I have finished the survey of atonement theories.  I will publish one final post tomorrow (Tuesday) or Wednesday, summarizing the survey and making several pastoral recommendations. Until then, on to something new. Daniel 9 is an amazing text. The chapter centers on Daniel's prayer of repentance. What strikes me is how he repents for sin … Continue reading Corporate Sin, Corporate Repentance

Once again, I'm going to skip the boilerplate text and go directly to the theories of atonement. If you haven't been reading the series, you should go back to the sixth post to get oriented. This is the tenth theory of atonement.  I do not endorse this theory, as will be clear in my comments.  … Continue reading Atonement, pt 8

I'm going to skip the boilerplate text and go directly to the theories of atonement. If you haven't been reading the series, you should go back to the previous post to get oriented. These are theories eight and nine. EIGHTH is PARTICIPATION: Jesus’ death > burial > resurrection > ascension are together a single epoch-making event … Continue reading Atonement, pt 7

Why did Jesus die? What did his death achieve?  When we attempt to answer those questions, we are discussing “atonement”. These questions have spawned a great deal of discussion over the past 2,000 years. Different Bible writers, including Jesus himself (I call Jesus a “Bible writer” because he is the source of the material attributed … Continue reading Atonement, pt 6

The great Dan Reiland writes about the most overlooked quality of a good leader. "Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 9:24) You can see the balance: justice, righteousness and … Continue reading Reiland: “The Most Overlooked Quality”

I will be preaching on Mk 12.28-31 this Sunday, where Jesus modifies the Shema (Deut 6) into the Jesus Creed: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” This is … Continue reading Sermon Prep: The Great Commandments

Why did Jesus die? What did his death achieve?  When we attempt to answer those questions, we are discussing “atonement”. These questions have spawned a great deal of discussion over the past 2,000 years. Different Bible writers, including Jesus himself (I call Jesus a “Bible writer” because he is the source of the material attributed … Continue reading Atonement, pt 5