We’re on the brink of Holy Week. I have been absolutely heartened at the robust conversation that we’ve been having on this blog around the atonement. It’s not an easy topic, I know. But it is extremely valuable. So, next week, I’m going to post on the atonement every morning. (In the afternoon, Scot will be guest posting on Gagnon’s book, which will be great.) And I’m really hoping that you will join the conversation. I’ve set up a Storify... Read more
I have a new blog for you to read. Jamie, who believes that she is the very worst missionary, is also a helluva funny writer. She and her brood live in Costa Rica, from whence she sends hilarious missives via the tubes. One, excerpted below, is about a group of American teens she ran across who were missionizing on her turf. They were giving out free hugs. For Jesus. Hilarity ensues. Read her, follow her, like her: As we moved... Read more
It seems that the penal substitutionary atonement is so well liked in part because it lends itself to some powerful preaching. But I think that alternative versions of the atonement preach well, too. There’s a whole book out about preaching alternative atonements. Of course, I have a book out about the atonement. And earlier this week, I tried my hand at preaching A Better Atonement to a few thousand freshmen at Baylor University: Many thanks to the wonderful people at... Read more
Phil published an Op-Ed in the LA Times over the weekend: Although a recent bumper crop of pundits likes to proclaim that we’d all be better off with no religion, I suspect that the majority of us believe that religion, in spite of its flaws, offers individuals the inspiration to be better people and to create a better nation. Seminary and church leaders, in particular, are highly motivated to staunch the decline. Unfortunately, many of them believe that what’s really... Read more
Every Wednesday during Lent, I’m going to explore an alternatives to the penal substitutionary understanding of the atonement, the dominant theory of the atonement in my part of the (theological and geographical) world. You can read all of the posts, and my past posts on this topic, here. I’ve got an ebook on the subject as well. “When God becomes man in Jesus of Nazareth, he not only enters into the finitude of man, but in his death on the... Read more
Bill Walker has a very thoughtful post that is only partly about my new book on the atonement. More importantly, he has some excellent reflections on the theology — or lack thereof — of the emergent movement: Over the past five years or so there seems to have been a climax and subsequent decline in optimism and enthusiasm surrounding the Emergent Church conversation. Of course those on the conservative evangelical side have always dismissed the movement as heterodox and a... Read more
Well, on the very face of it, you have to say that Jesus died for Barabbas. I had the good fortune of preaching at University Baptist Church in Waco last weekend. I cheated a bit on the lectionary and preached about Barabbas, the insurrectionist and murderer who was released by Pilate. There are numerous problems with this passage. One is that there’s no extra-biblical evidence of what Mark writes: “Back in those days, there was a tradition…” That tradition was... Read more
Aloud, that is. That’s my contribution to the Pomomusings series, “(Re)Imaging Chrisitianity: This post is part of an ongoing blog series on Pomomusings entitled “(Re)Imagining Christianity.” What is one belief, practice or element of Christianity that must die so that Christianity can move forward and truly impact the world in the next 100 years? What is one belief, practice or element of Christianity that we must hold onto and live out more fully so that Christianity can move forward and... Read more
If you’re a Kindle user, I’m happy to announce that this blog is now available to be read on the Kindle. That’s just me, always making your life better! 🙂 Read more
At Slacktivist, Fred imagines what institution David Simon would have turned his unflinchingly honest eye on if the greatest television series in history would have continued to a sixth season. That institution: The Church. I’m both relieved and disappointed that the show did not continue for a sixth season. That left another key institution spared from this same harsh examination. I’m thinking of the church — a powerful, visible, historically important institution in Baltimore and other great American cities. I’m... Read more
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