Christus Victor’s Theory of Salvation.

The fourth Christian theory of salvation is known as Christus Victor. At the core of this theory lies the idea that the atonement is a cosmic drama in which God in Christ does battle with the powers of evil and gains the victory over them. This victory is over sin, death, and the devil. In this sense, Christus Victor theory departs from both the “objective” or “legal” view that is associated with Anselm in which Christ’s death is viewed as a reconciling act to the Father and the “subjective” or “moral” view, associated with Abelard, where Christ’s death is a transforming and inspiring act for humanity.

As a theory, Christus Victor is biblically centered and attuned to specific circumstances of a specific people. Both the Old and New Testaments talk about sin, death, and the devil. In the Old Testament, for example, God’s victory is manifested in the way He steps in to rescue his people from enemies and oppressors. The story of genesis 3, where God delivers his people from bondage in Egypt, is but one of the dramatic scenes of God’s victory over his enemies. In the Gospels, Jesus is shown as having authority over demons. In Mark 3:27, it says, for example, that Jesus has tied up the “strong man.” Paul in the Epistles talked about Jesus breaking the tyranny of sin, law, flesh, and powers.