Roman-Juridical Tradition
Definition: Theological tradition of the early Church, especially dominant in Rome and the West after ca. 400 AD, characterized by:
- Juridical judgment — sin as juridical guilt with fixed punishment
- Punitive model — divine wrath as legitimate retribution
- Eternal division — permanent distinction between saved and damned
- Literal biblical reading — focus on juridical categories in Scripture
Philosophical Foundation
Influenced by:
- Roman juridical thinking — guilt, punishment, proportionality
- Latin logic — juridical categories (guilty/innocent)
- Less Platonic than Alexandrian school
Leading Figures
- Jerome (347–420) — Latin church father, originally universalist but later juridical
- Augustine — juridical model of original sin and damnation
- Ambrose — Latin theological influence
Contrast Points with Greek-Alexandrian Tradition
| Roman-Juridical | Greek-Alexandrian |
|---|---|
| Eternal punishment | Purification/transformation |
| Juridical guilt | Absence of good (privatio) |
| Literal reading | Allegorical reading |
| Partial goal (elect) | Universal goal (apokatastasis) |
| Punitive judgment | Purifying judgment |
Historical Dominance
According to Stephen Jones, the Roman-juridical tradition became dominant after 553 AD (Council of Constantinople, Anathema IX). This was not because it was theologically stronger, but due to political institutionalization of power.
Related Terms
- Juridical-Punitive Model
- Eternal Damnation
- Jerome
- Augustine
- Roman-Latin Theology
- Opposed to: Greek-Alexandrian Tradition
Sources
- Stephen E. Jones, A Short History of Universal Reconciliation (b9)
- All disciplinary dossiers
- Christology, ecclesiology dossiers (on church-political dynamics)