Apathy or passion?: the New Testament view of God the Father at the cross
The classic theistic doctrine of an immutable God, unaffected by anything outside of God and apathetically incapable of suffering, underpins many atonement theories which project only the suffering of Jesus at the cross. That view is heavily dependent upon the continuing acceptance of the theologica...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Paternoster Press
[2016]
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| In: |
Evangelical quarterly
Year: 2016, Volume: 88, Issue: 1, Pages: 3-21 |
| IxTheo Classification: | HC New Testament NBC Doctrine of God NBF Christology |
| Further subjects: | B
Bible. New Testament
B divine activity B Jesus Christ Resurrection B Religious Aspects B Jesus Christ B EMOTIONS (Psychology) B divine silence B Apathy B Contextuality B Holy Cross B Resurrection B Christology B Passion B divine wrath B Mutuality B Suffering B Sins B God |
| Summary: | The classic theistic doctrine of an immutable God, unaffected by anything outside of God and apathetically incapable of suffering, underpins many atonement theories which project only the suffering of Jesus at the cross. That view is heavily dependent upon the continuing acceptance of the theological paradox of the immutable divine Father and the suffering divine Son. This essay argues that this view is too narrowly christological, lacking in theological context and unsupported by the New Testament witness to the unique relationship and unity of purpose in action of the Father and the Son. It further argues that when that narrow christology is contextualised by the theology of the New Testament witness a picture emerges of God the Father united in suffering love with God the Son at the cross to redeem creation from the effects of sin. Additionally it demonstrates that divine action in Christ's resurrection and exaltation, as explicitly described within the New Testament witness, strengthens the hypothesis that both the Father and the Son willingly undertook the sacrificial suffering necessary to achieve their unity of purpose. |
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| ISSN: | 0014-3367 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Evangelical quarterly
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