Progressive Revelation
God unveiling himself by stages, leading humanity forward like a patient teacher
Progressive revelation is the understanding that God disclosed himself gradually through the unfolding stages of salvation history. Irenaeus described this as a divine pedagogy, God teaching humanity according to its capacity, and the Cappadocian Fathers developed the theme. On this teaching the historic traditions broadly agree: revelation builds across the ages, reaching its fullness in Christ rather than arriving all at once.
How it traveled
- HebrewsRome · 67explains
- LukeRome · 84explains
- Against Heresies: Book IVLyons · 202explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and ThessaloniansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the HebrewsConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- City of GodHippo Regius · 430explains
- Reply to Faustus the ManichæanHippo Regius · 430explains
- Letters of St. AugustinHippo Regius · 430explains
- On the Catechising of the UninstructedHippo Regius · 430explains
- Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the GospelGeneva · 1564explains
- Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic ChurchGeneva · 1564explains
- A History of the Work of RedemptionNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
Key passages(20)
A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter · Augustine of Hippo
Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
A History of the Work of Redemption · Jonathan Edwards
Inquiry Concerning Qualification for Communion · Jonathan Edwards
Letters of St. Augustin · Augustine of Hippo
Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
Reply to Faustus the Manichæan · Augustine of Hippo
The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians · John Chrysostom
The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews · John Chrysostom
On the Catechising of the Uninstructed · Augustine of Hippo
Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
The Harmony of the Gospels · Augustine of Hippo
A History of the Work of Redemption · Jonathan Edwards
Against Heresies: Book IV · Irenaeus of Lyons
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin