The Haste of Sin, the Slowness of Salvation:
An Interpretation of Irenaeus on the Fall and Redemption

The aim of this article is to show how Irenaeus incorporates patience into the economy of salvation, both in his understanding of the mission of the incarnate Son and in the life of the Church. Haste, I argue, is at the root of sin for Irenaeus, while waiting is, in a certain sense, sin’s countermeasure. In addition, I show that waiting never truly comes to an end for Irenaeus. It is the proper disposition of the human being with regard to God from the moment of creation to his or her full incorporation into the divine life.