Redemption (theology)

Redemption is an essential concept in many religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The term implies that something has been paid for or bought back, like a slave who has been set free through the payment of a ransom.

Christianity

Main article: Salvation in Christianity

See also: Redeemer (Christianity)

In Christian theology, redemption (Ancient Greek: Ἀπολύτρωσις, apolutrosis) refers to the deliverance of Christians from sin and its consequences.^[1] Christians believe that all people are born into a state of sin and separation from God, and that redemption is a necessary part of salvation in order to obtain eternal life.^[2] Leon Morris says that "Paul uses the concept of redemption primarily to speak of the saving significance of the death of Christ."^[3]

In the New Testament, redemption and related words are used to refer both to deliverance from sin and to freeing from captivity.^[4] In Christian theology, redemption is a metaphor for what is achieved through the atonement;^[5] therefore, there is a metaphorical sense in which the death of Jesus pays the price of a ransom (the Latin word redemptio literally expresses the idea of "buying back" - compare Latin emptus - "having been bought or purchased"), releasing Christians from bondage to sin and death.^[6] Most evangelical Protestant theologians and denominations reject Origen's argument that God paid the ransom price of redemption to Satan.^[6]

Eastern Orthodox eschatology envisages that the Second Coming will involve universal redemption: "Heaven has become our inheritance. [...] Then we shall have the completion of all things, animate and inanimate, material and spiritual; then shall we have the completion of the work of man's redemption."^[7]

The term salvation refers to the overall process of being saved,^[5] which includes redemption especially but also encompasses other aspects of the Christian faith such as sanctification and glorification.^{[disputed – discuss]}

Hinduism

A concept similar to redemption in Indian religions is called prāyaścitta, which is not related to the theological sense of sin, but to expiation and personal liberation from guilt or sin. However the end goal of a being is moksha or liberation from karma, resulting in the end of the cycle of birth and death. By attaining moksha, the Atma (self or soul) merges back into Paramatma (God), just as a wave merges back into the ocean.^[8][9]

Islam

In Islam, redemption is achieved by being a Muslim and doing no action that would forfeit one's identification with Islam,^[10] being of sincere faith (iman) and doing virtuous actions.^[11] Muslim sinners need to turn to a merciful God in repentance and carry out other good deeds, such as prayer (salah) and charity, for redemption.^[12][13] In certain instances, redemption is also linked to seeking forgiveness from the person that has been wronged by Muslims, and obtaining their forgiveness in addition to seeking forgiveness from God directly. As a result of this view of redemption, Muslims have criticized alternative views on redemption, especially the Christian doctrine of original sin.^[10]

Jainism

Main article: Pratikramana

Like other Indian religions, redemption is more closely related to expiation, but also expects absolution. Pratikramana (lit. '"introspection"'), is a ritual during which Jains repent (prayaschit) for their sins and non-meritorious activities committed knowingly or inadvertently during their daily life through thought, speech or action. Rather than a Prayascitta after perpetrating sin, it is more of a regular conduct, where every possible form of misdeed is recited and repented, if might have been committed, consciously or accidentally. This is also in form of ātma-ālocana ("self-criticism") which is central to Jainism. Vratis and Pratimadharis, including Munis and Aryikas perform Sāmāyika and Pratikramana as a daily essential routine.

Judaism

Main article: Jewish eschatology

In the Torah, there are numerous expressions of the concept of redemption (Hebrew ge'ulah): The release of land and houses from encumbrance by another person^[14], liberation from slavery^[15] deliverance from distress, the redemption of agricultural produce from the sanctity of tithes^[16], the end of widowhood^[17], deliverance from death^[18], and similar usages.^[19][20]

