The Atonement Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

2025

En el corazón del corpus legal del Pentateuco se encuentra una de las secciones más ricas y complejas en cuanto a simbolismo teológico y significado cultual: las prescripciones divinas concernientes a las vestiduras sacerdotales registradas en Éxodo 28. Este capítulo, que forma parte integral de la perícopa del Tabernáculo (Éxodo 25-31; 35-40), representa mucho más que una mera descripción ceremonial o un manual de confección textil. Constituye, en esencia, una teología vestimentaria que encarna los principios fundamentales de la mediación sacerdotal, la santidad divina y la representación del pueblo de Israel ante Yahvé. La importancia de este pasaje trasciende las fronteras de la mera arqueología textil o los estudios comparativos del Antiguo Cercano Oriente. En él convergen múltiples tradiciones teológicas: la doctrina del sacerdocio aarónico, la teología del Tabernáculo como microcosmos del orden divino, y la compleja red de simbolismos que conectan lo terreno con lo celestial. Las ׁ ‫ֶש‬ ‫ֹד‬ ‫ק‬ ‫ֵי‬ ‫ְד‬ ‫ִג‬ ּ ‫ב‬ (bigdei qodesh) no son simplemente vestimentas litúrgicas, sino que funcionan como una hermenéutica visual que comunica verdades profundas sobre la naturaleza de Dios, la condición humana y la necesidad de mediación. Este estudio se propone desentrañar las múltiples capas de significado que subyacen en la descripción de las vestiduras sacerdotales, empleando metodologías exegéticas contemporáneas que respetan tanto la integridad del texto hebreo como los avances en la comprensión del contexto histórico-cultural del Antiguo Cercano Oriente. La investigación se desarrollará desde una perspectiva interdisciplinaria que integra el análisis lingüístico, la crítica textual, la arqueología bíblica y la teología sistemática, con particular atención a las contribuciones de la hermenéutica adventista en la comprensión del santuario bíblico.

2025, Konštantínove listy

VALČO, Michal. Chemnitz's Eucharistic Christology as an Impulse for Ecumenical Dialogue between East and West. Martin Chemnitz, an important second-generation, reformation theologian, combined Luther's theological insights and exegetical skills with Melanchthon's logical methods of argumentation in his patient search for ecumenical concord. His major theological contribution was his development of an historical method, which he used in his polemics, thus delineating the roots and context of legitimate 'Gospel theology. ' This method is comprised of: (1) Biblical exegesis, (2) thorough research of the church's tradition to guide exegesis (keeping the Scriptures as the ultimate authority in case of discrepancies or conflicting views), (3) dogmatic construction, and (4) apologetics. Chemnitz used this method in developing and using his Christological teaching in several key doctrines, including his doctrine of the Eucharist. Relying on what he called a "catholic consensus of the fathers, " Chemnitz extensively used the witness of the ancient fathers of the church -including Eastern church fathers, which distinguished him from other Protestant theologians of his time -as a legitimate source of Christology, as well as other important topics. This "catholic consensus" should be perceived as a further development of the tradition of biblical interpretation within the living organism -the ecumenical Body of Christ. The witness of biblical interpretation of the Christological passages as found in Cyril of Alexandria, John of Damascus, or Basil the Great is welded together with the words of institution, as found in the Gospels and in Paul, the apostle. Chemnitz's approach carries a relevant ecumenical potential for the dialogue between Eastern and Western branches of Christianity.

2025

The sacrifice of Jesus as exemplified in the epistle to Hebrews 9:15-28 is studied in this paper in the context of human sacrifice in Yoruba Traditional Religion (YTR). The paper argues that sacrifice is at the centre in relation to salvation of mankind in both Hebrews and Yoruba traditions, though there is a great variety in the ways in which a sacrifice can be offered, as well as in the functions that it is expected to perform. Contextualizing the text under study enhances clarity in the understanding of the significance of the sacrifice of Jesus. Using historical-critical method and qualitative approach, the paper examines the sacrifice of Jesus as presented in Hebrews 9:15-28. Finding reveals that understanding the human sacrifice in YTR enhances contextualizing the sacrifice of Jesus among the Yoruba Christians. In conclusion, the sacrifice of Jesus as exemplified in Hebrews 9:15-28 is superior to the human sacrifice in Yoruba Traditional Religion.

