Beyond Retribution

by Marshall, Christopher D.

• ISBN13: 9780802847973
• ISBN10: 0802847978
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-06-01
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub Co

Summary

Recently a growing number of Christians have actively promoted the concept of "restorative justice" and attempted to develop programs for dealing with crime based on restorative principles. But is this approach truly consistent with the teaching of Scripture? To date very little has been done to test this claim. Beyond Retribution fills a gap by plumbing the New Testament on the topics of crime, justice, and punishment.

Christopher Marshall first explores the problems involved in applying ethical teachings from the New Testament to mainstream society. He then surveys the extent to which the New Testament addresses criminal justice issues, looking in particular at the concept of the justice of God in the teachings of Paul and Jesus. He also examines the topic of punishment, reviewing the debate in social thinking over the ethics and purpose of punishment -- including capital punishment -- and he advocates a new concept of "restorative punishment."

Author Biography

Christopher D. Marshall teaches New Testament studies at the Tyndale Graduate School of Theology in Auckland, New Zealand

Table of Contents

Series Preface	p. x
Preface	p. xiii
Abbreviations	p. xvii
Introduction: Gaining a Perspective	p. 1
Sources of Moral Guidance	p. 4
The Problem of Focus: Criminal Justice from the Underside	p. 9
The Problem of Faith: Christian Ethics in the Public Arena	p. 16
The Goal and Limitations of This Study	p. 31
The Arena of Saving Justice: The Justice of God in Paul and Jesus	p. 35
Paul's Gospel of Divine Justice	p. 38
Justice at the Heart of the Gospel	p. 40
Divine Justice as Restorative Justice	p. 45
Justification by Faith as Restorative Justice	p. 53
Redemptive Solidarity, Not Penal Substitution	p. 59
Jesus as the Justice of God	p. 69
Forgiveness of Offenders	p. 72
The Stance of Nonretaliation	p. 77
Summary	p. 93
Punishment That Fits: The Purpose and Ethics of Punishment	p. 97
The Debate over Criminal Punishment	p. 98
The Rehabilitation Theory	p. 99
The Deterrence Theory	p. 104
The Retributivist Theory	p. 109
Other Approaches	p. 129
Restorative Punishment?	p. 131
Punishment as the Pain of Taking Responsibility	p. 132
Punishment as Symbol and Invitation	p. 135
Summary	p. 140
Vengeance Is Mine: Divine and Human Punishment in the New Testament	p. 145
Punishment by Human Agency	p. 146
Punishment in Society	p. 146
Punishment in the Church	p. 149
Punishment by Divine Agency	p. 162
Historical Judgment	p. 162
Final Judgment	p. 175
Summary	p. 197
Justice That Kills: Is There a Place for Capital Punishment?	p. 201
Capital Punishment in the Bible	p. 204
The Death Penalty in the Old Testament	p. 204
The Death Penalty in Early Judaism	p. 208
The Death Penalty in the New Testament	p. 213
A Critique of Biblical Arguments in Support of Capital Punishment	p. 214
Genesis 9:4-6	p. 215
Pentateuchal Law	p. 217
New Testament Material	p. 223
Summary of the Biblical Arguments	p. 239
A Critique of Other Arguments for Capital Punishment	p. 241
The Need for Moral Boundaries	p. 241
A Deterrent to Serious Crime	p. 243
The Demands of Justice	p. 246
Protection of the Innocent	p. 248
Summary	p. 252
Conclusion: Forgiveness as the Consummation of Justice	p. 255
Summary of Findings	p. 256
Imitatio Christi--Imitatio Dei	p. 259
The Nature and Task of Forgiveness	p. 263
What Is Forgiveness?	p. 263
What Forgiveness Is Not	p. 270
The Dynamics of Forgiveness	p. 275
Forgiveness and the Justice System	p. 279
Bibliography	p. 285
Index of Scripture References	p. 317
Index of Modern Authors	p. 334
Index of Subjects	p. 340
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