Tuesday 5 February 2008

Did Christ bear the punishment for our sin?

This is the title of the seminar that I am leading soon. I am arguing for the side of Penal Substitution. Note, this debate is not about whether PS is the ONLY motif of the atonement, but whether PS is actually true at all.

Naturally, this question springs from Steve Chalke's book "The Lost Message of Jesus" and the surrounding debate within Evangelical circles in the UK. However Chalke's book is hardly the start of the questioning of PS. Many before Chalke questioned this doctrine and many have joined with Chalke in denying it.

I still have plenty of reading to do in order to solidify my case for PS and even more to find out what the objections are in order that I may refute them in my opening talk.

7 comments:

Mike Gilbart-Smith said...

Jim Packer's article "the logic of penal substitution" is extremely helpful here...

http://www.the-highway.com/cross_Packer.html

ann said...

I t is astonishing that people will actually deny these biblical truths. And all for the sake of their freedom to judge God, nontheless.

Greetings from Sweden :)

28 said...

BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAINS

Unknown said...

Of course penal substitution isn't true. Total codswallop, in fact. How's that for getting straight to the point?

Here's my latest review of a book on the subject.

Happy daze, my friend :)

Leigh said...

Hello Pilgrim,

That's certainly getting to the point.

Lemme comment on you blog :)

Leigh said...

OK here is a comment here instead. I could not comment on the review..

Pilgrim,

I have a theory that the biggest difference in our theologies is that I believe in the absolute sovereignty of God in all things, including Salvation.

I have another theory, that I have not quite worked out yet. Without the complete sovereignty of God, Penal Substitution is not workable. but, if God is sovereign over all things and especially over Salvation then Penal Substitution is the only model of the cross that adequately explains the atonement.

Just some thoughts.

Unknown said...

Hi Leigh - thanks for your replies. Sorry there's no option to post a response to that review; but if you want to get back to me on my blog, you might like to comment here:
An Open Letter to the Evangelical Alliance. It's from a while back, when the question was still a hot potato. I guess maybe it still is...