2025, BIBLICAL STUDIES JOURNAL

2025, God's Grand Story

Building upon N.T. Wright's framework, this paper proposes an improved biblical storyline, arguing that traditional evangelicalism offers a flattened narrative primarily focused on Adam's guilt and passive acceptance of atonement. This... more

2025, JETS 68.1

Traditional accounts of the incarnation, accounts which maintain the true divinity and true humanity of Christ, have faced numerous criticisms across the history of the church, criticisms that have never entirely been resolved. What if the problem is not the claim of dual "natures" but rather the philosophical paradigm within which "nature" has been interpreted? In this article, it is argued that significant issues caused by the traditional dual-nature paradigm can be resolved through a conceptualist account of "nature." It is proposed that two things are said to share a nature, to be ontologically identical (the same sort of thing), when they share enough similarity that members of a sociolinguistic community will recognize them as the same sort of thing, that is, when the same mental act (signified by a universal term) will supposit for them both. After introducing the classic paradigm and the problems associated with it, conceptualism is proposed as a plausible solution to the problems of natural and personal identity and, as a result, a strong framework within which to tackle the classic problems associated with the incarnation. At the very least, the plausibility of conceptualism as an answer to pressing issues in the doctrine of the incarnation suggests that the problems are found not in the God-man claim but in a particular construal of the meaning of that claim.

2025

Oddajemy w Wasze ręce trzeci i ostatni w tym roku akademickim numer naszego czasopisma. Skupimy się w nim na przybliżeniu Państwu wybranych aspektów historii społecznej oraz regionalnej. Za intrygujące tematycznie artykuły dziękujemy autorom. W niniejszym numerze znajdują się trzy artykuły, które skupiają się głównie na historii wybranych aspektów dziejów nowożytnych oraz najnowszych. Pierwszy artykuł, którego autorem jest Bartłomiej Andrzejak, traktuje o wpływie społeczności chińskiej na region Syjamu w II poł. XIX w. w percepcji Pawła Jana Sapiehy (1860-1934). Kolejny artykuł, autorstwa Zuzanny Lickiewicz, tym razem z dziedziny historii regionalnej, dotyczy cmentarza żydowskiego we wsi Będków w województwie łódzkim. Ostatni artykuł autorstwa Igora Wojtczaka z zakresu historii społecznej czasów nowożytnych, przybliża skrupulatną analizę obrządków indiańskiej społeczności Nahua w centralnym Meksyku według Jerónimo de Mendietty (1525-1604).

2025

Paul of Tarsus remains one of the most influential figures in Christian theology. However, many
scholars, historians, and critical theologians have questioned the authenticity of his teachings
about Jesus. In this article, we explore whether Paul misrepresented key aspects of Jesus' life and
message, particularly regarding the crucifixion, his association with Gamaliel, and his experience
on the road to Damascus. Drawing from primary texts, scholarly sources, and historical context,
this article challenges Paul’s authority by comparing his claims with known Jewish and early
Christian traditions.

2025

This paper offers a critical and constructive analysis of Jung Young Lee's Marginality: The Key to Multicultural Theology, a seminal work in Asian-American and contextual theology. Lee redefines marginality as more than social exclusion-it is a theological paradigm rooted in paradox, creativity, and divine presence. Drawing from his lived experience as a Korean-American theologian, Lee develops a threefold anthropological model (in-betweenness, inbothness, in-beyondness) that reframes identity and belonging for those living in-between cultures. At the heart of his vision is a marginal Christ whose life and crucifixion provide a redemptive model for those on the edges. This paper preserves the original theological contribution while expanding it through global dialogue with liberation, postcolonial, and diaspora theologies. It also evaluates the strengths and limitations of Lee's method, Christology, and ecclesiology, arguing that his theology offers a vital resource for doing theology in a world shaped by migration, hybridity, and multiplicity. In the end, Lee's work calls the church to theologize not from the center but from the margins, where Christ is encountered and transformation begins.

2025, Stone-Campbell Journal

Some scholars have argued the act of offering the dying Jesus a drink from a sponge stick was meant to mock and shame him. However, no one has presented evidence to support or refute this. By analyzing biblical accounts of the crucifixion... more

2025, May

This paper explores the curses recorded in Deuteronomy 28, particularly those relating to God causing disability and illness as a punishment for non-compliance with the covenant. I will apply an “Emmaus Road” approach to interpretation of this text using the interpretive lens of Jesus as the fullest revelation of the character of God, taking into account his approach to illness and disability.

