author and the recipient to both be online at the same time, in common with instant messaging. Today's email systems are based on a store-and-forward model. Email servers accept, forward, deliver, and store messages. Neither the users nor their computers are"
"the outer packaging"". There are a number of different types of letter: Letter (message) A letter is one person's written message to another pertaining to some matter of common concern. Letters have several different types: Formal letters and informal letters. Letters contribute to the protection and conservation of literacy. Letters have been sent since antiquity and are mentioned in the ""Iliad"". Both Herodotus and Thucydides mention letters in their histories. Historically, letters have existed from the time of ancient India, ancient Egypt and Sumer, through Rome, Greece and China, up to the present day. During the seventeenth and eighteenth century,"
"First Epistle to Timothy The First Epistle of Paul to Timothy, usually referred to simply as First Timothy and often written 1 Timothy, is one of three letters in the New Testament of the Bible often grouped together as the Pastoral Epistles, along with Second Timothy and Titus. The letter, traditionally attributed to the Apostle Paul, consists mainly of counsels to his younger colleague and delegate Timothy regarding his ministry in Ephesus (1:3). These counsels include instructions on the organization of the Church and the responsibilities resting on certain groups of leaders therein as well as exhortations to faithfulness in"
"Diplomatic correspondence Diplomatic correspondence is correspondence between one state and another, usually – though not exclusively – of a formal character. It follows several widely observed customs and style in composition, substance, presentation, and delivery and can generally be categorized into letters and notes. Letters are correspondence between heads of state, typically used for the appointment and recall of ambassadors; for the announcement of the death of a sovereign or an accession to the throne; or for expressions of congratulations or condolence. Letters between two monarchs of equal rank will typically begin with the salutation ""Sir My Brother"" (or ""Madame"
"Business correspondence Business correspondence means the exchange of information in a written format for the process of business activities. Business correspondence can take place between organizations, within organizations or between the customers and the organization. The correspondence refers to the written communication between persons. Hence oral communication or face to face communication is not a business correspondance. Business letters are the most formal method of communication following specific formats. They are addressed to a particular person or organization. A good business letter follows the seven C's of communication. The different types of business letters used based on their context are"
"was commonly copied as a writing exercise by Egyptian schoolchildren on ceramic ostraca (over eighty examples of which have been found so far by archaeologists). Epistle letters were also written to the dead, and, by the Ramesside Period, to the gods; the latter became even more widespread during the eras of Persian and Greek domination. Epistles in prose and verse were a major genre of literature among the Greeks and particularly the Romans. The letters of Cicero are one of the most important sources on the history of the late Roman Republic and preserve features of colloquial Latin not always"
"Epistles (Plato) The Epistles (Greek: Ἐπιστολαί; Latin: ""Epistolae"") of Plato are a series of thirteen letters traditionally included in the Platonic corpus. Their authenticity has been the subject of some dispute, and scholarly consensus has shifted back and forth over time. They were ""generally accepted as genuine until modern times""; but by the close of the nineteenth century, many philologists (such as Richard Bentley, Christoph Meiners, and Friedrich Ast) believed that none of the letters were actually written by Plato. Now every letter except the First has some defenders of its authenticity. The Twelfth is also widely regarded as a"
"human users of computer systems that are delivered by those computer systems, and messages passed between programs or between components of a single program, for their own purposes. Message A message is a discrete unit of communication intended by the source for consumption by some recipient or group of recipients. A message may be delivered by various means, including courier, telegraphy, carrier pigeon and electronic bus. A message can be the content of a broadcast. An interactive exchange of messages forms a conversation. One example of a message is a communiqué (), which is a brief report or statement released"
