Congruent Merit

A Roman Catholic term designating the kind of goodness that is bestowed on a person because of the actions of another, such as Jesus' work on the cross bestows merit upon a person. If the reward is withheld due in the case of congruent merit, then there is no injustice.

Contrast this with condign merit (meritum de condigno) which is the goodness bestowed on a person because of the work of another person, i.e., Jesus' work on the cross bestows merit upon a person. If reward is withheld due to congruent merit, then there is no injustice.

See also Strict merit.

Summary of positions:  Condign merit (reward merit, not owed, but kindly given) the kind of goodness that is bestowed on a person because of the actions of that person. Congruent merit (merit from another) is the goodness bestowed on a person because of the work of another person. Strict merit (merit strickly due, as is a wage for work) is goodness bestowed as a contractural agreement between two or more parties.