Side-Door Theological Dictionary: “Salvation”: So what?
The implications of describing salvation in this way.
In an earlier post, I described salvation as awareness of God’s presence, and participation in God’s purposes. In this post, I will begin to flesh out that definition, first by describing some of the implications of describing salvation in this way.
RE:Atonement Theories
One of the chief implications of a side-door definition of salvation is that the "transactional character" of the multiple and sometimes contradictory atonement theories fades in importance. In choosing a word like "transactional" to describe most atonement theories (and thus most other approaches to describing salvation), I mean to say that the focus is often on the "how" of salvation in two ways:
Consistent with biblical imagery
Consider significant symbols of the Gospels, like "light & darkness" and how this suggests a dawning awareness. Walk in the light...
Discipleship...
Inherent in the second aspect of the side-door definition is a continuing participation in God's purposes as an essential component of what it means to be saved. Growth and discipleship are grounded in this thinking.
Relatable to other faith traditions
While not a game-breaker, the fact that the side-door definition is largely in neutral and non-technical language makes this approach more amenable to communicating with people with different religious vocabularies.
I hope to continue to build on these concepts. Your participation is solicited and valued.
RE:Atonement Theories
One of the chief implications of a side-door definition of salvation is that the "transactional character" of the multiple and sometimes contradictory atonement theories fades in importance. In choosing a word like "transactional" to describe most atonement theories (and thus most other approaches to describing salvation), I mean to say that the focus is often on the "how" of salvation in two ways:
- How did Jesus make atonement? What happened? The atonement theories usually point to some kind of "transaction": paying a penalty, rescuing or ransoming, etc., that describe a change from before Jesus did something, to after.
- How do I get saved? What must I do? The approaches to salvation (evangelism, in particular) emphasize a kind of "transaction": admit, believe, confess, repent, etc., that describe a change from before you do something, to after.
In the first instance, the "transaction" is an effort to describe an objective change in the universe--before and after crucifixion & resurrection. Note that the atonement theories are all post-biblical constructs that attempt to make sense out of the reality that in the person of Jesus Christ, both God and God's realm were made known. But each of the most prominent atonement theories (and I'm looking especially at you, penal substitution theory) build upon metaphors that in literalness-obsessed modernity have descended into absurdity.
In the second instance, the "transaction" is largely a product of revivalism cum evangelism, that reflects efforts to describe an objective change in the person--before and after a prayer of "conversion". Note that the conversion is admittedly a single step in a larger and longer process, and yet the insistence is upon that moment, an instantaneous objective change.
I realize that both of these descriptions and implicit critiques are facile in some regard, and surely incomplete. Yet they must serve here as touch points and comparison markers.
Benefits of side-door definition
By eliding the problem of transaction thinking (and we haven't even gotten into 'magical thinking' yet!), I hope to demonstrate that the side-door definition of salvation puts the emphasis where it belongs: on the reality of God and God's realm. Without being exhaustive, the following arenas point to fruitful benefits of thinking in terms of the side-door definition of salvation:
Kingdom-friendly
The emphasis rides along with a major thrust of the Gospels, that of the announcement of the Kingdom (the realm) of God, the slow growing awareness and understanding and nascent participation in the matter's of God's realm.In the second instance, the "transaction" is largely a product of revivalism cum evangelism, that reflects efforts to describe an objective change in the person--before and after a prayer of "conversion". Note that the conversion is admittedly a single step in a larger and longer process, and yet the insistence is upon that moment, an instantaneous objective change.
I realize that both of these descriptions and implicit critiques are facile in some regard, and surely incomplete. Yet they must serve here as touch points and comparison markers.
Benefits of side-door definition
By eliding the problem of transaction thinking (and we haven't even gotten into 'magical thinking' yet!), I hope to demonstrate that the side-door definition of salvation puts the emphasis where it belongs: on the reality of God and God's realm. Without being exhaustive, the following arenas point to fruitful benefits of thinking in terms of the side-door definition of salvation:
Kingdom-friendly
Consistent with biblical imagery
Consider significant symbols of the Gospels, like "light & darkness" and how this suggests a dawning awareness. Walk in the light...
Discipleship...
Inherent in the second aspect of the side-door definition is a continuing participation in God's purposes as an essential component of what it means to be saved. Growth and discipleship are grounded in this thinking.
Relatable to other faith traditions
While not a game-breaker, the fact that the side-door definition is largely in neutral and non-technical language makes this approach more amenable to communicating with people with different religious vocabularies.
I hope to continue to build on these concepts. Your participation is solicited and valued.
