Written 12/21/2006

12/21/2006 I just visited Tentmaker...and the thread I mentioned on substitutionary atonement. The guy who originally posted the question (and who seems quite tormented by it) has sort of disappeared and the rest of the regular posters are discussing it. Someone just brought up the sacrifices....and how the connection between the OT sacrifices and the sacrifice of Christ seems to prove substitutionary atonement. I think more along the lines that the decrees and directives concerning sacrifice were to limit the lengths to which men would go to ease their guilty consciences and appease their angry God. God flat out says he does not desire sacrifice....but wants MERCY. Jan Antonnoson (wrong spelling I think, but a kingdom teacher/preacher who knows John Gavazonni very well) has written that she thinks the law is God's condescension to man at that period of time...long before they were ready to live by the law of life in Christ Jesus...and were still in the tit for a tat legal mindset. It is all too apparent by the human sacrifices of some of the other cultures at that time how far humans will go. So all the stuff about sacrifice, which I have not read much on.....does not lead me to believe that it really was God's "perfect" will and that rather it was his "permissive" will....and part of the path man had to walk. I have sort of been cruising the internet....and came upon an interesting site called "preaching peace" It is a resource for pastors and laymen (me) about non violent atonement. (focusing on the works of Girard and his theology of the atonement) In fact, there is a conference coming up in January in Akron (PA). ...which is not too far from me. It is a two day conference featuring about 8 speakers who all have written about or are knowledgeable about nonviolent atonement. I will probably not be able to go....but I am going to read the resources available at the site (which are not that extensive) and also explore the different speakers on google to get an idea what is available on the web and in books etc. The address for this site is http://www.preachingpeace.org/. And so my new year's resolution may just be to search this out and become a bit more knowledgeable about the whole thing so that I am able to give an answer for hope that is within me. The traditional view of the atonement....no matter how much you dress it up and make it "pretty"....is still despicable and is next in line....right after ET as far as doctrines that besmirch the name and character of God.

Cindi.......