atonement theology
- Mark D Baker: Proclaiming the Scandal of the Cross: Contemporary Images of the Atonement
Peter Schmiechen: Saving Power: Theories of Atonement and Forms of the Church
James Alison: Raising Abel: The Recovery of the Eschatological Imagination
Hans Boersma: Violence, Hospitality, and the Cross: Reappropriating the Atonement Tradition
Raymun Schwager: Jesus in the Drama Salvation: Toward a Biblical Doctrine of Redemption
David,
Thanks for the post - really appreciate you sharing your journey. I admire your ability and willingness to look at things as they really are and ask the hard questions (what clothes?). Really helpful. Adventurous sailing!
Posted by: Hans | 28 June 2006 at 10:43 AM
David,
I stumbled across your website a couple of months ago while looking for some MB information. I've been reading it since then - really good stuff.
I can't believe how much of this post I can personally relate to. I'd like to say "Hear! Hear!" to a lot of things, but there is one thought that I'd like to mention here: in shepherding the "leavers" I'd really rather not see more segmenting in the church. What I'd like to see instead (and maybe this is too idealistic) is a lot less insecurity within the existing church, so that we have a single environment that's suitable for people at all points of their spiritual journeys. I think evangelical insecurity is what creates fearful environments where the questions of the "leavers" cannot be raised. This same insecurity demands black & white answers and static divisions that incubate "us" from "them." I deeply believe that so many Christians (and people in general) have so much to offer each other, and that the (evangelical) church is missing out on so much of that because we're all afraid too afraid to mingle - lest we be troubled by a really tough question and, heaven forbid, not have the proper apologetic rebuttal at the ready. I think that pastors who raise these troubling questions of faith and establish atmospheres of security are absolutely vital - they can play a key role in leading a movement towards security; not the false security of the Emperor's New Clothes, but the true security of an open and sincere collective pursuit of faith.
Posted by: Steve | 02 July 2006 at 01:21 AM
Dave--I read this shortly after you posted it and didn't have time then to comment, but wanted to say then, and now, that it is a wonderfully written piece with so much to offer so many people. Thanks for writing it and posting it here.
Posted by: Kristin | 15 July 2006 at 09:34 AM