The Amnesty of Grace: Justification by Faith from a Latin American Perspective

by Sharon H Ringe (Translator), Elsa Tamez

Overview

"This study explores the meaning of justification in the framework of Latin American theology of liberation, which is a particular way of doing theology welcomed by both Catholics and Protestants. In this theology, the poor, 'oppressed and believing,' constitute the privileged locus of theology. That is to say, theology is done from their reality of oppression-liberation and their experience of God. Every great theological theme, every biblical reading, must be reexamined from that angle of vision." (from the Introduction, by Elsa Tamez)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780687009343
Publisher:	Abingdon Press
Publication date:	01/01/1993
Pages:	212
Sales rank:	1,045,961
Product dimensions:	6.04(w) x 9.18(h) x 0.53(d)

About the Author

Sharon Ringe is Professor of New Testament at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C. She is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and adjunct professor at Universidad Bíblíca Latinoamericana, San Jose, Costa Rica.

Table of Contents

	Introduction	13
Part I.	Justification by Faith in Latin America: Toward a Reformulation of the Doctrine	17
Chapter 1	Perspectives on Justification by Faith from Latin America	19
	A Critique of the Meaning of Justification in Latin America	19
	Justification as Forgiveness of Sins	20
	The Exclusive Role of God	22
	Justification as Reconciliation	24
	Contributions from Latin America to the Theme of Justification by Faith	25
	Justification and Justice	27
	Human Dignity and Justification	33
	Justification by Grace and Spaces of Freedom	34
	Justification as Liberation	35
Chapter 2	Challenges from Latin America to Justification by Faith	37
	Condemned to Death by an Economic System That Excludes	37
	Condemned to "Bargain Away" Humanity: the Non-Person	39
	Toward a Reconstruction of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith	42
Part II.	Justification by Faith: A Liberating Theology in Paul	45
Chapter 3	Paul and His Context	47
	Introduction	47
	Paul, a "Plural Subject"	48
	Paul the Jew	50
	Paul the Artisan	53
	Paul the Prisoner	55
	The Roman Empire	58
	The Truth About Civilization	58
	The Truth About Dignity	61
	The Social Context of Paul's Letters	64
Chapter 4	Justification by Faith in Paul's Letters Prior to Romans	65
	Introduction	65
1	Thessalonians	66
	The Practice of Faith	68
	Faith in the God Who Raises the Dead	68
	Chosen for Salvation: Free from Wrath	69
1	Corinthians	70
	Justification Versus Humiliation (1:10-31)	71
	Only God Judges Justly (4:3-5)	72
	Justification and the Practice of Justice (6:1-11)	73
	Faith in the Resurrection of the Dead (Chapter 15)	74
	Galatians	75
	Justification and Liberation	77
	Critique of the Law That Excludes	78
	Philippians	79
	The Price of Grace	80
	Justification with Works of Faith	81
	The Justice of God and the Justice of the Law	83
2	Corinthians	84
	The Ministry of Justice for All, Contrary to the Ministry of Condemnation (Chapters 3-5)	85
	A New Creation: the Justice of God (5:16-6:1)	86
	The Judgment of Christ Conforms to One's Works (5:10)	87
	Summary: Justification by Faith in the Early Letters	88
Chapter 5	Justification by Faith in Romans	93
	The Situation in the City of Rome	93
	The Socioeconomic Context	93
	The Christians in Rome	94
	Theological Conflicts	95
	The Reading of Justification in Romans	96
	Justice of God and Injustice (1:16-2:29)	97
	Justification by Faith and the Practice of Justice	103
	Justification by Faith	108
	The Amnesty of Grace--The Logic of the Spirit	112
Part III.	Justification As an Affirmation of Life: Toward a Theological Reconstruction	119
Chapter 6	From a Biblical-Hermeneutical Reading to a Theological Rereading	121
	Introduction	121
	Concerns in the Life of the Christian Communities	123
	Wellsprings of Justification by Faith in Paul	123
	The Inclusion of the Excluded in the People of God	123
	The Absence of True Justice and Knowledge of God	124
	The Revelation of the Justice of God to Benefit All	125
	The Divine Within the Human Being: Power to Confront the Unjust World	127
Chapter 7	Justification by Faith and the Threatened Life of the Poor	129
	Law of Exclusion, Reign of Death	129
	The Recovery of the Image of God	132
	Solidarity as the Root of Justification	134
	Solidarity of Friends, Fruitful Encounter in Justification	135
	Solidarity Between Sisters and Brothers, Symbol of Justification	136
	The Communitarian Celebration of Grace	138
Chapter 8	Justification as the Affirmation of the Life of All	141
	The Gift of Being Subjects of History	141
	The Power to Transgress the Law: The Freedom of God and the Idols That Enslave	142
	Sovereignty and Trust in God	145
	Faith as the Way of Justification	148
	The Power of Faith in the Impossible	148
	The Following of Christ: Substance of the Faith That Justifies	152
Chapter 9	Observations on the Meaning of the Sacrifice of Christ, Judgment, and Forgiveness	155
	Introduction	155
	The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the End of Human Sacrifices and of the Law That Kills	156
	The Judgment of God in Favor of Innocent Victims	159
	Liberating Forgiveness	162
Chapter 10	Justification by Faith: Good News to the Excluded	165
	Abbreviations	167
	Notes	169