A countervailing atonement: The meaning of equivalence in the American moral governmental theory of the atonement
In the American moral governmental theory of the atonement, the idea of equivalence is best understood in terms of a countervailing, or the achieving of a moral equilibrium. According to Jonathan Edwards' disciples, Christ's atonement was not quantifiably equivalent to the penalty of the l...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Cambridge Univ. Press
[2019]
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| In: |
Scottish journal of theology
Year: 2019, Volume: 72, Issue: 4, Pages: 375-384 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Edwards, Jonathan 1703-1758
/ Jesus Christus
/ Atonement
/ Redemption
/ Suffering
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| IxTheo Classification: | KAH Church history 1648-1913; modern history KDD Protestant Church NBF Christology NBK Soteriology |
| Further subjects: | B
countervail
B Atonement B equivalence B Edwardsean B moral government B Suffering |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | In the American moral governmental theory of the atonement, the idea of equivalence is best understood in terms of a countervailing, or the achieving of a moral equilibrium. According to Jonathan Edwards' disciples, Christ's atonement was not quantifiably equivalent to the penalty of the law, but morally and meaningfully equivalent. In other words, Christ's physical and psychological sufferings were not equal in amount or degree to a sinner's damnation. Rather, Christ's substitution for divine punishment exhibited sufficient displeasure against sin to effectively communicate his character and to offset the evil effects of sin. At stake was not the moral quantity of his crucifixion, but the moral quality. In this moral governmental scheme, Christ's was not a commutative atonement, but a countervailing atonement. |
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| ISSN: | 1475-3065 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Scottish journal of theology
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1017/S0036930619000590 |