An Orthodox Atonement: A Philosophical Elucidation

This article focuses on providing a philosophical elucidation and reconstruction of the Eastern Orthodox conception of the Atonement. This elucidation will take the form of addressing three aspects: the recapitulative nature of Christ's life, the victorious nature of his death, and the transformative nature of his resurrection that enables theosis, which are central to the Eastern Orthodox understanding of the Atonement. These aspects will be addressed by employing a tri-conceptual framework that includes a combination of philosophical concepts proposed by Eleonore Stump, Linda Zagzebski, Alexander Pruss, and Richard Swinburne, which will provide a means, through the formulation of the 'Recapitulative Theotic Victory' model, for one to understand how Christ's atoning work enables humanity to enter into an everlasting agápēic relationship with God within our contemporary philosophical context.