Tempering the cosmic scope problem in Christian soteriology : hylemorphic animalism and Gregory of Nazianzus
Abstract
Christian scripture provides good reason to think that Christ's redemptive work has cosmic scope (cf. Colossians 1:19–20). Explanations of how Christ's work might extend to all creation (including any sufficiently human-like extraterrestrials) have not, however, received significant sustained attention in theology. In this article, I consider two attempts to explain the cosmic scope of redemption, and after identifying shortcomings with each explanation, I offer a philosophical anthropology (hylemorphic animalism), which when combined with a principle of soteriology due to Gregory of Nazianzus provides a full explanation for how Christ's redemptive work might extend to all creation.
Citation
Rutledge , J C 2019 , ' Tempering the cosmic scope problem in Christian soteriology : hylemorphic animalism and Gregory of Nazianzus ' , Religious Studies , vol. First View . https://doi.org/10.1017/S0034412519000192
Publication
Religious Studies
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0034-4125Type
Journal article
Collections
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