Pagan benevolence and Christian grace: how the cross challenges our social realities

Our understanding of Christianity acquires a sociological dimension when we see it as a challenge to elsewhere prevailing practices of religiously motivated giving, here termed benevolence. The "benevolence" of pagan societies (ancient and modern), paradigmatically expressed in the symboli...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Goode, Leslie (Author)
Format: Print Article
Language:English
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Published: SPCK Publishing 2009
In: Theology
Year: 2009, Volume: 112, Issue: 865, Pages: 33-42
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Gift / Humanism / Grace / Christianity
IxTheo Classification:AD Sociology of religion; religious policy
CC Christianity and Non-Christian religion; Inter-religious relations
NBK Soteriology
Parallel Edition:Electronic
Description
Summary:Our understanding of Christianity acquires a sociological dimension when we see it as a challenge to elsewhere prevailing practices of religiously motivated giving, here termed benevolence. The "benevolence" of pagan societies (ancient and modern), paradigmatically expressed in the symbolic gift of sacrificial ritual and art, is an essentially non-reciprocal form of giving, constitutive of hierarchical social structure. Practices of benevolence articulate socio-religious realities that are incompatible with a proper understanding of the distinctively Christian notion of grace.
ISSN:0040-571X
Contains:In: Theology