The Promise of Peace A Unified Theory of Atonement

by Spence, Alan J.

• ISBN13: 9780567031181
• ISBN10: 0567031187
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-01-01
• Publisher: Bloomsbury T & T Clark

Summary

The book offers a defence of a mediatorial interpretation of the atonement, that is one in which Christ is held to have become as we are, so that he might on our behalf make peace with God. It is argued that such an interpretation is not one of a number of valid descriptions of Christ's saving work, but the normative redemptive account. The erosion of this classic view of the atonement can be explained partly by a number of developments that have taken place in theological thought during the past two hundred years. These include the emergence of a Christology in which Christ's divinity is linked to his saving ministry; a new interpretation of Pauline theology in which issues of justification are held to be secondary to those of participation; a return to the more dualistic world-view of the Church Fathers; difficulties with the concept of divine judgement; and a culture of relativism in which a unified or coherent account of the atonement not only no longer seems possible, but is generally not even considered desirable. The book achieves its purpose by engaging critically with these various theological ideas. It is as much a clearing of the undergrowth from the foundations of soteriology as it is the construction of a coherent account of Christ Jesus as the one mediator between God and us. It goes on to consider the relation of such an account to the proclamation of the gospel and the response required of its hearers.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	xi
Preface	xiii
A Normative Theory of Atonement	1	(18)
The big question	1	(1)
Theories of salvation	1	(3)
The New Perspective	4	(1)
Victory as an interpretative tool	5	(1)
A mediatorial paradigm	6	(2)
Arguments for a new perspective	8	(5)
Summary	13	(1)
Victory as a comprehensive account	14	(1)
Mediation as a normative theory	15	(1)
Conclusion	15	(4)
The Man and the Spirit in the Story of Salvation	19	(18)
A master-story	19	(1)
The New Testament witness	20	(2)
The testimony of historical theology	22	(3)
The locus of divinity	25	(1)
The argument from miracles	25	(2)
The argument from salvation	27	(2)
Salvation as divine act	29	(4)
The human action of Christ	33	(2)
Conclusion	35	(2)
Prayer and Propitiation	37	(16)
A question of agency	37	(2)
The intercession of the ascended Christ	39	(1)
Models of intercessory prayer	40	(2)
Resurrection and intercession	42	(1)
Death and intercession	42	(1)
Agency in prayer	43	(2)
Seeking answers	45	(2)
Different types of cause	47	(3)
He will provide the lamb	50	(1)
Conclusion	51	(2)
Justification as the Syntax of Redemptive Ideas	53	(16)
The Joint Declaration on Justification	53	(1)
Relativism	54	(2)
The Place of justification in Paul's thought	56	(3)
The human predicament	59	(3)
The syntax of redemptive ideas	62	(4)
Conclusion	66	(3)
The Place of Faith in Reconciliation	69	(18)
Faith and reconciliation	70	(1)
Pelagianism and the medieval discussion	71	(1)
Preparation of the soul	72	(2)
Luther	74	(1)
The nature of faith	75	(1)
Arminianism	76	(1)
The Faith of Christ	77	(4)
Pistis christou	81	(1)
The dynamic of faith	82	(1)
Faith and promise	83	(2)
Conclusion	85	(2)
The Gospel as Promise	87	(16)
The kingdom of heaven as promise	87	(3)
The apostolic preaching as promise	90	(3)
The covenant as promise	93	(1)
The content of the promise in the theology and preaching of Paul	94	(4)
The promise of the Son	98	(2)
The promise of the Holy Spirit	100	(1)
The self-offering of God	101	(1)
Conclusion	101	(2)
The Way of Salvation	103	(16)
The ordo salutis in Karl Barth	105	(3)
Reconciliation accomplished and applied	108	(1)
The ordo salutis in Tom Wright	109	(7)
Presenting the gospel	116	(2)
Conclusion	118	(1)
Selected Bibliography	119	(4)
Index	123