The Concept of Salvation History: Meaning and Ideational Development

Simon Malmenvall

The Concept of Salvation History: Meaning and Ideational Development

Key words: salvation history, philosophy of history, theology of history, intellectual history, Divine Revelation

Abstract:
This article offers a basic synthesis of the meaning and ideational development of the concept of salvation history from the Antiquity up to the modern theological thought. The subject of salvation history belongs to the field of philosophy and theology of history. It denotes the interpretation of history in the light of “Divine Providence” and as such represents one of the fundamental subjects of the entire Christian intellectual heritage. In this sense, the entire history of mankind seems to be a stage of “encounter” between God and man. This perspective on history is present in all branches of Christianity – East Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Protestantism.

PDF