Revisiting the Understanding of Atonement in Eastern Patristic Theology: Defeat of Devil and Reconciliation of a Man with God
The article covers the understanding of the Orthodox belief of atonement by the Eastern Church Fathers. According to the Church Fathers, the need of salvation history of the Son of God stemmed from the state of the humanity after Adam's crime. As Adam failed to reach theosis, Christ becomes the New Adam and ful ls God's purpose. Having combined the divine and human natures in His hypostasis, He remedies all consequences of the Fall: He overcomes the sin, heals our nature of corruption and death, redeems from the power of Devil and Hell, reconciles the humanity with God. He accomplishes this by retaining His human will incorrupt, restoring the damaged human nature through resurrection, ‘getting over' Devil and fairly destroying Hell through the atoning sacri ce to Triune God on behalf of the humanity. The nal action of the salvation history of the Son of God is the fullest union of the divine and human natures expressed in the Ascension.