# What does "economy" means ??????



## Mayflower (May 21, 2008)

Because english is not my first language (which the most members can read because of my bad gramma), i have a quesion concerning the term "Economy".

I read in books which deals with the covenants of grace and redemption, many times "economy of the covenants", or "the economy of the Trinity"

Can someone explain me, what "economy" means in relationship towards the covenants and the Godhead ?


----------



## RamistThomist (May 21, 2008)

Economy comes from the Greek words meaning "household law."

In this language I think economy would mean something like "structure"


----------



## N. Eshelman (May 21, 2008)

Here is what the Oxford English Dictionary says about the theological definition: 

5. Theol.

*a. The method of divine government of the world, or of a specific aspect or part of that government.*
The sense is used pre-eminently of God's dealings with mankind in the Incarnation, but also as these relate to creation and revelation through Scripture and the reconciling activity in the Sacraments.
1577 M. HANMER tr. Socrates Scholasticus in Aunc. Eccl. Hist. III. xix. 314 The Oeconomie, the order in doinge or dispensation of God. 1660 BP. J. TAYLOR Worthy Communicant i. §1. 28 All this is the method and Oeconomy of heaven. 1725 D. COTES tr. L. E. Du Pin New Eccl. Hist. I. v. 127 The whole Oeconomy of our Salvation might be the better represented. 1814 T. CHALMERS Evid. Christian Revel. i. 15 That particular scheme of the divine economy which is revealed to us in the New Testament. 1832 I. TAYLOR Saturday Evening (1834) 471 The economy of human Salvation has..signalised the distinction of the Triune Nature. 1879 F. W. FARRAR Life & Work St. Paul II. IX. xxxvii. 226 The true theological position of the Law{em}its true position, that is, in the Divine {oe}conomy of salvation. 1911 Amer. Jrnl. Theol. 15 440 The incursion of a Higher Power..being conceded, all the miracles of Scripture follow..if they are fitting..and..organically related to a progressive economy of redemption. 1949 Art Bull. 31 290 The hierarchy of images..helps to make of the church a symbol of the Christian universe and the economy of Salvation. 1961 W. A. BEARDSLEE Human Achievement & Divine Vocation in Message of Paul ii. 40 The agent of God is consciously aware of the part which he plays in God's economy. 2000 L. G. PATTERSON in A. Hastings et al. Oxf. Compan. Christian Thought 561/2 The purpose of the divine economy of salvation is the return of all rational creatures to their original state at the ‘consummation of all things’ (apokatastasis ).

*b. spec. A method or system of divine government suited to the needs of a particular nation or period of time, as Mosaic economy, Jewish economy, Christian economy, etc. Cf. DISPENSATION n. 6.*
1593 R. COSIN Apol. for Sundrie Proc. (rev. ed.) II. xv. 125 By speciall oeconomie, he [sc. St. Peter] was publikely to proceede to their examination and condemnation vnto death. 1664 H. MORE Apol. in Modest Enq. Myst. Iniquity 516 Tending to the greater ornament and completeness of the Christian Oeconomy. a1665 J. GOODWIN {Pi}{lambda}{eta}{rho}{omega}{mu}{alpha} {Tau}{omicron} {Pi}{nu}{epsilon}{upsilon}{mu}{alpha}{tau}{iota}{kappa}{omicron}v (1670) vii. 150 Framers of the whole Mosaical Oeconomy, and Levitical Dispensation. 1698 J. NORRIS Pract. Disc. Divine Subj. IV. 256 The Oeconomy of Faith should go before that of Vision. 1705 G. STANHOPE Paraphr. III. 317 The correspondence between the Jewish and Christian Oeconomy. 1710 J. WELWOOD in tr. Xenophon Banquet 7 Much clearer than those the Jews had under the Mosaick Oeconomy. 1766 J. BATE Rationale Literal Doctr. Orig. Sin xiv. 318 The principal one, was, to typify and predescribe the Christian Oeconomy. 1841 F. MYERS Catholic Thoughts III. §4. 13 This Egyptian influence in the Mosaic Economy has been largely over-rated. 1862 E. M. GOULBURN Thoughts Pers. Relig. 97 The Economy of Grace. 1871 J. R. MACDUFF Mem. Patmos viii. 100 The twofold song descriptive of both economies. 1931 Jrnl. Negro Hist. 16 142 Slaveholding in the modern sense of the term abolitionists declared to be inconsistent with the Mosaic economy. 1969 M. H. AHMANN New Negro Pref., ix, It is hard, indeed, in the Christian economy of things, to understand how all of us have been able to tolerate..devices..designed to hold some of our..fellow countrymen in a..state of slavery. 1987 Amer. Ethnologist 14 176 Only the self-sacrifice of God himself could lift the curse of Adam and Eve and overturn the Mosaic economy. 2006 Daily Tel. 27 June 16/2 There is, as it were, an economy of love, so the fact that one member of the human race is making a concerted effort to open themselves to love, to God, automatically has a spin-off for the rest of the world.


----------



## Contra_Mundum (May 21, 2008)

"administration" should be a helpful synonym


----------



## MOSES (May 21, 2008)

Contra_Mundum said:


> "administration" should be a helpful synonym



For the benefit of the thread starter and question asker (mayflower):

What does "administration" mean and how does its meaning relate to the covenant?


----------

