{"id":33709,"date":"2017-10-14T21:44:11","date_gmt":"2017-10-15T01:44:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=33709"},"modified":"2017-10-14T21:44:11","modified_gmt":"2017-10-15T01:44:11","slug":"review-of-the-day-the-revolution-began-by-n-t-wright","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=33709","title":{"rendered":"Review of The Day the Revolution Began, by N. T. Wright"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The Day the Revolution Began<\/p>\n

Reconsidering the Meaning of Jesus\u2019s Crucifixion<\/em><\/p>\n

by N. T. Wright<\/p>\n

HarperOne (HarperCollins), 2016. 440 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve read some popular books on the crucifixion lately \u2013 most notably Did God Kill Jesus?<\/a><\/em>, by Tony Jones, and A More Christlike God<\/a><\/em>, by Bradley Jersak. The George MacDonald books<\/a> I\u2019ve been reading for years were what first made me discontent with the explanation I\u2019d been taught. I have become convinced that teaching that Jesus saved us from God does great wrong to God\u2019s love. But how should we look at the cross instead?<\/p>\n

Those previous books were popular reading; this one is a book for theologians. It was extremely dense and very long. The author goes deeply into Scripture and explains how his interpretation fits beautifully with what was written there. But \u2013 it\u2019s difficult reading and even hard for me to sum up.<\/p>\n

However, it\u2019s also lovely. I found myself copying several sections to Sonderquotes<\/a>. (Take a look there to understand better what\u2019s being said.) N. T. Wright\u2019s view of the cross is not about some kind of pagan sacrifice to satisfy an angry God. It\u2019s about fulfilling God\u2019s covenant with Israel through the forgiveness of sins. <\/p>\n

The author places much emphasis on the fact that the early Christians summarized their \u201cgood news\u201d by saying that \u201cthe Messiah died for our sins in accordance with the Bible.\u201d So he looks at the question of how Jesus\u2019 death was \u201cin accordance with the Bible.\u201d And he takes a fresh look at the gospels and the writings of Paul along the way.<\/p>\n

He does blast the \u201cworks contract\u201d or the \u201cpayment model\u201d of the atonement as a paganized view of the cross. He points out that in Israel\u2019s sacrificial system, the animals sacrificed were not punished for sin. They didn\u2019t bear sin \u2013 except the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement, and that one wasn\u2019t killed. Instead of emphasizing death, the sacrifices emphasize the blood \u2013 and it is offered as cleansing. The emphasis is on cleansing instead of punishment.<\/p>\n

If I start quoting, I\u2019m going to get bogged down. (Do check Sonderquotes<\/a>, though it will take me awhile to get all the quotations posted.) I don\u2019t quite know how to summarize this book concisely, but I do know it fed my soul. If this is interesting to you, and you can handle some deep waters of theology, I do strongly recommend this book. If not, let me leave you with the last paragraph:<\/p>\n

The message for us, then, is plain. Forget the “works contract,” with its angry, legalistic divinity. Forget the false either\/or that plays different “theories of atonement” against one another. Embrace the “covenant of vocation” or, rather, be embraced by it as the Creator calls you to a genuine humanness at last, calls and equips you to bear and reflect his image. Celebrate the revolution that happened once for all when the power of love overcame the love of power. And, in the power of that same love, join in the revolution here and now.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

harperone.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Nonfiction\/day_the_revolution_began.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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