"Pastoral letter A pastoral letter, often called simply a pastoral, is an open letter addressed by a bishop to the clergy or laity of a diocese or to both, containing general admonition, instruction or consolation, or directions for behaviour in particular circumstances. In the Catholic Church, such letters are also sent out regularly at particular ecclesiastical seasons, particularly at the beginning of fasts. In most episcopal church bodies, clerics are often required to read out pastoral letters of superior bishops to their congregations. In the non-episcopal Protestant churches a pastoral letter is any open letter addressed by a pastor to"
"Ab epistulis Ab epistulis was the chancellor's office in the Roman Empire with responsibility for the emperor's correspondence. The office sent ""mandata"" (instructions) to provincial governors and other officials. ""Ab epistulis"" wrote in Latin (""ab epistulis latinis"") and in Greek (""ab epistulis graecis""), and answered the responses. Holders of the position usually had a particular vocation for literary matters. One of the leading rhetoricians of this time, ""Alexander Peloplaton"", was Marcus Aurelius's ""ab epistulis"" in the 170s. Marcus was impressed by the orator Hadrian of Tyre, so he offered him the job ""ab epistulis"" to recognise his excellence. Aspasius of"
"Apostolate An apostolate is a Christian organization ""directed to serving and evangelizing the world"", most often associated with the Anglican Communion or the Catholic Church. In more general usage, an apostolate is an association of persons dedicated to the propagation of a religion or a doctrine. The word apostolate comes from the Greek word ""apostello"", which means to ""send forth"" or ""to dispatch"". The Christian origin of the word comes from the twelve ""apostles"" who were selected by Christ; they had a ""special vocation, a formal appointment of the Lord to a determined office, with connected authority and duties"". An"
"Easter postcard Easter postcards are a form of postcard that people send to each other at Easter. They have now mostly changed to e-cards rather than postcards, but their purpose remains the same. The tradition of sending Easter postcards to relatives and friends developed during the end of the 19th century. Although only a few were sent in 1898, the cards subsequently became popular worldwide. In the beginning, monochrome as well as colored cards were printed. Most of the time, the center of the cards contained an oversized egg. During the first years during which Easter postcards were sent, the"
"world. To Bahá'ís, they filled a similar role as the sons of Jacob, the apostles of Jesus, Muhammad's companions, or the Báb's Letters of the Living. Apostle An apostle (), in its most literal sense, is an emissary, from Greek ἀπόστολος (""apóstolos""), literally ""one who is sent off"", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (""apostéllein""), ""to send off"". The purpose of such sending off is usually to convey a message, and thus ""messenger"" is a common alternative translation; other common translations include ""ambassador"" and ""envoy"". The term derives from the Greek of the New Testament and was used for Jesus's original Twelve"
"Interstellar communication Interstellar communication is the transmission of signals between planetary systems. Sending interstellar messages is potentially much easier than interstellar travel, being possible with technologies and equipment which are currently available. However, the distances from Earth to other potentially inhabited systems introduce prohibitive delays, assuming the limitations of the speed of light. Even an immediate reply to radio communications sent to stars tens of thousands of light-years away would take many human generations to arrive. The SETI project has for the past several decades been conducting a search for signals being transmitted by extraterrestrial life located outside the Solar"
"Epistemological Letters Epistemological Letters was a hand-typed, mimeographed ""underground"" newsletter about quantum physics that was distributed to a private mailing list, described by the physicist John Clauser as a ""quantum subculture"", between 1973 and 1984. Distributed by a Swiss foundation, the newsletter was created because mainstream academic journals were reluctant to publish articles about the philosophy of quantum mechanics, especially anything that implied support for ideas such as action at a distance. Thirty-six or thirty-seven issues of ""Epistemological Letters"" appeared, each between four and eighty-nine pages long. Several well-known scientists published their work there, including the physicist John Bell, the"
"doctrine of apostolic succession, held by many branches of Christianity; and in the Four Marks of the Church (""one, holy, catholic, and apostolic"") found in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. The term ""apostle"" is derived from Classical Greek ἀπόστολος (""apóstolos""), meaning ""one who is sent off"", from στέλλειν (""stellein""), ""to send"" + από (""apó""), ""off, away from"". The literal meaning in English is therefore an ""emissary"" (from the Latin ""mittere"", ""to send"", and ""ex"", ""from, out, off"". The word ""apostle"" has two meanings, the broader meaning of a messenger and the narrower meaning of an early Christian apostle directly linked to Jesus."