Jesus and the Cross

Reviews / Votes

"How, Laughlin asks, can we connect God's will to the cross of Jesus if the cross was itself an act of evil and injustice? How can the Christian theologian not see the inherent contradiction of God's love and grace in (an) act of such barbaric injustice? Do not some atonement theories implicate God in evil? Laughlin goes to this set of questions and to the theodicy problem to begin resolving atonement theory, and alongside that issue he contends an atonement theory must be consistent with how Jesus himself spoke of his death. This book breaks fresh ground for anyone interested in atonement theory."
- Scot McKnight, Professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary, Lombard, IL

"Authenticity in articulating the redemptive meaning of Jesus's death is at the heart of this book. The question is: what were Jesus of Nazareth's aims in undergoing death? Theologies of the atonement generally bypass this question, thus accentuating a split between history and theology. Laughlin's achievement is to have shown how a critical realist presentation of the Jesus of history can play a crucial role in developing an atonement theology faithful to Jesus's own intentions."
- Raymond Canning, Professor of Theology, Australian Catholic University, Canberra, Australia

"[Peter Laughlin] offers an innovative examination of the soteriological significance of the crucifixion of Jesus. [He] creatively brings together traditional philosophical and theological resources, critical reflection on the relationship between historical methodology and theological reflection, and his own measured and judicious evaluation of the work of historical Jesus scholars to provide a stimulating and fresh treatment of well-trod ground. ... This is a well researched and carefully crafted project."
- Joseph K. Gordan, Reviews in Religion and Theology, Volume 24, Issue 3, July 2017