Salvation (Christianity)

The branch of Christian theology that deals with salvation and redemption is called Soteriology.^[1] It is derived from the Greek sōtērion (salvation) (from sōtēr "savior, redeemer") + English -logy.^[2]

Within Christian theology, soteriology examines the role of Jesus Christ as saviour (redeemer), and the nature of the salvation as a free gift. Redemption involves the act or process of justification or "making righteous before God". Variant views on soteriology are among the main fault lines dividing the various Christian denominations, both between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism and within Protestantism, notably in the Calvinist–Arminian debate on the definitions and meanings of depravity, predestination, and atonement.

Traditional focus

Christian soteriology traditionally focuses on how God ends the separation people have from him due to sin by reconciling them with himself. (Rom. 5:10-11). The Christian believes he or she receives the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), life (Rom. 8:11), and salvation (1 Thess. 5:9) bought by Jesus through his innocent suffering, death, and resurrection from the dead three days later (Matt. 28).

Christ's death, resurrection, ascension, and sending of the Holy Spirit, is called The Paschal Mystery. Christ's human birth is called the Incarnation. Either or both are considered in different versions of soteriology. While not neglecting the Paschal Mystery, many Christians believe salvation is brought through the Incarnation itself, in which God took on human nature so that humans could partake in the divine nature (2 Peter 1.4). As St. Athanasius put it, God became human so that we might become divine (St. Athanasius, De inc. 54, 3: PG 25, 192B.). In some Christian traditions, this grace in Christ (1 Cor. 1:4) is received as a gift of God that cannot be merited by works done prior to one's conversion to Christianity (Eph. 2:8-9), which is brought about by hearing God's Word (Rom. 10:17) and harkening to it.

Catholic teaching on Salvation

The Catholic Church teaches that human beings exist because God wanted to share His life with them. In this sense, every human being is God's child. In a fuller sense, to come to salvation is to be reconciled to God through Christ and to be united with His divine Essence via divinization (or theosis) in the beatific vision of the Godhead. The graces of Christ's passion, death, and resurrection are found in and acquired through the seven sacraments.

Salvation is understood as a trinitarian event. God the Father, wishing the world, which had been corrupted by the fault of the first parents, to be reconciled to himself sent Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to redeem mankind through his perfect oblation on the cross; the divinisation of humanity is further accomplished by his resurrection and glorification. Human members of the Church are aided in this supernatural process by the Holy Spirit of God. The Church has clarified this trinitarian pattern of Salvation through the creeds.^[3] Within the Trinity, the Son proceeds from the Father and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and [from] the Son. Out of the Trinity and from our perspective, the economy of salvation operates in reverse so that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit sanctifies the human person and Christ incorporates the person into His mystical body, which is the Catholic Church. In this way, the human person is reconciled to God the Father and becomes integrated into the very life of God through sanctifying grace.

Catholic teaching affirms that the Roman Catholic Church is the singular and exclusive body of Christ fully united with him. ‘Extra ecclesiam nulla salus’ is considered normative. Members of non-Catholic Christian communities may retain their incorporation in Christ only because of their union, although imperfect, with the one Roman Catholic Church.^[4]

Distinct Protestant schools

Protestant teaching, originating with Martin Luther, teaches that salvation is received by grace alone and that one's sole necessary response to this grace is faith alone. Older Christian teaching, as found in Catholic and Orthodox theology, is that salvation is received by grace alone, but that one's necessary response to this grace comprises both faith and works (James 2:24,26; Rom 2:6-7; Gal 5:6).

The different soteriologies found within the Christian tradition can be grouped into distinct schools:

• Orthodox and Roman Catholic (synergism)
  • Justification through holy living
  • Communion with the Church
  • Receiving of the sacraments
• Arminianism (synergism)
  • Free acceptance of the gospel
  • Justification through faith in Christ
  • Regeneration through Spirit or water baptism
• Calvinism (monergism)
  • Election by the hidden, eternal decree of God
  • Justification through Christ's atonement
  • Regeneration through the irresistible work of the Holy Spirit
  • Union with Christ through faith in him

• Lutheranism (monergism), in a wide range [1] of ideas, including
  • Conversion [2]
  • Justification by grace through faith (acceptance of forgiveness) [3]
  • Means of Grace [4]
  • The Church [5].

Comparison between Protestants

This table summarizes the classical views of three different Protestant beliefs about salvation.^[5]

Topic	Lutheranism	Calvinism	Arminianism
Human will	Total Depravity without free will until spiritual regeneration	Total Depravity without free will permanently due to the nature of divine sovereignty	Total depravity, with prevenient grace, does not preclude free will
Election	Unconditional election to salvation only	Unconditional election to salvation and damnation (double-predestination) [6]	Conditional election on the basis of foreseen faith or unbelief
Justification	Justification of all people completed at Christ's death	Justification is limited to those predestined to salvation, completed at Christ's death	Justification made possible for all through Christ's death, but only completed upon placing faith in Jesus (hypothetical universalism)
Conversion	Monergistic, through the means of grace, resistible	Monergistic, through the inner calling of the Holy Spirit, irresistible	Monergistic, resistible due to the common, sufficient grace of free will
Preservation and apostasy	Falling away is possible, but reflection on one's faith provides assurance of preservation	Perseverance of the saints: the eternally elect in Christ will necessarily persevere in faith and subsequent holiness until the end	Preservation is conditional upon continued faith in Christ; reflection on one's faith provides assurance

See also

• Atonement in Christianity
• Christology
• Ecclesiology
• Eternal life (Christianity)
• Original sin
• Salvation
• Soteriology
• Theosis

References

1. ^ Soteriology. Dictionary.com. WordNet 3.0. Princeton University. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Soteriology (accessed: March 02, 2008).
2. ^ soteriology - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
3. ^ Nicene Creed
4. ^ Declaration Dominus Iesus, Chapter IV, Unicity and unity of the Church, http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/document/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html
5. ^ Table drawn from, though not copied, from Lange, Lyle W. God So Loved the World: A Study of Christian Doctrine. Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 2006. p. 448.
6. ^ http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/

External links

• Greek Orthodox article on term