Taking the doctrines of faith as his starting point, Leveringโs objective is to answer the questions of both Christians and non-Christians who desire to learn how and for what end Jesus โsavesโ humankind. Leveringโs work also speaks directly to contemporary systematic theologians. In contrast to widespread assumptions that Aquinasโs theology of salvation is overly abstract or juridical, Levering demonstrates that Aquinasโs theology of salvation flows from his reading of Scripture and deserves a central place in contemporary discussions.
Thomas Aquinasโs theology of salvation employs and develops the concepts of satisfaction and merit in light of his theology of the Old Testament. For Aquinas, Christ fulfills Israelโs Torah and Temple, law and liturgy. These two aspects of Israelโs religion provide the central categories for understanding salvation. The Torah expresses Godโs Wisdom, incarnated in Jesus Christ. Christโs passion, then, fulfills and transforms the moral, juridical, and ceremonial precepts of the Torah, which correspond to the three โofficesโ of ancient Israelโprophet, king, and priest. The New Law in Christ Jesus is also the fulfillment of the Temple, Israelโs worship. Christ offers the Father the perfect worship, participated in by all members of his Mystical Body through faith, charity, and the sacraments. Old Law and New Law are fulfilled in the perfect knowing and loving (perfect law and liturgy) of eternal life, the Heavenly Jerusalem.
As a Thomistic contribution to contemporary theology, this fruitful study develops a theology of salvation in accord with contemporary canonical readings of Scripture and with the teachings of the Second Vatican Council on the fulfillment and permanence of Godโs covenants.
Matthew Levering is professor of theology at the University of Dayton. He is the author of Participatory Biblical Exegesis: A Theology of Biblical Interpretation, and coauthor of Knowing the Love of Christ: An Introduction to the Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas, both published by the University of Notre Dame Press.