2025, Dale Moreau and Jack W Bowers

This paper challenges the idea that forgiveness of sins is the means to enter heaven, proposing instead that in the Old Testament, forgiveness was given to those already considered righteous. Righteousness was attained through loyalty to Yahweh, as showcased by figures like Abraham and David. The rituals in Leviticus addressed the already righteous, focusing on ritual purity and access rather than achieving righteousness. The ministry of reconciliation, where God does not count people's trespasses against them, is highlighted as the gospel message, emphasizing an invitation to join God's blessed family. The evangelistic message is suggested to be reshaped around joining this preordained family, rather than repentance for sin as the means to salvation.
Atonement theology was scarcely mentioned in the book of Acts, which instead focused on the risen Messiah as Lord. The role of Jesus' death is seen primarily as forming a new inclusive family, breaking down barriers between Jews and Gentiles as described in Ephesians 2. This unity theme is prevalent throughout the New Testament, with Jesus' atonement allowing Gentiles to be purified and gain access to God's presence and inheritance. Cornelius' story in Acts exemplifies the creation of a new intertribal family through Jesus' work. Jesus' death enabled both Jews and Gentiles to become one family, an unprecedented development crucial to the New Testament narrative.
Ultimately, individuals receive what they desire: eternal life for believers and death for atheists. The paper distinguishes this from the concept of eternal damnation or hell, aligning with the idea that the wages of sin are death. In the Old Testament, wrath was anticipated to rest upon Gentiles, but the New Testament shifts this understanding to wrath upon unbelief, targeting spiritual forces of evil. The participation of humans in this wrath remains unclear, potentially relating to the "second death" for those not worshiping Yahweh.

2025, Magnesol Scholars University JournaL

Abstract
This paper explores forgiveness in New Testament theology, examining key themes, ideas,
and passages related to this topic. The writer utilizes the exegetical analytic method of
research in order to make a clearer perspective on the subject. Among other things, it is
discovered that forgiveness is a significant means of restoring the broken relationship
between God and humanity. The reciprocal nature of forgiveness and its importance in
Christian discipleship was also revealed. Forgiveness is seen as a central aspect of the
Christian faith and a manifestation of God's grace and mercy. The paper concludes by
emphasizing the relevance of forgiveness in promoting reconciliation, peace, and spiritual
transformation in both personal and communal contexts.
Key Words: Forgiveness, New Testament Theology

2025

Orientation 1 1.2. Approach and relevance 9 1.3. Research interest 14 1.4. Research aims 14 1.5. Research methodology 15 1.6. The way forward 15 Chapter Two: Theories of Atonement 18 2.1. The Ransom theory 18 2.1.1. Historical overview 19 2.2.2. Description of the theory 19 2.1.3. Variations of the theory 20 2.1.4. Positive support for the theory 21 2.1.5. Criticisms of the theory 21 2.2. The Moral Influence theory 24 2.2.1. Historical overview 24 2.2.2. Description of the theory 25 2.2.3. Variations of the theory xi At the incarnation, Jesus Christ assumed the fallen human nature that He found. Having lived a life of perfect obedience in the fallen human flesh that He assumed, He voluntarily and willingly bore the sins of the entire human race and died the second death for, and in our place; thereby paying the penalty for sin. Jesus Christ bore our sins (acts or behaviours) vicariously, while sin as nature or a law residing in the fallen human flesh that He assumed was condemned in that flesh and received eternal destruction on the cross. Thus, on the cross, in Christ, God saved the entire humanity. On the cross, the condemnation that the entire humanity had received by being genetically linked to Adam was reversed in Christ. Thus, the entire human race stands legally justified. But this is a gift, which can either be received or rejected. Therefore, salvation is not automatic.

