Book Review: The Cross in Context by Jackson W.
Book Review: The Cross in Context by Jackson W.
26 November 2022
Author Jackson W. unpacks theories surrounding atonement in The Cross in Context and encourages us to return to biblical evidence.
Atonement – if it is a doctrine about sinners reconciling with God, why does it bring so much controversy among God’s people?
In The Cross in Context, author Jackson W. (pseudonym) explores the issue and importance of atonement through renewed attention to biblical evidence. In recent history, we have used a number of symbolism and theories to understand the impact of atonement on our salvation. Although they are helpful, they inadvertently create tensions among churches and Christians.
Phrases such as penal substitution and Christus Victor describe different aspects of atonement. Some embrace them, some reject them. Jackson W. suggests we need to take a step back from our modern theories of atonement and look afresh at the Bible’s themes of sacrifice, purification and sin-bearing.
Jackson W. unpacks how the biblical narrative uses metaphors to help us understand what atonement is. This is done by approaching it in three stages: seeing atonement in biblical and cultural context; interpreting biblical metaphors of atonement such as purification, sin-bearing, recompense or retribution, and punishment; and implications and applications of atonement as a whole.
This structure works well in unpacking the biblical context of atonement and makes the book shine. For example, Jackson W. helpfully differentiates what atonement achieves (recapitulation theory, Christus Victor) from how Christ affects atonement (ransom theory, satisfaction theory, penal substitution).
He also synthesises doctrines, culture and historical understanding of those doctrines. On this note, Jackson W. suggests, “The fact that culture influences theology does not imply that all theology is mistaken. Rather, it simply means we purposely need to diversify our perspective. We must consistently look for blind spots and critically assess common conclusions.” These sentences capture Jackson’s heart for this book.
With such a big and important topic, I disagree with a few points. This did not disappoint me; however, using a pseudonym makes some of his arguments feel sterile and distanced. I can feel a lack of accountability in some of his arguments, and sometimes it feels like reading a unanimous post on a blog rather than a well-thought-out book.
While the topic and the content are theologically heavy, the language and the jargon are not. The book is well-written and targeted at the non-scholars in all of us. If you like to explore the doctrine of atonement more deeply and love to read the Bible in context, you will enjoy this book.
The Cross in Context is out now at Christian bookstores and online.