By Steve

If you have been following the last couple posts in this section, you know we are talking about the theological concept of atonement. This issue is one I think about more than most, it's confusing, frustrating and often seems so incomplete. It's also at the heart of basically everything of what it means to be a Christian, so I want answers (well, pursue answers at least). Answers to what it means to be human, what is sin, why did Jesus have to die only to rise again, how does this satisfy my sin, our sin and evil, what does it mean to now live in light of this.

Moreover, how might atonement look different to different people. If we are generically human, we may end up with a generic idea of atonement, but as we all know, we are not generic, we are unique individuals with radically diverse backgrounds so a generic understanding of atonement will not do.
What does atonement mean for a white male suburban kid whose parents are wealthy, and whose needs have been met, for the Mexican American female immigrant, for the kids in Africa whose parents have died of aids, for healthy people, sick people, disabled people, rich people and poor people. And even if the red and yellow black and white are all precious in his sight (and brown), we would be fools to approach each person in the same exact generic way.

I've noticed something. I grew up hearing that salvation, atonement was all about Jesus paying the penalty for my sin. Sometime during my early college days, a well known pastor and college president wrote a book about making Jesus Lord. This stirred controversy. Do we believe in Jesus or must we also make him Lord? Now, many who are around my age seem not care about either, and are much more interested in the idea of the Kingdom of God and the mission of Christ. I am one who appreciates this emphasis, but it is not wise to abandon other important things as we take on this "new" emphasis.

See, to me it seems that atonement is about all of these things, for everyone. Depending on our uniqueness, we may enter at different points and in fact may never consider some things (I may never really think about freedom from oppression for me while others may look mostly to this) and this needs to be okay (Just don't try to make your emphasis fit on me). Along the way, I confess that their was an Adam and he did sin. This sin started a cycle of death. That cycle was stopped at the cross with Jesus. But this "moment" of atonement did not end here. There was resurrection, another moment. The cross ended death, resurrection welcomes new life. As an aside, us Kingdom emphasizers would do well to remember that the death and resurrection of Jesus will always be an integral part of our story...don't leave it out (just as we cannot stop at death and payment of sins...there is no good news without new life). There is also pentecost, and the church and so on.

I'm going to stop here because I think I've made a mess of what I'm trying to say. So I publish with reservations but I will continue to pursue what lies at the heart of being a God followe... living in light of the atonement.