Unit III
Before orthodoxy was enforced, the boundaries between heresy and truth were blurry, contested, and often political. Below is an assortment of theological questions. Pick out your theological beliefs. (But beware—per the Catholic Church, heresy can condemn you to eternal damnation.)
In the early centuries of Christianity, salvation often hinged less on what you believed than on where you lived. Your view of God, Jesus, the material world—even the path to salvation—was largely determined by the region of the empire that you lived in, your community, and your luck. Consider how easily your soul’s destiny might have shifted if you'd been born just a few provinces away. Now consider this argument:
If a person holds orthodox beliefs, then (according to traditional Christian doctrine) that person is eligible for eternal salvation.
According to this doctrine, holding orthodox beliefs is sufficient for salvation.
If salvation is just, then access to the conditions for salvation (e.g., holding orthodox beliefs) must not depend on factors beyond one’s control.
In early Christianity, however, whether one held orthodox beliefs was largely determined by one’s geographical and historical circumstances.
Therefore, access to the conditions for salvation depended on factors beyond one’s control.
Therefore, salvation based solely on holding orthodox beliefs is not just.
