Folia Theologica 11. (2000)

László Vanyó: The Patristic Interpretation of 'Redemptio'

THE PATRISTIC INTERPRETATION OF ‘REDEMPTIO’

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Church too, can be only the representation of this sacrifice.67 68 Redemtion is not merely a gift or grace, because the obedience of the Son was the satisfaction, His blood the ransom by means of which He freed, liber/TO

ated, obtained and merited the justification.

The type of C h r i s t u s - V i c t o r - r e d em p t i o involves the risk that the satisfaction, necessary to the reconciliation, may be dissolved in its elements: “factio” remains the duty of man, and “satis” will be assigned to God. For St.Augustine Christ fights His battle as a man and this way saves the honour of man and the veneration of God. It is a merit of the bishop of Hippo that he not only emphasized the deliverance from the sin,, but also enlightened its defeat in the inside. Christ is not only a healer but at hallower, too, and by sanctification a Saviour. Moreover: the Saviour is not reality viewed historically, from outside, like by Pelagius, but as the head of mankind, is an inner, mystic reality, who influences the individuals as well as the entire humanity, because He is already Saviour before all times and before His incarnation.69 That is what was emphasized by the earlier Fathers of the Church too.

Bibliography- de Andia, Y. Homo vivens Incorruptibilité et divinisation de l’homme selon IRÉNÉE DE LYON, Études Augustiniennes, Paris 1986- Althaus, H. Die Heislehre des heiligen Gregor von Nazianz, Münsterische Beiträge zur Theologie 34, Aschendorff, Münster Westfalen 1972- Aulén, G.Christus Victor, An historical study of the three main types of the idea of the Atonement, London 1931, SPK Third Impression 1978- Hamman, A. - G,L’homme image de Dieu, Desclée, Paris 1987- Jossua J.-P. La salut, incarnation ou mystère pascal, Paris 1968- Normann F.Christos Didaskalos, Münsterische Beiträge zur Theologie 22, Münster, 1966- Plagnieux, J.Heil und Heiland, Dogmengeschichtliche Texte und Studien, Études Augustiniennes, Paris 1969- Riviere, J Le dogme de la Rêdeption chez Sainz Augustin, Paris 1933

67 Enchr. 10,13 13,41 PL 40; 248-49 and 253-,

68 De Trin XIII, 14,18-15,19

69 De gr. Chr. et pecc.or 2,24,28 De perf.ius.hom. 19,42 PL 44,388, 315.