Conditionalism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A belief system that asserts certain conditions must be met for salvation or eternal life
2. advocating that beyond certain criteria, individuals may not achieve everlasting reward
3. emphasizing a theological perspective that divine grace can hinge on human actions or decisions

Etymology: Conditionalism is a theological doctrine holding that eternal life is granted only to those who meet certain conditions, and that those who fail to meet them do not receive everlasting reward. The idea is rooted in the notion that immortality is a gift rather than a natural possession of the soul, which is why the doctrine is tied to the wider question of what happens after death. The word is a plain formation: "conditional" combined with the suffix "-ism," which turns an adjective into a name for a belief or system of thought. Its sense is therefore literal, a doctrine built around conditions, and the term describes the position by its central claim rather than by any figure or coinage with a story attached.

Synonyms: conditional salvation