Recapitulation theory of atonement

The recapitulation theory of the atonement is a doctrine in Christian theology related to the meaning and effect of the death of Jesus Christ.

While it is sometimes absent from summaries of atonement theories, more comprehensive overviews of the history of the atonement doctrine typically include a section about the “recapitulation” view of the atonement, which was first clearly formulated by Irenaeus of Lyons.

One of the main New Testament scriptures upon which this view is based states: " od's purpose is, inthe fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth..." (Ephesians 1:10, RV). The Greek word for 'sum up' was literally rendered 'to recapitulate' in Latin.

In the recapitulation view of the atonement, Christ is seen as the new Adam who succeeds where Adam failed. Christ undoes the wrong that Adam did and, because of his union with humanity, leads humankind on to eternal life (including moral perfection).

History

As highlighted above, Irenaeus is considered to be the first to clearly express a recapitulation view of the atonement, although he is anticipated by Justin Martyr, whom Irenaeus quotes in Against Heresies 4.6.2:

There follows two representative quotes from Irenaeus:

For Irenaeus, the ultimate goal of Christ's work of solidarity with humankind is to make humankind divine. Of Jesus he says, he 'became what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself'.Irenaeus, ''Against Heresies'' Preface to Book 5 in A. Roberts and J. Donaldson (eds),
The Writings of Irenaeus
' Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1869), p. 55 This idea has been most influential in the Eastern Christianity, particularly within the Eastern Orthodox Church, Michael Green, ‘‘The Empty Cross of Jesus’’ (Eastbourne: Kingsway, 2004; first published 1984), p. 67 having been taken on by many other Church Fathers, such as Ss. Athanasius, Gregory of Nazianzus, Augustine, and Maximus the Confessor. This Eastern Orthodox theological development out of the recapitulation view of the atonement is called '' theosis'' (" deification").

A more contemporary, slightly differing expression of the recapitulation view can be seen in D. E. H. Whiteley's reading of Paul the Apostle's theology. Whiteley favourably quotesD. E. H. Whietely, ''The Theology of St Paul'' (Oxford: Blackwell, 1964), p. 113: 'St. Irenaeus was fundamentally true to the thought of Paul when he said: ''Factus est quod sumus nos, uti nos perficeret esse quod et ipse''. Irenaeus' notion that Christ 'became what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself', although he never describes Paul's view of the atonement as a recapitulation; rather, he uses the word 'participation':

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Recapitulation Theory Of Atonement
Atonement in Christianity
Christian terminology
Catholic theology and doctrine