Theories of Salvation
Religious Studies A: AQA GCSE Religions, topic 2.2.13
Theories of Christ's Role in Salvation
Exactly how the salvation of humans through Jesus is understood has sometimes differed between different Christian groups:
The Ransom theory
- Based on the idea that the devil had power over people because of their sins. They had become prisoners of sin.
- Because Jesus was sinless, his death was able to give his life as a ransom for the souls of every human being.
- This belief also describes this as a gift (grace) from God and a sign of God’s love.
- The devil could have no power over Jesus’ soul because Jesus was sinless.
The Ransom theory continued
- This understanding forms part of Catholic theology.
- ‘The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’ [Matthew 20:28 NIV]
The Substitution theory
- Based on the idea that people who have sinned deserve to be punished:
- Penal substitution is when someone takes the punishment on behalf of someone else.
- In Christian theology, Jesus accepts the punishment (his suffering and death) for the sins of all people. This is seen as a free gift from God (grace), not something that people deserve.
- Provided a person has faith in Jesus, then his punishment saves them from the punishment they deserve.
- This theory is held by many Protestant Churches.
The Moral Transformation theory
- Places emphasis on the life and teaching of Jesus:
- If Christians follow Jesus’ example and obey his teachings, their lives are transformed and so they can become good people in the sight of God.
- This teaching sees Jesus’ death as a form of martyrdom, a witness to the trials Christians may have to face in living their Christian lives.
- This is a view of salvation that some Orthodox Christians support.
Test yourself on Theories of Salvation
What are the 3 theories of Christ's role in salvation?
The Substitution theory of Christ's role in salvation is based on the idea that people who have sinned deserve to be punished. Who holds this view?
The Substitution theory is based on the idea that people who have sinned deserve to be punished and Jesus underwent penal substitution on behalf of Mankind. What does penal substitution mean?