Folia Theologica 11. (2000)
László Vanyó: The Patristic Interpretation of 'Redemptio'
FOLIA THEOLOGICA 11 (2000) 19 László VANYÓ THE PATRISTIC INTERPRETATION OF ‘REDEMPTIO’ 1. Nowadays it is already a generally accepted opinion, that the Fathers sustained the teaching of the New Testament about the redemption, and they have only elaborated different topics from one of the other point of view influenced by the contemporary religious and cultural environment. Obviously their teaching has been formed in such a way that the liberation from the paganism from the idolatry and from the influence of the demons became special emphasis. In accordance with the contemporary metaphysics of the spirit they interpreted the redemptio mainly as a liberation of the human spirit and intellect, however they did not forget the importance of the body in which the signs of the deterioration and the death - consequences of the sin - appeared the most obviously. Their idea cannot be identified at all with the gnostic redemption of the soul. The axiom was always manifest for them: “caro cardo salutis”. The most significant representative and one of the fundamental type of the redemptio-teaching expounded within the scope of history of salvation is the anakephalaiosis (recapitulatio) teaching of Irenaeus. A typical example for the redemptio-teaching expounded within an eschatologie and cosmic scope is the apocatastasis-teaching of Origen. By the first type the redemption is based on the incarnation, by the second one it is the resurrection which has a greater importance. It was possible like by Gregory of Nyssa, to unite the two types. However by non of the two types the work of salvation and the person of the Redeemer can be separated from each other. By both version the suffering and the death on the cross of Christ has its own rule. All the variants of the redemptio-teaching can be traced back to the classic idea according to which the Redeemer, Christus Victor, who defeated the Satan and the forces of evil by his suffering and crucifixion, freed man imprisoned by the Satan until the time of Christ as a consequence of the sin of Adam. The ransoming from the captivity of evil allow such a divine activity which does not require the collaboration and acknowledgement of man. Such a redemption is a process outside of
