Tag: Penal Substitution

When atonement is absent

I find Ian McEwan’s novel “Atonement” particularly bleak. It’s the story of a girl who witnesses a crime, Bryony sees her cousin Lola being assaulted and raped. She is convinced the assailant is the family gardener, Robbie and so he is falsely accused, arrested and convicted. Her error combined with her self-importance is the cause… Continue reading When atonement is absent

Conservative evangelical theology SHOULD mean there is no excuse for abuse

Predictably, one of the responses to two high profile cases of abuse has been for some to identify a specific problem with conservative evangelicalism and therefore with its underlying theology..  conservative evangelical, or more properly, “Reformed Theology” holds that. God is the great and glorious Lord, the Triune God who is love, holy and just. … Continue reading Conservative evangelical theology SHOULD mean there is no excuse for abuse

Is Penal Substitution about redemptive violence?

Penal substitution is an aspect of the doctrine of atonement.  It is the belief that Jesus died in our place ad a substitute bearing the penalty for our sin.  One of the objections to it is that it perpetrates “redemptive violence” so that the violence enacted against Jesus is itself seen as redemptive.  Recently in… Continue reading Is Penal Substitution about redemptive violence?

Friday is here

There’s a famous sermon that has the rhetorical line that says “It’s Friday … but Sunday’s coming”  You can listen here. It’s powerful stuff and helpfully points us forward to the good news of the resurrection. The words have sustained many people in the dark hours of trouble. The preacher is right to point us… Continue reading Friday is here

But now… (Romans 3:21-31)

You are talking with someone about the Gospel and they raise the classic objection. It is arrogant for you to claim that you will be going to heaven and they won’t. On what basis can you make such an outrageous and intolerant claim. You start to share the Gospel further with them. How would you… Continue reading But now… (Romans 3:21-31)

Abuse and the fault in our theology

I remember being asked once whether I’d prefer to pastor a church that was weak/confused in its doctrine but seemed on fire with passion for the Lord and loving or a church that seemed to be ticking all the right boxes doctrinally but wasn’t clicking in terms of love, welcome, enthusiasm. After thinking about the… Continue reading Abuse and the fault in our theology

The Shaming of the Shrew

This is the third in a little series of articles reflecting on the controversy surrounding Dominic Cumming’s trip to Durham. I guess it also relates to the issues that came up with Professor Neil Ferguson and Catherine Calderwood, the former Scottish Chief Medical Officer I am more concerned with the lessons we learn for our… Continue reading The Shaming of the Shrew