"in latin american christology...jesus was killed as a consequence of his scandalous message and ministry, not because it was demanded by god, as taught by some theories of atonement. the cross was not necessary to change god's attitude toward human beings. rather, it is the culmination of a life totally dedicated to god and god's reign. 'jesus' life as a whole, not one of its elements, is what is pleasing to god'...[in this interpretation] god has irrevocably drawn near to this world...he is a god 'with us' and a god 'for us.'"
this quote, from daniel migliore's faith seeking understanding (p. 202), was a revelation to me. it had never occured to me before that the traditional idea of atonement, that jesus died on the cross in order to fulfill god's need for blood sacrifice and as a way for expiating humanity's sins, was also a way of diluting the easily read message that jesus' death resulted from his radicality and subversion of the status quo. it's this shift of focus from revolution to obedience that transforms jesus from an anarchic influence to the more familiar guy who died so you and I could masturbate without damnation.
C "Saving Paradise" by Brock and Parker, to explore a non-expiatory understanding of Jesus death. We need this view point by Milgilore, et al, to re-write our communion liturgies, for those of us who practice Eucharist.
ReplyDelete"Punk" in the African American community means gay. But u already knew this.....