2025, Canadian-American Theological Review

The Reformer Philip Melanchthon called Romans "an outline and compendium of all Christian doctrine," a sentiment that has persisted for nearly 500 years . In many ways, Keesmaat and Walsh's Romans Disarmed serves as an anti-thesis to Melanchthon's words. Coming fifteen years after their creative, anti-imperial reading of Colossians, 2 Keesmaat and Walsh's latest book offers a similar treatment of Paul's most influential letter. The authors claim that Romans is a letter that needs to be disarmed, after a history of being turned into a weapon utilised for "theological violence" (106) . Thus, Keesmaat and Walsh seek to rescue the text from theological abstraction and read it contextually, finding meaning through a process of "double immersion" (36) in both the ancient world of the text and contemporary world of the reader . Arguing that Romans was written from a place of grief (see Rom 9:2), Keesmaat and Walsh claim that "you can't really understand what Paul is up to [in Romans] if you don't have some access to [a place of grief]" (5) . Similarly, since Paul wrote Romans to a group of socially powerless people at the heart of the Roman Empire, the authors emphasise the need to read Romans "from the perspective of the margins" (7), both in the ancient and present contexts . Keesmaat and Walsh primarily understand Romans to be an "anti-assimilation letter" of anti-imperialism (90) . Furthermore, they argue that Romans should be understood contextually to be "fundamentally about home" (106) . That is, it was a home-creating letter for both Jews and marginalised Gentiles in Rome, who had been rendered homeless by the empire and found a home in Messiah Jesus . Seeking to immerse the reader in the ancient world, Keesmaat and Walsh write an entire chapter of fictional narrative that especially shows how a gentile, slave woman named Iris and a poor, Jewish craftsman named Nereus may have heard,

2025, Interpretation (Richmond)

2025

Anselm of Canterbury presented the doctrine of the satisfaction for the sins of mankind through the death of Christ. This doctrine had an enormous impact on European theological thought and piety; it has also retained much of it to this day. This theological monograph takes a closer look at the framework of this doctrine and focuses on the question of what image of man it implies. The question is an important one, for while Anselm's soteriology still retains its power of influence, it also carries with it a specific image of man, marked by the ideas of a past era.

2025, ORIGINAL SIN

If mankind was not created Equal to, Comparable or Greater than God, then mankind, as reflected by the Serpent in the Garden of Eden, was limited, imperfect and flawed in that he wasn't incorruptible. Therefore, the devil could entice Adam and Eve to think they could be Equal, Comparable and even Greater than their Creator. You won't die. You won't be limited in wisdom. You will be Gods yourselves. The devil enticed Adam and Eve to be independent from God.

2025

We live in very dangerous times. We not only have violent disagreements (Ukraine/Russia, Israel/Hamas) but the widespread ability and will to employ not only WMD but also unimaginably destructive items involving drones, cyberattacks, AI, etc. There needs to be some unifying reality that transcends our disagreements and unifies us. There is this reality, but it is disruptive

2025

Filozofia umysłu to przede wszystkim problem zawartości treściowej i świadomości "Content and Consciousness" (1969). Teoria zawartości lub intencjonalności jest bardziej fundamentalnym zjawiskiem, niż świadomość, dopiero na niej można zbudować teorię świadomości. Jak Dennet podkreśla pozostał wierny tej strukturze. Zasadnicze znaczenie dla funkcjonalistycznego modelu Dennetta posiada intencjonalność, która warunkuje strategię działania świadomości. "Brainstorms" (1978). Przednia okładka Rozwinięciem i uzupełnieniem idei ze wspomnianych książek są kolejne pozycje wydawnicze: "Intentional Stance" (1987), w której autor zajmuje się intencjonalnością i "Consciousness Explained" (1991) prezentująca rozwiniętą teorię świadomości. Dennett zauważa, że czasy zmieniły się o od momentu ukazania się jego pierwszej książki -doktoratu. Przede wszystkim, jak zauważa, "Mamy teraz Cognitive Science". Profesjonalną wiedzę osiąga się obecnie w takich naukach jak psychologia, AI, lingwistyka itp. Konsekwentnie utrzymuje swoje poglądy w ramach założeń paradygmatu CS, problem intencjonalnościistnieją złożone systemy (zwierzęta, komputery), które możemy nazwać systemami intencjonalnymi dlatego, że możemy (i tak w istocie czynimy) opisać ich zachowanie w terminach mentalistycznych, a więc przypisując im sądy, przekonania, dążenia, chęci. Podobnie mówimy o myszy, że "nie chce", by kot ją złapał, i "jest przekonana", że może się skryć przed nim w mysiej dziurze. Wszystko to nie oznacza, że tego typu systemy mają stany umysłowe (a więc stany intencjonalne), oznacza tylko tyle, że najwygodniej możemy opisywać i najtrafniej przewidywać zachowania bądź działanie tych systemów, jeśli przypiszemy im stany umysłowe.

2025

This short paper considers the significance of the fact that Calvary occurred at the Passover not on the Day of Atonement.