Although the term geulah refers to several types of redemption, special prominence is given to the redemption of the People of Israel and the coming of the Messianic era, both in the Bible and in the Oral Torah, the Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud, as well as in early midrash literature^[21] and in the two central works of Jewish mysticism: the Zohar and Etz Chaim, attributed to the disciple of the Ari, Rabbi Isaac Luria. The anticipation of the redemption of the People of Israel is one of the central obligations in Judaism. It was even established in Jewish halakha as a mitzvah of "service of the heart", meaning prayer. One example of such a prayer is the Amidah, formulated by the Men of the Great Assembly.^[22][23] Redemption is also listed as the twelfth of Maimonides’ Thirteen Principles of Faith. The Jewish understanding of geulah is grounded in belief in God’s attributes, His unlimited power, justice, and mercy.^[24][25][26] The Torah includes several commandments that, according to Jewish tradition, can be fulfilled only in the era of redemption. The Torah includes several commandments that, according to Jewish tradition, can only be fulfilled in the era of redemption,^[27] such as the sacrificial rites,^[28][29] pilgrimage to the Temple^[30], and various Temple based agricultural and ritual laws.^[31] Since Jewish law maintains that commandments cannot be regarded as purely spiritual obligations, this is taken as further evidence that the era of redemption is expected to occur within a concrete, physical reality.^[32][33][34]

Rabbinic literature discusses different models of Geulah, distinguishing between a redemption that occurs “in its time” (be’ita בעיתה) and one that is “hastened” (achishena אחישנה).^[35][36][37] The former refers to a redemption that unfolds according to the natural progression of history, while the latter can occur suddenly through divine intervention. This distinction is reflected in commentaries on biblical prophecy, particularly in the writings of the medieval commentators such as Ramban, who emphasized that human effort (hishtadlut) and divine providence may both play a role in the redemption process.^[38][39] In later Jewish thought, this framework is used to interpret historical events and the emergence of Jewish national movements as part of either gradual or miraculous stages of redemption.^[40][41]

In Rabbinic Judaism, redemption refers to God redeeming the Israelites from their exiles, starting with that from Egypt.^[42] This includes the final redemption from the present exile.^[43] Certain currents within Zionism, particularly within Religious Zionism, view the national and political revival in the Land of Israel as a major stage in the redemption of the Jewish people.^[44][45] The rationale behind this view includes the understanding that the plain meaning of the term geulah refers to release from exile.^[46] These movements do not regard the establishment of the State of Israel as the ultimate fulfillment of redemption, but rather as "the beginning of the flowering of our redemption" (Hebrew ראשית צמיחת גאולתנו), with many further stages yet to occur.^[47] The Haredi community disagrees with this approach, maintaining that the redemptive process is to be initiated by the Messiah. In Hasidic philosophy parallels are drawn between the redemption from exile and the personal redemption achieved when a person refines his character traits, although there is no source for this in the Talmud. Rather the Messianic redemption is linked to observing Shabbat,^[48] Jewish prayer,^[49] and the promise of redemption for those looking toward Mount Zion.^[50]

The concept of redemption is a legal and transactional one in halakha, including various sacrifices at the Temple in Jerusalem:

• Blood^[51]
• Mating^[52]
• Sales^[53] and borrowing^[54]
• Some specific items like the Red Heifer^[55]

The concept also applies to redemption of real property such as fields^[56] and houses,^[57] stock animals, such as donkeys,^[58] produce,^[59] and specific items such as tefillin.^[60] It also means the liberation of an estate in real property from a mortgage.

Redemption also applies to individuals or groups: an Israelite slave,^[61] an Israelite captive,^[62] and the firstborn son^[63] pidyon haben, (Hebrew: פדיון הבן) or redemption of the first-born son,^[64] is a mitzvah in Judaism whereby a Jewish firstborn son is redeemed from God by use of silver coins to a kohen.^[65] It is from these three cases that the concept of exilic redemption is derived because the People Israel are considered God's 'firstborn' derived from Jacob, who are God's slaves^[66] forever, but are currently held captive, even while they reside in the modern state of Israel.

See also

• Baptism
• Easter
• Good Friday
• Penitence
• Salvation
• Redemptive suffering