Obedience, Punishment, and Merit: The Heidelberg Catechism on the Imputation of the Active Obedience of Christ

There is a longstanding debate on whether the Heidelberg Catechism favors the imputation of the active obedience of Christ ( IAOC ). In this article, I argue that the IAOC is not present in the Catechism, not even latently. The main authors of the Catechism, Olevianus and Ursinus, denied the IAOC ....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of reformed theology 2024-11, Vol.18 (4), p.279-301
Main Author: van den Brink, Gert
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:There is a longstanding debate on whether the Heidelberg Catechism favors the imputation of the active obedience of Christ ( IAOC ). In this article, I argue that the IAOC is not present in the Catechism, not even latently. The main authors of the Catechism, Olevianus and Ursinus, denied the IAOC . Additionally, what the Catechism teaches about the interrelations between obedience, punishment and merit, makes clear that the IAOC does not fit in its theological structure. Therefore, a historically sensitive interpretation of the Catechism leads to the recognition that the Catechism leaves no room for the IAOC .
ISSN:1872-5163
1569-7312
DOI:10.1163/15697312-bja10051