2025, Divine Revelation and Communication: Contemporary Muslim Theological Approaches

This chapter makes the case for a new way of doing natural theology, which sets its sight on a more religiously interesting form of theistic belief than traditional approaches to natural theology.

2025, Journal of Reformed Theology

Driel to ask whether Christ's atonement, as understood within Ottati's system, renders any objective transformation of the cosmos mute, or if, in the end, the atonement can only be understood in terms of subjective experience. Taking a more general view of the framing of Ottati's systematics, Franklin Tanner Capps finds that the work compellingly foregrounds the material conditions of the Anthropocene, which allows Ottati to work through the theological and ethical tensions that accompany his revisions to Reformed thought as they emerge from his humanistic concerns and theocentric commitments. Ottati, for example, presses his readers to think theologically about the eventual demise of our planet and cessation of our species. Capps, like Sonderegger, admires Ottati's forthrightness in radically revising a more traditional understanding of divine providence in terms of 'cosmic passage,' but presses Ottati to say more about the implications of the pending end of our species as it bears on our understanding of the nature and efficacy of Christ's humanity. Ottati's response to each of these critical essays helpfully illumines key moves in his systematics, unveiling the interdisciplinary nature of the work and highlighting its importance for dialogue and study beyond the fields of theology and ethics. Rather than simply providing a rejoinder, Ottati pushes on and joins the contributors in extending the conversation beyond his text. The result is a lively and irenic discussion of the nature and place of systematics today as well as the place and value of Reformed theology in the twenty-first century. What is clear is that Reformed theology in the liberal vein still has much to contribute to the subfield of systematics and to live political, economic, and ecological debates in the present day.

2025, Unpublished

This paper analyzes the Sotah ritual in Numbers 5 as a gendered test of guilt through divine intervention. It contrasts this model of personal accountability with Paul’s doctrine of substitutionary atonement, where an innocent suffers for others’ sins. The comparison raises ethical concerns about justice, responsibility, and the moral coherence of both religious frameworks.

2025, IJFMR

This article delves into the theological significance of cleansing rituals in the Gospel of John, exploring the intersections and rhetorical strategies employed in John 13:8-10 (footwashing) and John 3:5 (baptism). Utilizing a combined methodology of historical and rhetorical criticism, this study uncovers the symbolic connections between these passages, illuminating the themes of spiritual purification, humility, and union with Christ. The research reveals that footwashing in John 13:8-10 can be seen as a form of spiritual initiation, emphasizing humility and service, while baptism in John 3:5 symbolizes spiritual rebirth and regeneration. By examining the historical context of Jewish purification practices and the author's rhetorical techniques, this study demonstrates how these rituals intersect and reinforce each other, highlighting their importance in the Christian life. This analysis offers valuable insights for scholars, theologians, and readers of the Gospel of John, and more importantly contributing to a deeper understanding of the Gospel of John's theological themes and literary techniques.

2025, Jan Wątroba. Ecce Venio. Homilie, kazania i pisma wybrane. 25 lat sakry biskupiej biskupa Jana Wątroby (red. Piotr Steczkowski et al.; Rzeszów: Bonus Liber 2025) 51-77.

"„Oto przychodzę” (Ecce venio) w Ps 40,8-9 i Hbr 10,7.9" In: Jan Wątroba. "Ecce Venio. Homilie, kazania i pisma wybrane. 25 lat sakry biskupiej biskupa Jana Wątroby" (red. Piotr Steczkowski et al.; Rzeszów: Bonus Liber 2025) 51-77.

2025, Art. Paul of Tarsus. I. New Testament, EBR 23 (2025) 650–656. Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception (EBR) Volume 23 Parable, Parables – Peshaṭ, De Gruyter, 2024.

Paul is one of the most influential figures in early Christianity. His life, his letters, and his theology have generated an enormous variety of receptions. He is often referred to as the second or even the primary founder of Christianity... more

2025, Reading Acts

Michael Gorman's 2022 Romans commentary was a theological commentary with a pastoral aim. As explained in that commentary, he wants to engage Romans as Christian Scripture to develop Paul's theology's spiritual and practical application in a contemporary Christian context. Gorman has added a word to the subtitle of this new 1 Corinthians commentary: Missional. The reason is that theological interpretation is "inextricably linked" to pastoral and missional aims. The three aspects of this commentary are not "thinking Christianity" but "living Christianity." This means the commentary does not address every verse or word. Gorman discusses 1 Corinthians in "discourse units." Nor does Gorman attempt to catalog all possible interpretations of a given text. This means he does not often interact with modern commentaries, nor are there many footnotes. This is not a "commentary on the commentaries." Giving priority to theological interpretation does not mean Gorman ignores historical or literary issues. Citing Richard Hays, Gorman says the commentary is "reading with the eyes of faith."

