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S12 reasoning: Extent of the atonement

Reasoning steps: Extent of the atonement

Verdicts: S12 · Extent of the atonement. Method: conventions, scoring and proximity eras. Scripture is the primary measure; fathers are weighed by era (Era I to c. 150 = 1.0, II = 0.8, III = 0.6, IV = 0.4).

S12.1: For whom did Christ die?

Step S12.1.1: Scripture

Particular texts: Christ lays down his life ‘for the sheep’ (John 10:15), ’the church’ (Eph 5:25, Acts 20:28); those for whom he died are surely justified (Rom 8:32–34). Universal texts: ‘for all’ (2 Cor 5:14–15; 1 Tim 2:6; Heb 2:9), ’the whole world’ (1 John 2:2), ‘Saviour of all people, especially of those who believe’ (1 Tim 4:10), even false teachers ‘denying the Master who bought them’ (2 Pet 2:1).

Step S12.1.2: Patristic evidence

Athanasius (Era III): the Word was ‘worthy to suffer on behalf of all’; ’the death of all was accomplished in the Lord’s body’. Diognetus (Era I–II): God gave his Son ‘a ransom for us’. No father before 750 in our sources teaches that Christ died only for the elect. Sources: athanasius-s12-s1 · athanasius-s12-s2 · diognetus-s12-s1.

Step S12.1.3: Weighing decision

Reading A: definite atonement (for the elect only). Reading B: Christ died for all, savingly applied to believers. B matches the fathers; A has no pre-750 witness here (it appears with Gottschalk, 9th c.). Scripture has both sets of texts; the universal ones are more explicit about extent, while the particular ones concern intent and effect.

  • Confidence: Medium.

Step S12.1.4: Source-proximity weighing

  • Scripture (benchmark): Scripture speaks both of Christ dying for his sheep and church (intent, effect) and ‘for all’ and ’the whole world’ (extent). The universal texts are explicit on extent; the particular ones do not say ‘only’. (Scripture confidence: low-medium)
  • Assessment: Patristic evidence favours a universal extent. On Scripture both positions have texts; definite atonement must read ‘all’ and ‘world’ restrictively, so it scores slightly lower on extent.

Post-750 development by tradition

Catholic

Trent VI.3.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Trent VI.3: ’though He died for all, yet do not all receive the benefit of His death’ (verified).

Orthodox

Universal redemption.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Dositheus 8: ‘giving Himself a ransom for all’ (verified).

Oriental Orthodox

Universal.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Universal (to verify).

Lutheran

FC XI.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): FC XI: Christ’s merit for all.

Anglican

Art. XXXI; Dort delegates’ hypothetical universalism.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Art. XXXI: ‘for all the sins of the whole world’ (verified).

Presbyterian

Dort II; WCF VIII.

  • S12.1 (fathers 2/4; Scripture 3/4): WCF VIII.5: ‘for all those whom the Father hath given unto him’; III.6: ‘Neither are any other redeemed by Christ … but the elect only’ (verified).

Reformed Baptist

1689 ch. 8.

  • S12.1 (fathers 2/4; Scripture 3/4): 1689 8.5: ‘for all those whom the Father has given unto Him’ (verified).

General Baptist

SC 1660; Orthodox Creed.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): SC 1660 art. 3: Christ ’tasting death for every man’ (verified).

Anabaptist

Menno.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Universal; Menno (to verify).