Affirms
Christ's death and resurrection accomplish salvation for all who respond in faith
Community of Christ affirms the atoning work of Jesus Christ through his life, death, and resurrection. The church's soteriology has moved toward mainstream Protestant frameworks, affirming that Christ's sacrifice makes salvation available to all who respond in faith. The distinctive LDS emphasis on Gethsemane as the primary locus of atonement is not maintained as official doctrine.
The church's community-oriented theology understands the atonement as both individual reconciliation and social transformation: Christ's self-giving love is both the means of personal salvation and the pattern for the church's mission of peace and justice.
Key Distinctions
- Primary theory:
- penal substitution increasingly; Christ's atonement is central
- Scope of atonement:
- universal
- Propitiation affirmed:
- yes
Scripture References
Sources
- Community of Christ Basic Beliefs
- Community of Christ Enduring Principles