Q & A: What is the Economy of Salvation?

Q:

From my office at the Catholic.net (Spanish section https://es.catholic.net/)  I have been asked on several occasions: "What is the Economy of Salvation?" And another similar one is What is the plan of salvation?

A:

I often point out that when we want to learn a new language and even a new profession, we need to do something that is very important.  In both cases we need to create a vocabulary either linguistic or related to that new profession.

Let’s look at some of the linguistic context of the word economy. This comes from the Greek koine οἰκονομία (oikonomia) which comes from the Greek word οἰκονόμος (oikonomos that we divide into two Greek terms: ‘oîkos’ or ‘house’ or ‘home’ and ‘nomos’ whose meaning is ‘law’ or ‘norm’).

The word “economy” as mentioned comes from the Greek word oikonomia meaning “management of a household” or “stewardship.” The “economy” of salvation, then, is God’s overall “management of his household, his creation.” In other words, it is his divine plan and arrangement for the salvation of humanity.

The “Economy of Salvation” is also called the “economy of Revelation”[1] in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The actual term “Economy of Salvation" is coined by Origen of Alexandria, though the “Divine Economy,” the “Economy of God” or the “Economy” are in earlier Church fathers. Giorgio Agamben argues that this meaning of “economy” (oikonomia) as a divine plan of salvation becomes only after the establishment of the Nicene dogma, whereas in the early history of the Church, it also includes the “organization of the divine life.”[2]

Economy of salvation also called the Divine Economy, in Christian theology, is a concept in the Catholic Church that describes God's action within history as He accomplishes the redemption and reconciliation of human beings to God. It includes all the means by which God has manifested himself and made salvation possible in history, with special reference to the saving work of Jesus Christ.

The economy of salvation, therefore, brings out the priority of God’s outreach to man. It is God’s self-communication to mankind by means of special revelation, especially in the scriptures, Old and New Testament, the “elements and resources” of salvation.

It’s God’s eternal purpose to save man. It conveys God’s wisdom and good pleasure in the redemption of man. Christ as the agent in the economy of salvation, especially by His incarnation, death, and resurrection, which secured the way and the means of man's reconciliation with God. The Holy Spirit as the agent in this economy, actively employed in building up and establishing the kingdom of God, transferring the life of Christ to the believer, and empowering him to live the divine will.

The Catholic Church teaches that there are seven sacraments. They are the visible signs through which God, in Christ and by the Holy Spirit, ordinarily makes grace actual in the lives of believers. Through them, believers are united with Christ and drawn into the Paschal mystery. The Church is the sacrament of communion by which the plan of salvation is accomplished and in which the mystery of Christ is brought to completion in us. The Church is the way in which we are drawn into God’s household.

The Catholic Church teaches that the fullness of economy of salvation is in the work of salvation completed by Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is understood as the payment of the debt for the sins of humanity. The redemptive act of Jesus as Savior is therefore able to bring reconciliation and the possibility of redemption for mankind from the fallen state of sin. Jesus, as the fulfillment of the economy of salvation, is able to enable man to break through the broken relationship between God and man caused by sin.

Jesus’ work is accomplished in his body, the Church, as well as through the sacraments, as it is through the sacraments that Christ continues to "touch" and heal. Baptism, for example, is an entry point for a new period of the economy of the mystery, in which Christ acts through the liturgy of the Church.

The body of Jesus Christ carries out his mission. In the Holy Spirit, the work of Christ is accomplished by his body, the Church. The work of Christ is carried on in the sacraments. The sacraments are viewed as the conduits through which Christ is still “touching” and healing people. By baptism, the believer enters into the new era of dispensation of the mystery in which Christ is at work through the liturgy of his body, the Church.

One of the central terms, grace, is defined as the free and unmerited favor of God and the divine help given to humans to respond to God and bring about their union with God and salvation. Salvation is thought to be given freely by God to humans, but the economy of salvation also necessitates faith and good works by believers or following the will of God through good works.

Human free will is significant in the economy of salvation as individuals can either accept or reject God’s offer of salvation. Faith is seen as a response to God’s initiative, and human choice is necessary for the process of salvation to take place. “Because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).[3]

The final aim of the economy of salvation is to bring humanity back to a right relationship with God, resulting in eternal life and union with Him in heaven. This includes not only the defeat of sin and death but also spiritual growth and maturity (sanctification) through cooperation with God’s work in a person’s life.

The economy of salvation is the great plan and the work in progress of God who wants to bring humanity back to communion with himself, giving it the means to heal the effects of sin and to finally reach the eternal life. With the economy of salvation we cannot be forgotten like the faith has two dimensions: the personal one and the communitarian one. Both are very important.

[1] CCC # 1103

[2] The Kingdom and The Glory: For a Theological Genealogy of Economy and Government; 2007; 2011, p. 51.

[3] PRESS, IGNATIUS. Ignatius Bible: Revised Standard Version - Burgundy - Second Catholic Edition (p. 2742). Kindle Edition.