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Randal Rauser

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atonement

Alisa Childers, “Historic Christianity,” and the Atonement

June 3, 2020 by Randal

In this video, I consider how Alisa Childers adopts an idiosyncratic definition of “historic Christianity” that reduces the essentials to Paul’s creed in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7. Next, I point out how Childers attacks progressive Christians by claiming without evidence that “most” progressive Christians reject the core doctrine of substitutionary atonement.

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: Alisa Childers, atonement, kerygma, mere Christianity, penal substitution

Can violence ever serve a redemptive purpose?

August 31, 2018 by Randal

Rene Girard was a literary critic and theologian who developed a very influential non-violent reading of the atonement. According to the penal substitution model of atonement, God the Father reconciles us to himself through the violent death of his innocent son who absorbs the divine wrath properly owing to us. In direct opposition to this […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atonement, greater goods, problem of evil, redemptive violence, Rene Girard

In Christ Alone and the Interesting Worship Wars

February 8, 2018 by Randal

The term “Worship Wars” typically refers to a battle over musical styles: Hymns vs. choruses: drums and guitar vs. organ and choir, etc. I am not particularly interested in that debate. (You can see my attempt to contextualize it in this article.) To my mind, the far more interesting worship wars are those that are […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atonement, In Christ Alone, penal substitution, worship wars

God sacrificed himself to himself, blah blah blah

December 20, 2016 by Randal

Here’s another retweet from Jeff Lowder at Secular Outpost. (And keep in mind that retweeting is not endorsing.) This one perfectly illustrates the problem I highlighted in my previous article “On Scientific (and Philosophical and Theological) Ignorance“: https://twitter.com/LindaBeatty/status/806997788768620548 This is one of the more persistent atheist memes that trade on bracing theological ignorance. Indeed, I […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atonement, village atheism

If Jesus had been sent to the gallows: On the felicitous outcome of attempted sacrilege

December 13, 2016 by Randal

The other day a Twitter account called “Staunch Atheist” posted a cartoon which offered commentary on the Christian belief in crucifixion: Within the context of this particular twitter feed, the posting was presumably intended to offer an irreverent and subversive critique of Christianity, one which might offend the sensibilities of Christians. How ironic, then, that the effect […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atheism, atonement, cross, scandal, soteriology

Jesus vs. the Volcano: How Christians disagree on atonement and why it matters

October 20, 2016 by Randal

In “The depth of current atonement debates in a tweet” I noted one of the deepest divisions in current Christian debates on the atonement. Some Christians (advocates of penal substitution) believe that Jesus’ atoning death satisfies the wrath of the Father against sin, and thus that Jesus’ death provides the culmination and completion of the […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atonement, christology, penal substitution, soteriology

The depth of current atonement debates in a tweet

October 18, 2016 by Randal

Jesus died for our sins. On that much Christians agree. But ask what it means to say he died for our sins, and deep fissures of disagreement quickly emerge. If you ever want a capsule summary of how deeply entrenched the current debate is, you need look no further than this tweet from Brian Zahnd: According to Zahnd, the temple sacrificial system was […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atonement, Brian Zahnd, christology, Jesus Christ, soteriology

89. What did the cross achieve? Oliver Crisp on Atonement

March 25, 2016 by Randal

In 1973 the great Reformed theologian J.I. Packer delivered a very influential Tyndale Lecture titled “What did the cross achieve? The logic of penal substitution.” In that address Packer eloquently summarized and defended a theory of atonement which has been so influential in the western church that many Christians have simply identified atonement with penal substitution. […]

Filed Under: Podcast-The Tentative Apologist, The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atonement, doctrine, Easter, Jesus Christ, Oliver Crisp, penal substitution, theology

Human value revisited: Could divine attachment contribute to human value?

September 7, 2015 by Randal

In “Human value and the atonement: A Reply to Andy Bannister” I provided a critique of Bannister’s claim that human value is “determined by what God was willing to pay for you in the life of Jesus Christ, his Son.” I noted that my fifth and final objection was decisive: “Bannister’s theory seems to have […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: Andy Bannister, atonement, God, incarnation, value

Another illustration of the deep problems with imputation theories of atonement

July 29, 2015 by Randal

In the past I have pointed out the problems with the concept of guilt imputation upon which penal substitution depends. (See for example, “The Death of Jesus, the rape of a woman, and a concept called ‘Imputation’” and “A footnote on guilt imputation.”) The problem is that guilty is not transferable between parties. If Jones […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atonement, imputation, jurisprudence, justice, penal substitution

A More Christlike God: A (very long and detailed) Review

May 15, 2015 by Randal

Bradley Jersak. A More Christlike God, A More Beautiful Gospel. (Pasadena, CA: CWR Press, 2015). The back cover of Philip Yancey’s book What’s So Amazing About Grace? includes the following epigram: “There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less.” […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atonement, Brad Jersak, christology, evangelism, gospel, mission, redemption, salvation, theology

70. Brad Jersak on a more Christlike God

May 1, 2015 by Randal

In John 14:8 Philip the Apostle asked Jesus to reveal the Father. Jesus answered, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” Think about that: God, the greatest mystery imaginable, is now available to us, and he looks […]

Filed Under: Podcast-The Tentative Apologist, The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atonement, Bible, biblical violence, Brad Jersak, christology, inspiration, redemption, scripture

Easter and the Resurrection to Judgment

April 5, 2015 by Randal

This morning at our Easter service the pastor quoted Frederick Buechner: “Resurrection means the worst thing is never the last thing.” It’s a great quote which eloquently summarizes the Christian hope in resurrection. In other words, Christ as the firstfruits of resurrection provides the down-payment for that future resurrection that will embrace all God’s people. Thus, […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atonement, eschatology, final judgment, Frederick Buechner, Jesus Christ, resurrection

The Wrath of God was Satisfied: A Passion Week Sermon

March 31, 2015 by Randal

God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). But how, exactly? This is a great question to ask as we enter another Passion Week. In this sermon, originally delivered at Lendrum Mennonite Brethren Church in Edmonton, AB, I discuss the penal substitution theory of atonement. According to this theory, the atonement consisted of […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atonement, christology, cross, Jesus Christ, penal substitution

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