2025, The Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ: Foundations for the Restoration of Humanity and Creation

This paper examines the theological significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in relation to the restoration of both humanity and creation. Far from being narrowly soteriological, the cross and resurrection of Christ are cosmically restorative, renewing humanity's vocation as image-bearers and liberating creation from corruption. Drawing from biblical, patristic, and contemporary theological sources, the study explores how the paschal events form the foundation of new creation and kingdom theology.

2025, Jesus Christ, our Peace. For a Theology of Peace (and its Consequences) in Dialogue with Walter Mostert, in: Uta HEIL/Annette SCHELLENBERG-LAGLER (Hg.), Krieg und Frieden (WjTh 15), Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2025, 187-213.

The legitimacy and necessity of a theology of peace founds in the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the sinner's justification. The Gospel determines a new understanding of peace which is impossible outside of theology. In turn, the subject of peace illuminates the Gospel and stresses its qualification as the Christological overcoming of the sinner's war against God. However, an exclusive stress on this intensive moment risks favoring ambiguities in theological anthropology. Therefore, an extensive integration is in order, so that the full scope of God's promise can be safeguarded. The suggested integration makes it possible to derive a Christian ethics of peace from the theology of peace. This ethics is autonomous from theology as to its scope and methodology and convergent with it as far as its plausibility and normativity are concerned. Its discourse combines the scope and methodology of a non-actualistic situational ethics of responsibility with the plausibility and normativity criteria of Christian thinking.

2025

I have been in England during the last few weeks to give a lecture at the Strict Baptist Historical Society treading, as I was told, in Crawford's broad footsteps. I was received very well although my fiercest critics have come from that area. On finishing my lecture, I was surprised and rather troubled to find the hearers clapping loudly which the Board told me had never happened before. However, this showed that peace reigned. The fellowship was so brotherly and kind that I felt it was a taste of Glory. Thank you for your long letter which left me wondering how two brethren can misunderstand each other so much, given that both have committed much time to reading the same authors concerned and widely beyond them. So, too, I had hoped that my confession of being somewhat magisterial would have enticed a similar statement from yourself, the letter below proving the necessity. You do rather tend to give the impression that you know it all, though, to use a good expression of Bunyan's, the eggshell is still sticking to your head.

2025, Theologika

This article examines the concept of "present truth" in The Present Truth (1849-1850), edited by James White. It explores how early Sabbatarian Adventists connected time and truth within the framework of 19th-century epistemology. Present truth was understood as restorative, doctrinally systematic, participatory, future-oriented, mission-driven, and communitarian. The article concludes that this concept played a crucial role in theological development, eschatological urgency, and identity formation within early Seventh-day Adventism.

2025, Dale Moreau

The Bloodless Atonement View contrasts with several traditional atonement theories, including the ransom, moral influence, and governmental theories. It emphasizes God's sovereignty and views sin primarily as a breach of relationship with Yahweh rather than a debt or bondage. The focus on "believing loyalty" to God differs from transactional views. Unlike the moral influence theory, it highlights God's mercy and the importance of loyalty and inward commitment. It critiques the "penalty" aspect of sin and emphasizes God's right to forgive without legal satisfaction. The death of Christ is seen as atoning for unintentional sins, allowing access to God's presence for all, including Gentiles. Moral sins are forgiven through loyal love to the Messiah, differentiating between purification for unintentional sins and forgiveness of moral sins.

2025, The Freedom of Christian Theology: New Studies in Dialogue with Eberhard Jüngel

Taking its point of departure from Karen Kilby’s critique of social trinitarianisms, the chapter asks whether there is a relevance of trinitarian doctrine that moves beyond mere grammatical stewardship of language and piety and yet eschews self-serving projection. How does the triune God’s self-disclosure help us understand the real and what, in fact, is real? In answering this question, the chapter enters into constructive dialogue with the thought of Eberhard Jüngel, in particular Jüngel’s understanding of theological language, revelation, and love; it extends Jüngel’s thought to embrace issues of personhood, justice, and the atonement.

