Ep. #263 – The Catholic View of Salvation w/ Dr. Michael Dauphinais
Summary
What is salvation? What is justification? Where should we start in explaining the Catholic viewpoint on these topics to others? How does the Catholic view of justification differ from other major Protestant conceptions? Can Catholics coherently interpret Romans 4? Should we think of justification as a legal declaration? Dr. Michael Dauphinais joins us to discuss these topics.
Guest Bio
Michael Dauphinais is Professor and Chair of Theology at Ave Maria University, where he previously served as Dean and Vice President of Academic Affairs. He’s the author of several books including The Wisdom of the Word and Holy People, Holy Land. He’s the host of the Catholic Theology Show, which is an outstanding podcast exploring a variety of themes related to Faith, Scripture, Theology, and the Catholic Christian life.
Resources
Paul and the Gift by John Barclay
Catechism of the Catholic Church on Justification: Paragraphs 1987 – 1995
Love as the Law of the Gift: Reading Paul with John Barclay and Aquinas by Dr. Michael Dauphinais
Commentary episode on the Book of Romans from the Catholic Theology Show
The Wisdom of the Word: Biblical Answers to Ten Pressing Questions About Catholicism by Dr. Dauphinais and Dr. Levering
Knowing the Love of Christ by Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Dr. Matthew Levering
Holy People, Hold Land: A Theological Introduction to the Bible by Dr. Dauphinais and Dr. Levering
This page contains affiliate links with Amazon. I earn a commission from each purchase — but it doesn’t cost you anything.
Quote from St. Catherine of Siena
[Spoken in the person of God to St. Catherine…]
“I told you that I have made a bridge of the Word, my only-begotten Son, and such is the truth. I want
you to realize, my children, that by Adam’s sinful disobedience the road was so broken up that no
one could reach everlasting life. Since they had no share in the good for which I had created them,
they did not give me the return of glory they owed me, and so my truth was not fulfilled. What is the
truth? That I had created them in my image and likeness so that they might have eternal life, sharing
in my being and enjoy my supreme eternal tenderness and goodness. But because of their sin they
never reached this goal and never fulfilled my truth, for sin closed heaven and the door of my mercy.
This sin sprouted thorns and troublesome vexations. My creatures found rebellion within
themselves, for as soon as they rebelled against me, they became rebels against themselves. Their
innocence lost, the flesh rebelled against them, whereas they would have been submissive if all had
been kept as I had established it in the beginning. But they stepped outside my obedience and so
deserved eternal death in both soul and body.
With sin there came at once the flood of a stormy river that beat against them constantly with its
waves, bringing weariness and troubles from themselves as well as from the devil and the world.
You were all drowning, because not one of you, for all your righteousness, could reach eternal life.
But I wanted to undo these great troubles of yours. So I gave you a bridge, my Son, so that you could
cross over the river, the stormy sea of this darksome life, without being drowned.
See how indebted to me my creatures are! And how foolish to choose to drown rather than accept
the remedy I have given.”
Related Episodes
Ep. #210 – Justification & Romans 7 w/ Dr. Christopher Malloy
“Iustificare” in the Early Church w/ Matthew Thomas – Ep. #184
Ep. #211 – The Sacraments w/ Michael Gormley
