Transcript Atonement Theories - University of St. Thomas

Understandings of Atonement
1. What is atonement?
2. Seven models of atonement.
Axis interpretation
At-one-ment: the restoration of unity
between God and estranged humanity:
“God was in Christ reconciling the world to
himself.” (2Cor 5: 19).
Models of Atonement
SACRIFICE
CHRISTUS VICTOR
ransom
SATISFACTION
DEIFICATION
recapitulation
PENAL
SUBSTITUTION
EXEMPLARISM
POLITICAL
LIBERATION
Models of Atonement
SACRIFICE
CHRISTUS VICTOR
ransom
SATISFACTION
DEIFICATION
recapitulation
PENAL
SUBSTITUTION
EXEMPLARISM
POLITICAL
LIBERATION
Analysis
1. Model description.
1. The larger picture: God, world, human
condition.
2. Decisive action.
3. Main images.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Problems & questions.
Solutions & observations.
Chief Protagonists.
Biblical references.
Sacrifice of Isaac Typology
“Abraham in faith followed
the command of the word
of God, and with a ready
mind gave up his onlybegotten son as a sacrifice
to God; that it might also
be the good pleasure of
God, on behalf of all his
seed, to give up His
beloved and only-begotten
Son as a sacrifice for our
redemption.”
– Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. IV. 5. 4.
Polycarp’s last anaphora:
“May I be received among [the
martyrs] in your presence today, as a
rich and acceptable sacrifice, as you
have prepared and revealed
beforehand, and have now
accomplished, you who are the
undeceiving and true God.
For this reason, indeed for all things, I praise
you, I bless you, I glorify you, through the
eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus
Christ, your beloved Son, through whom to
you with him and the Holy Spirit be glory both
now and for the ages to come. Amen.” The
Martyrdom of Polycarp, 14. 2-3.
Christus Victor
“Everyone who commits sin is a child of the
devil; for the devil has been sinning from the
beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this
purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” 1Jn
3: 8.
“Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler
of this world will be driven out.” Jn 12: 31.
Ransom
“For the Son of Man came
not to be served but to
serve, and to give his life a
ransom for many.” Mk 10:
45, cf. Mt 20: 28.
Ransom
CHRISTUS
VICTOR
“[God] forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the
record that stood against us with its legal demands. He
set this aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the
rulers and authorities and made a public example of
them, triumphing over them in it.” Col. 2: 13-15.
SACRIFICE
SATISFACTION
RANSOM
PENAL
SUBSTITUTION
GOD
Moral Order
obedience
disobedience
debt
punishment
Satisfaction = paying the debt
+ compensating for the
offence
death
Our efforts to pay the
debt:
 repentance
 works of charity
 works of piety
 asceticism
All of these are
inadequate, because we
already owe them to
God as a part of our
total obedience
Godman comes and pays
humanity’s debt: he is the
first human to lead a life of
perfect obedience to God
and does not owe to die.
Yet he chooses to give his
life to God. His voluntary
death accrues merit in
God’s eyes. The believers
become participants in
Christ’s merits by means
of the sacraments.
Anselm of Canterbury.
Unknown. Flemish, Belgium 1140.
Penal Substitution
“For our sake he made him to be sin
who knew no sin, so that in him we
might become the righteousness of
God.” 2 Cor 5: 21.
“For God has destined us not for
wrath but for obtaining salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ, who
died for us.” 1 Thess 5: 9
•
Who is this?
Exemplarism
“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” 1Cor 11: 1.
“For to this you have been called, because Christ
also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so
that you should follow in his steps.” 1 Pet 2: 21.
“We know love by this, that he laid down his life
for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for
one another.” 1 Jn 3: 16.
Patristic Exemplarism
• “The Lord of the prophets and Apostles himself lived on
this earth as though he had forgotten his divine glory. He
was made an example for us. In great mockery he wore
a crown of thorns on his head. He bore the spittings, the
buffets, and the cross.
• If God so lived on earth, then it will become you to
imitate him… You must be crucified with the Crucified
(Rom 8: 17), to suffer with him that suffered, so that you
may be glorified with him glorified. The bride must suffer
with the Bridegroom and so become partner and co-heir
with Christ.”
– Pseudo-Macarius, Spiritual Homilies, 12. 4-5.
Medieval Exemplarism
Medieval Exemplarism
“[O]ur redemption through
Christ’s suffering is that
deeper affection (dilectio) in
us which not only frees us
from slavery to sin, but also
wins for us the true liberty of
sons of God, so that we do
all things out of love, rather
than fear.”
--Abelard, Commentary on
Romans.
Crucifixion (1310). San Francesco, Assisi.
Liberal Protestant Exemplarism
“Indeed Christ’s highest
achievement consists in this,
that He so animates us that
we ourselves are led to an
ever more perfect fulfillment
of the divine will.”
F. Schleiermacher
(1768-1834)
--Friedrich Schleiermacher, The
Christian Faith, 456.
Deification
2nd Century Christianity According to Irenaeus
Carpocratians
Nicolaitans
The
Catholic Church
Marcion is expelled
Old
Creed
Testament
Mk Mt
Lk Jn
Unity with
Rome
Sacraments:
Baptism, Eucharist
Basilideans
• No
Creed
Basilides, Saturninus
Simon Magus
Bishops, Apostles
Teaching of Christ
Marcionites
•Luke
•Paul
• No
Creed
Valentinians
•John
• No
Creed
Ebionites
•Matthew
• No
Creed
Marcion
Ptolemy, Secundus
Ebion (?)
Cerdo
Valentinus
Simon Magus
Simon Magus
Cerinthus (?)
Judaism
Relation Between Theodicy and Atonement
• Standard modern approach: answers to the problem of evil
are drawn from natural theology; atonement theories are
drawn from revelation.
• Traditional Christian view: atonement concerns
predominate
• Postmodernity: theodicy concerns predominate
• Accurate picture: two interlocking circles
Theodicy
Atonement