2025, Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

discussed in the second section of the second article in the series. In this final part, we will try to use only those data which directly relate to the Lamb and largely avoid information that can be derived from other descriptions and titles of Jesus in Revelation. It is true that in one way or another the other designations of Jesus are indirectly connected to the Lamb, since they also point to Jesus. However, they will not be our focus. Therefore, the passages dealing with the nature, the ministry, and the people of the Lamb do not reflect a complete Christology of Revelation, but provide a Lamb Christology of the book.

2025, The Great Open Dance: A Progressive Christian Theology

As the Author of life, Abba (our Creator and Sustainer) determines that intensity depends on contrast. Light has more existence in relationship to darkness; warmth has more existence in relationship to cold. Recognizing this, Abba creates a universe of contrasts, including the contrasts of pleasure and pain, joy and suffering, celebration and grief. Christ, emissary of the Trinity, then ratifies this decision and expresses sympathy for the world by entering the human situation, as Jesus of Nazareth. Tragically, having granted us the freedom to reject truth, Jesus’s ministry leads to the passion and crucifixion.

2025

The title of this book may mislead readers about its contents and argument. While the book does study Christology within the context of Greco-Roman religions and divinities, it also places much emphasis on Judaism. In effect, Bird seeks to determine the relative contributions of the Greco-Roman world and Judaism to Christological developments in the early church. Bird's basic thesis is expressed concisely: "Jesus is a Jewish deity of the Greco-Roman world" (407). The major interventions of the book are its focus on divine ontology and the comparisons it offers between Jesus and other figures within Judaism and the Greco-Roman world who functioned as intermediaries between humans and the divine. Chapter 1 explores the different senses in which Jesus was believed to be divine, with reference to Greco-Roman religions and Judaism. In Chapter 2, Bird seeks to show that ontological language about Jesus was already present in the first century, rather than a later development by Platonizing Christians of the second and third centuries. The remaining three chapters approach Jesus alongside a range of other intermediary figures. Chapter 3 offers a brief review of past scholarship on early Christologies and intermediary figures. The mammoth fourth chapter, which extends for 265 pages, then compares Jesus with Jewish and Greco-Roman intermediary figures: the Demiurge, Logos, Wisdom, angels, exalted patriarchs (Adam, Enoch, Moses, and Elijah), and ancient rulers who were acclaimed and worshipped as gods. Chapter 5 sums up the book's argument by emphasizing the primacy of Jewish elements and influence in the development of early Christologies. The fifth chapter also includes a defense of Christian uniqueness and exceptionality, building from Bird's conclusion that early Christologies presented Jesus as a different type of divinity from the other intermediary figures. The book is based on a mostly thoroughgoing attempt to incorporate a diverse range of ancient sources. The full Index of Ancient Sources conveys the breadth of materials discussed. Christian sources extend far beyond the canonical and orthodox, with significant discussion of the Nag Hammadi writings and the New Testament Apocrypha. The inclusiveness of this approach is welcome, though I was surprised to see that the ostensible heretics Arius and Tatian, together with the Ptolemy who wrote a letter to Flora, appear in the index under the category of Greco-Roman Authors, rather than Patristic Authors. (Oddly, Epiphanius of Salamis and Lactantius are also included as Greco-Roman rather than Patristic.) The treatment of Greek and Roman sources aspires to be thorough, but some problems and blind spots are apparent. Much of the discussion of Greco-Roman material depends on past scholarship, with many citations of more obscure ancient sources openly acknowledged as coming at second hand. This leads to some errors and misunderstandings, such as the identification of Athenaeus's The Sophists at Dinner as a papyrus (348). More significantly, there is no mention of the theories of Euhemerus in the discussion of Greco-Roman views on the deification of mortals (44-45), which is a

2025

The article raises the subject of a serious problem of monotheism -animal suffering. The author claims that the believer can satisfactorily explain it and presents options for explanations. First, based on Jewish, Neoplatonic, and Christian mysticism, he reflects on physical evil in general, treating animal suffering as an aspect of it, and then concentrates specifically on this aspect. However, even there, he does not abstract from the problem of evil considered generally. The author concludes that imperfection is imprinted in the nature of creation, and it is the consequence of the means of contact with God determined by His properties -faith. Moreover, the author shows that animal suffering is an effect of their sensuality and freedom and that this phenomenon is not pointless. Connection to modern and contemporary views enhanced reasoning on eschatological and "creative mercy" concepts. It is also worth mentioning that in the context of animal suffering, the arguments must be considered as a whole, as trying to understand them singly will not be sufficient.

