Justification (theology)
Justification is a central concept of Christian theology within the doctrine of grace. The doctrine of justification asks what needs to happen for the relationship between man and God, which has been burdened by the sins of man, can again be put in order. The heyday for the centuries of controversy, which had to convey an adequate doctrine of justification, dates from the time of the Reformation and the Catholic reform. The main protagonists of the past, the Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical Lutheran churches have settled their dispute on Reformation Day 1999. However, aspects are still controversial, the discussion is called for by non- participants in the dispute or the underdog.
Conceptually - Historical
The word justification is a term acquisition of Latin iustificatio and gr δικαίωσις ( dikaíōsis ).
In the New Testament the noun occurs only twice before (Rom 4.25 EU to 5.18 EU). The corresponding verb δικαιοῦν ( dikaioūn ) is used more often in the letters of the Apostle Paul to God that finds its right by, involving the self-estranged from their existence humans without these have a right to it - with all life-affirming consequences.
Justice (Heb. צדקה zedaqah, justice as an act, as well as צדק zädäq, as a state ) is a central word already the so-called Old Testament and means both the covenant faithfulness of God as the Federal obedience of the people ( of the covenant people ), the inner attitude as the outer ( social) behavior.
Details of the doctrine of grace were controversial in all Christian eras, in the early days about the question of whether a Christian who has sinned after baptism, can be justified again. Attempted solution was and is the Day of Prayer and confession.
During the Reformation the justification that counted for Martin Luther to the inalienable teachings of the Church, was a central point of contention. For a long time the church was in the West by deferring the reforms in danger of overlooking biblical core messages or withhold the faithful and to replace them with a wealth of traditional policies, practices and regulations that were then to be misunderstood as possible, as if a man is able, to announce the fulfillment of Beichtauflagen and exercises of piety the life response to the justification of Christ ( acts of love, but also veneration of relics, drain payments or fairs).
In the churches of the Reformation ( with reference to Paul and the church fathers ) recalled that justification indeed a very dienliches for human action, but entirely on the part of God - and not on the people - is situate. From there, the salutary effect be instituted by Christ alone, deployed and paid and should be received by the faithful simply by trusting in him faith, but not directed by any action on God, ( Rom 3:28 EU; 4.25 EU). Faith will turn effected solely by the word of Christ preaching, it was included fundamental and sufficiently in the Bible and will be updated in the sermon ( sola gratia, sola fide, sola scriptura, solus Christus ).
Catholic hand ( Council of Trent ) and also by the Orthodox churches Luther was accused, his justification is merely an acquittal with no consequences, no effective righteous. The sacraments of the Church but would give real contribution to the " cast grace" ( gratia infusa ).
In post-Reformation confessional age, this contrast was strongly emphasized, and it came on both sides to sidedness. In the context of ecumenical dialogue since the early 20th century began a rapprochement, during which both the concerns of the Reformation such as the sacraments and the practice of penance were recognized each other.
The highlight of this approach was the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, which was elaborated by the Roman Catholic and Lutheran theologians and solemnly signed in Augsburg on 31 October 1999.
The termination of the dispute was not without imitators still no aftershocks. Many Evangelical Lutheran and Roman Catholic theologians criticized this declaration. One of the leaders was the Göttingen dogmatists Jörg Baur, one of distancing himself from the statement churches the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church.
On July 23, 2006, however, the President signed the World Council of Methodist churches, Sunday Mbang C., at a world conference in Seoul, the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification.
In the Eastern Church there is no corresponding Greek word for justification ( the translation with dikaiopoiia is a modern coinage ), so that is difficult to see what is meant in the churches of the West under. Content that connect them with justification, will emerge at those within the faith of the Trinity.