The Role of Holistic Salvation in the Time of Polarization

God cares not only about our spiritual life but also our material life, two things not separate from each other. However, Christians sometimes associate our salvation only with our spiritual life, limiting the abundant life that Jesus wants us to live.

In the recent New Creation Conversations podcast episode, Dr. Scott Daniels hosted Dr. Mark R. Teasdale to discuss Teasdale’s new book: Participating in Abundant Life: Holistic Salvation for a Secular Age. In this new book, he tries to connect the separated notion of salvation by leading Christians into abundant life through holistic salvation. By using the term “abundant life” instead of “salvation,” he reckons to have more chances to share the gospel in a secular context.

In beginning the conversation, Daniels asked what makes holistic salvation different from just salvation. In answering this question, Teasdale brought up an instance when he taught seminary students. One day he asked his students, “what part of salvation are you most interested in?” As he inquired, students are usually divided into two groups: one focusing on caring for people here and now and one focusing on dealing with the eternal things. Before long, however, they realized that this all goes together. “That’s what I argue is holistic salvation,” he insisted.

Teasdale said this holistic salvation could be a cornerstone of abundant life. According to Teasdale, abundant life plays in three ways in our life through holistic salvation: “one is how God comes to save people in their standard of living (physical needs); one is in terms of quality of life (mental health). And then finally, the third is Eternal Life, which deals with…forgiveness of sins and assurance of eternity and glory.”

By focusing on the first two aspects of abundant life, he attempts to make salvation to be something identifiable and understandable in a secular context. He believes it would be more accessible to non-believers as we talk about salvation. As a result, Christian salvation does not end with the Christian community but reaches out to society.

Daniels asked Teasdale why abundant life is featured with Methodist and Wesleyan types.

“The short answer is because of the example of John Wesley himself,” Teasdale answered. He explained based on Wesley’s life and not the current American evangelical. By looking into Wesley’s life, he thought, we can get a clear picture of living into the fullness of a holy life. Moreover, Wesley’s famous understanding of grace – that eternal glory comes through God’s grace, but also that grace transforms us to reach out in love to our neighbors – not only leads us to the holy life but also sets rules for the societies and it makes Wesleyan types fit for abundant life.

Daniels asked Teasdale why he thought it was the right time to share holistic salvation. Teasdale said he had witnessed the polarization in our societies. It makes it more challenging to compromise for the public good, and the American church has tended to splinter along with the culture. “I mean, it certainly happened around slavery. You can see it happening now. Around issues of sexuality,” he insisted. However, even in this divided period, he found hope both in the church and the world.

As Generation Z enters seminary, they watch previous generations’ polarization inside the church.

“[they realized] this idea of having to demonize somebody else in order for me to believe what I believe just doesn’t sit right,” Teasdale mentioned. He attempts to provide theological grounding for moving forward regardless of the different perspectives of salvation through holistic salvation.

Outside of the church, Teasdale shared his opinion that the world is exhausted from COVID-19 and gun violence atrocities, seeking relief. Teasdale delights in the idea that if we can transform Christian salvation into abundant life, “in a way…accessible to material culture. We really have a good time being able to share that [with the world].”

As I listened to this podcast, holistic salvation reminded me of a quote by an American social worker, Mary P. Follett “Unity, not uniformity, must be our aim. We attain unity only through variety. Differences must be integrated, not annihilated, not absorbed.”

In this period of polarization, the church’s first goal should be unity, not uniformity. Unity is not about agreeing on everything nor being alike, but it is embracing our brothers and sisters as a part of God’s body even if they disagree with us (Mark 9:38-40, Ephesians 4:11-12). When the churches are united in remembrance of the word of God and start to share abundant life with the world, seeking peace from its chaotic situation, they will begin to see God who works behind us.