Legalism (theology)
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Legalism, in Christian theology, is a pejorative term referring to an over-emphasis on law or codes of conduct, or legal ideas, usually implying an allegation of misguided rigor, pride, superficiality, the neglect of mercy, and ignorance of the grace of God or emphasizing the letter of law over the spirit. Legalism is alleged against any view that obedience to law, not faith in God's grace, is the pre-eminent principle of redemption. Its opposite error is antinomianism, which is alleged against a view that moral laws are not binding.
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[edit] In the New Testament
There is no Greek equivalent to the words 'legalism' or 'legalist'. At least one of the concepts of legalism is found in the New Testament, however.
One concept of legalism is believing that salvation can be earned by obedience to laws. This concept (though not the term) is referred to in various New Testament books, including Galatians. In this case, some Jews who had become Christians believed that in order to obtain salvation, both faith in Christ, and obedience to some of the laws (such as circumcision) were required.
Other New Testament books, such as Romans, speak of grace and obedience together. An example is found in Romans 1:5 (New American Standard Version) speaking of Christ 'through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, for His name's sake...' The goal of receiving the grace was to bring about obedience of faith. Here grace, faith and obedience are tied together.
However, in this passage the obedience is not tied to the obeying of specific Old Testament laws, such as keeping the sabbath or circumcision.
[edit] In later Christian theology
In Protestant, Evangelical, Christian theology, especially in popular versions of the same, the charge of legalism is an accusation of ignorance of the Christian Gospel, or of unbelief. In that context, to apply the criticism of legalism to a theological position or religious attitude implies that the accused has overturned the Gospel of salvation through faith and new life in Jesus Christ and has instead substituted some principle of personal merit for the unearned grace of God.
The Eastern Orthodox, for another example, rejects the satisfaction theory of the atonement as legalistic. The satisfaction theory states that mankind's Original Sin violated God's law, resulting in all men being born guilty: an idea prevalent in the writings of Tertullian and Augustine of Hippo. Anselm formally developed the theory that the legal problem of guilt before the Law, required the legal solution of retribution, in order to achieve a just salvation. The solution was for God's son Jesus to willingly die on the Cross in place of humanity, thus allowing the legal penalty to be fully carried out, satisfying the justice of God, and thus clearing the way for mercy to be shown to sinners. The Eastern Orthodox charge that this theory is too dependent upon Roman legal concepts of retribution and justice.
In Roman Catholicism, good works are done in service to God and one's neighbor by faith working through love. In contrast, an excess of severity in the imposition of, or overly-scrupulous conformity to any rule of piety, may be charged with legalism.
Throughout the history of Christianity, certain beliefs and practices have tended to draw charges of legalism. These include:
- Asceticism, such as fasting and other forms of self-denial.
- The keeping of the Sabbath, especially regarding prohibitions of various otherwise innocent activities on the day of worship.
- Various extra-biblical ordinances and customs that become associated not just with wisdom but with holiness, in the contemporary situation, such as prohibitions against theater, movies, dancing, playing cards or mixed bathing.
- Total abstinence from alcohol (See also Christianity and alcohol.)
- Ritualism, a superficial or superstitious use of customary prayers and liturgy.
- Similarly, certain exclusive ritual practices, such as rigorous insistence on the tetragrammaton as the only name by which God is honored, dietary laws, a Saturday Sabbath, or Passover (Christian holiday), especially when practicing these rituals is held necessary for salvation.
- Sacraments, especially when the underlying theology allegedly views them as communicating God's grace automatically (compare ex opere operato).
- Various rigorous and restrictive beliefs, such as that, only the King James Version of the Bible constitutes God's word.
- The belief that contemporary Christian music is evil.
- The belief that women should never wear pants or shorts.
- Iconoclasm
- Circumcision
- Puritanism
- Judaizing
- Restorationism
Several underlying dynamics appear in these controversies. The permitted scope of veneration of material objects versus claims that such veneration is idolatry, affects the perceived sanctity of ritual spaces and objects, and therefore of the rituals and customs themselves. Teachings about the authority of the church, the sources of legitimacy of that authority, and the role of clergy versus the priesthood of all believers, also affect these debates. Related to these disagreements are debates concerning the authority of the Bible, and whether it is to be interpreted literally or more freely.
[edit] References
- Churches That Abuse, Ronald Enroth, Zondervan (1989)
- Recovering from legalism on PTM.org
- The Silent Killers of Faith: Overcoming Legalism and Performance-Based Religion, Stephen Crosby, Destiny Image Pubs (2004)