2025, Jos Journal of Religion and Philosophy (JJRP)

In a divided world marred by conflicts and resentment, this study highlights the vital role of biblical theology in promoting peace and reconciliation. Secular approaches often neglect spiritual dimensions, but this research emphasizes that biblical principles of forgiveness and reconciliation can provide transformative solutions to deep-rooted animosities. Aiming to bridge faith-based principles and practical conflict resolution, this qualitative study employs textual analysis of key biblical narratives and theological perspectives to uncover core principles for effective peace building. The findings reveal a comprehensive framework rooted in biblical theology, emphasizing Divine Initiative, where God is the ultimate source of healing and restoration, and Human Responsibility, which underscores the active role individuals play in forgiveness, empathy, and dialogue. Forgiveness emerges as a transformative force, reconciliation is understood as an ongoing process, and the power of community is seen as central to achieving sustainable peace. By applying these principles, individuals, communities, religious institutions, and governments can actively participate in reconciliation efforts, contributing to a more just, compassionate, and harmonious society. This study offers valuable insights for Christian

2025, The Evangelical Theological Society - Southwest Region

Faustus Socinus was the fountainhead of a series of extremely heated debates between his followers and Orthodox Protestants concerning several doctrines, especially the doctrine of atonement. Socinus has formed his positions with an attempt to give primacy to the teachings of the Bible. “De Jesu Christo Servatore” is Socinus’s most significant work against satisfaction theory. However, there are several theological flaws in Socinus’s argument from “De Jesu Christo Servatore” concerning his idea that “giving pardon . . . does not square with taking satisfaction, nor does the transferring of punishment from the guilty to the innocent square with justice.” To show this, several steps will be taken. First, there shall be a summary of the life and historical context of Faustus Socinus. Second, there shall be a brief discussion of the literary context of “De Jesu Christo Servatore.” Third is the giving of a detailed summary of Socinus’s argument for the mutual exclusivity of remission and satisfaction as found in Chapters 1 and 2 of Part III of “De Jesu Christo Servatore.” Fourth is the listing of the pertinent historical responses to Socinus. Finally, is the giving of a theological analysis of the concept of legal fiction.

2025, The Journal of Theological Studies

Markan interpreters agree that the fulcrum of the first controversy series (Mark 2:1–3:6) is a logion that underscores Jesus’ absence from the community he founded: ‘The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day’ (2:20). Some conclude that the logion is a post hoc attempt to justify ‘Christian’ fasting practices (e.g. Didache 8:1), while others maintain that it alludes to the nature of the post-crucifixion period. This article (re)introduces into this discussion one of the earliest interpretations of Mark 2:20: Origen’s interpretation of the ‘day’ of the bridegroom’s absence as the eschatological Day of Atonement (Hom. Lev. 9). Second, it explores the extent to which a Yom Kippur typology illuminates Mark’s portrayal of the interstice between the death and resurrection of Jesus, on the one hand, and the parousia of the Son of Man, on the other. My suggestion is that the Markan logion enfolds the disciples into an apocalyptic season of Yom Kippur ‘affliction’ and anticipation.

2025, SW ETS Regional Conference New Orleans

Explorations considering the expansiveness of the atonement usually predicate on chosen attributes about God, with later layers of philosophical thought filling any gaps, and often leans on speculations in theological-philosophical matrix of thought. These approaches unravel tensions between the thought system and alignments with Scripture that can be difficult to resolve. This paper attempts to refresh the biblical hearing concerning expansiveness of atonement based on the milk and mature teaching paradigm presented by the author of Hebrews (the Pastor). It seeks understanding through the Pastor's lens about the Son's completed atonement ministry in purification of sins (milk) and his present shepherd ministry (solid food), to those who choose to call to God in repentance of dead works and place faith in Christ's ability, to bring his believers promptly after death into heaven to his throne. The paper reviews for evidence in the Pastor's syntax, biblical theology, semantics, and discourse, narrative, rhetorical, and story analysis related to the expansiveness of the atonement through his Christological lens.

2025, Unpublished

This paper critiques substitutionary atonement in Christian theology from a moral philosophy perspective, arguing that punishing the innocent undermines divine justice. Alternative models emphasize moral transformation and liberation over vicarious punishment. A contrasting Abrahamic narrative affirms repentance and guidance as sufficient for redemption, offering a more ethically coherent vision of salvation without the need for sacrificial death.