Reconciliation of sinners with God through the Incarnation, sufferings, and death of Christ.. In early days Western writers held that Christ by His sufferings made a payment to Satan to have him relinquish his right to man. Following Anselm, it is now usually held that Satan had no rights over man, but that Christ suffered because man by sin had incurred a debt to Divine justice and that this required a satisfaction that could be paid only by a God-Man Redeemer. It is also held, in accordance with Abelard, that a full equivalent satisfaction such as was made by Christ's death was not absolutely necessary; therefore the Incarnation was an act of love, though not exclusively so.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
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