Exploring Jesus Christ's Role in Salvation MCGRATH 11

Nov 16, 2024

Lecture Notes: Christian Theology and Understanding of Jesus Christ

Overview

  • Speaker: Alister McGrath
  • Focus: Significance of Jesus Christ
  • Textbook: Christian Theology and Introduction
  • Chapters discussed:
    • Chapter 10: Identity of Christ (Christology)
    • Chapter 11: Work of Christ

Chapter 11: Work of Christ

Key Questions

  1. How is salvation linked to the death and resurrection of Christ?
  2. What is salvation?

Relationship between Identity and Function of Jesus

  • Christ is both human and divine (Two Natures of Christ)
  • Functional vs. Ontological Christology:
    • How Christ's identity relates to his function
    • Christ's ability to reveal God and redeem humanity

Theories of Atonement

  • Purpose: Understanding how Christ’s death changes the human situation
  • Divinity of Christ: Ground of salvation ability
  • Humanity of Christ: Means of bringing God’s power to fallen humanity
  • Key Approaches:
    1. Cross as Sacrifice
      • Christ as sinless high priest and perfect sacrificial offering
      • Removes barrier preventing humanity from approaching God
    2. Cross as Victory (Christus Victor)
      • Victory over sin, death, and Satan
      • Popular in medieval times (e.g., Herring of Hell)
    3. Cross as Satisfaction
      • Payment for sin’s penalty, forgiveness possible
      • Developed during Middle Ages (e.g., Anselm of Canterbury)
    4. Cross as Demonstration of Love
      • Incarnation and atonement as God's love for humanity
      • Emphasized by writers like Peter Abelard

Understanding Salvation

  • Past, present, and future dimensions
  • Not just future hope or past achievement
  • Transformation of the human situation

Christian Interpretations of the Death of Christ

  • Theories of Atonement (Sacrifice, Victory, Satisfaction, Love)
  • Violence: Theological significance
  • Universal Significance: How one person's death can have universal impact

Nature of Salvation

  • Images of salvation (e.g., Paul's letters)
  • Important approaches:
    1. Deification
    2. Righteousness
    3. Personal Holiness
    4. Authentic Human Existence
    5. Political Liberation
    6. Spiritual Freedom

Appropriation of Salvation

  • How individuals connect with salvation benefits
  • Role of faith (individual vs. church)
  • Four approaches:
    1. Church as means of salvation
    2. Christ as representative
    3. Participation in Christ
    4. Christ as substitute

Scope of Salvation

  • Universalism: All will be saved
  • Belief-based: Only believers saved
  • Particularism: Only the elect saved

Conclusion

  • Encouragement to explore personal theological positions
  • Next topic: Theology of the Holy Spirit (Chapter 12)