Folia Theologica 11. (2000)
László Vanyó: The Patristic Interpretation of 'Redemptio'
THE PATRISTIC INTERPRETATION OF ‘REDEMPTIO’ 21 their despotic power. The reconciliatio is also a dramatic event because the Redeemer physically dies in the struggle whilst morally remains invulnerable and, transformed His death into an inner sacrificial liturgy, procures the reconciliatio between God and man, God and the world. It is more than a mere liberation from the power of the inimical dominations. The struggle between God and the evil could be considered of du- alistic character if the reconciliation were ascribed only to the victory of God. In fact it is not the matter in question, but the reconciliation between God an the world worked by God, i.e. a process in which at the same time God is who is reconciliated and who reconciles. It is God Himself who establishes His new relationship to the world and to man, as He by His will breaks down the resistance of evil powers. The dominations of evil both serve and carry out the divine will, which will is the judge of all of them. The dramatic vision of redemptio presents redemption as a process set out of divine will and since the process returns to God, its dualistic character vanishes. The work of salvation as a realisation of divine will shows a continuity but it will carried out by the sacrifice of Christ as man, which inserts a discontinuity in the process, but He overcomes it immediately because Christ fulfilled the will of the Father with His sacrifice. The redemptio-reconciliatio as an opus obiectivum means the salvation of the whole world as an opus subiectivum concerns man. The redemptio-reconciliatio as an opus obiectivum cannot be separated from the Christology and from the incarnation, as an opus subiectivum is attached to the sacraments and to the teaching of grace. 2. In the writing of the Apostolic Fathers we find also the classic, dramatic redemptio-teaching, which all echo 1 Kor 2,7. There is no detailed teaching of them but their sporadic expressions form the connection to the writing of the apologists and Iraeneus. Such statements are: God elects, saves and upholds by Chris;* 1 Jesus is the Author of immortality 1 11.Clem. XXXVI 1-5 (Loeb) Trad. K.Lake: The Apostolic Fathers I, p.71 : 1. Auxq r| o5o ayaTiqxoi, ev q EupopEV to acoxqpiov qpwv, Iqooov Xpiaxov, too apxtepea xtov 7tpoa<|>opcûv qpœv, xov npoanavr\v mi ßor|9ov xq aaöeveia qpcov. 2. Sia xooxoo ocxeviÇopEV ei xa oq xtov oopavcov, 8ia xooxoo evonxpi- ÇopeOa xqv apcapov Koa mepraxqv oi|/iv aoxoo, 8ia xooxoo avewxQqaav qpcov oi o<j>0aXpoi xq mpSia, 8ia xooxoo q aoovexo mi ecKoxcopevq 8iavoia qpœv avaGcAXei ei xo <)>cd, 8ia xooxoo qGeXqoev o Secmoxq xq aGavaxoo •yvtooeco qpa yeooaoGai, o cov caxomyaopa xq pEyaÂwawq avxov, xooooxco peiÇcov Eoxiv ayy£>.cûov, ooco SiaßopaixEpov ovopa KEKÀqpovopqKEV.
