Protestant Christianity emphasizes the concept of the grace of God, some even elevating the role of grace to preeminence by the slogan "by grace alone." This is a more recent development. As the scholar, Edward Schillebeeckx, noted that when one looks at
the theology of grace (charis and gratia) in the patristic writers, it is immediately evident that ‘grace’ did not formally become the centre of theological reflection until the later works of Augustine in his polemic with Pelagius. (Edward Schillebeeckx, Christ: The Experience of Jesus as Lord, trans. John Bowden (New York: Crossroad, 1983), 83)
In fact, Schillebeeckx observes that “the explicit theological use of charis in the New Testament is restricted almost exclusively to Paul and his school.” Jesus's use of the term, on the other hand, is “usually not with a theological meaning” (ibid.)
In most English versions of the New Testament, the term grace is a translation of Greek charis. One of the major definitions of charis is "thanks, gratitude" and this is the way that Jesus uses the term (as discussed in this article). As an exercise, try substituting "gratitude" for grace in New Testament passages (it may not always be the best translation, but it is food for thought). Here are some examples which I pulled off a Protestant site discussing grace:
We "grow in the gratitude and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 2:18).
"Be strengthened by the gratitude that is in Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2:1).
"God is able to make all gratitude abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may about in every good work" (2 Corinthians 2:8).
"The abundance of gratitude and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17).
In this season of gratitude, perhaps we should remember the way that Jesus used the term grace.
