Abstract
The theme of ‘Change and Exchange’ in early modernity resonates at a deep level with central questions addressed by Reformation theologians. ‘Change’ in the context of sixteenth-century religious culture is frequently construed in a discourse of conversion while ‘Exchange’ also holds a significant place in the ‘economy of salvation’. Richard Hooker speaks of prayer as a form of ‘Angelic commerce’ between earth and heaven. Jean Calvin speaks of the operation of divine grace in the sacrament as a wondrous exchange (mirifica commutatio) between fallen humanity and a divine gift-giver. This paper will also explore some important contributions to the early modern discourse on conversion and salvation by Desiderius Erasmus, Martin Luther, and Peter Martyr Vermigli as reflections on the theological significance of ‘Change and Exchange’.
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Kirby, T. (2020). ‘Mirifica commutatio’: The Economy of Salvation in Reformation Theology. In: Mukherji, S., Roberts, D., Tomlin, R., Oppitz-Trotman, G. (eds) Economies of Literature and Knowledge in Early Modern Europe. Crossroads of Knowledge in Early Modern Literature, vol 2. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37651-2_9
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