World Faiths & Religions

"Salvation" comes from the Greek word "sorteria."  In the Hebrew Scripture (HS), the exodus story and God's deliverance of people from difficulties is usually called a "saving" act. God is repeatedly remembered and praised as the Savior of Israel. In the Greek Scripture (GS), "salvation" can mean healing or deliverance. Saving is always from something In the HS, God saves from slavery, natural events like the flood, and from terrible situations (as in the case of Job or Ruth). God also sends prophets to "save" God's people from straying from their faith. In the GS, the dangers are sin, broken relationships among people, and our separation from God. While salvation has sometimes referred to life after death or escape from a material world, Christian salvation involves a fuller notion of both eternal presence with God, freedom from oppression and injustice, and restoration of relationships between God and God's creation and among God's creatures.