He died that we might be forgiven,
He died to make us good;
That we might go at last to heaven,
Saved by his precious Blood.
IN THESE few lines, Mrs C. F. Alexander seems to have all bases covered when it comes to explaining the Cross. Those who promote non-violent atonement theology, however, find themselves at odds with her emphasis on the death of Christ as the key to comprehending atonement. Alternatively, they promote his exemplary life as central to his salvific work.
Andrew Campbell is a Church of Ireland minister and lecturer in dogmatic theology. Here his Ph.D. thesis has been tailored to the Analyzing Theology Series introducing analytic and systematic theology.
The book is in two parts. The first sets out the building blocks of non-violent atonement, with feminist and liberation theologians to the fore in fuelling prioritisation of the victimised “Other” towards whom Jesus modelled a bias and urged his followers to do likewise. Furthermore, and crucially, not only is the violent death of Jesus — “divinely sanctioned suffering” — of little or no benefit to those routinely “othered”: it actually dignifies violence at their expense. The violence of the cross, on this account, must be channelled theologically to challenge the violence to which those alienated and scapegoated by sinful socio-political structures are subjected.
Part Two provides a reply to such non-violent atonement theology. Campbell does not dispute the importance of Jesus’s challenge to the oppression of such Others, but sees it as “agent-oriented”, i.e. focused on the transformation of the oppressor. But he questions whether showing oppressors the error of their ways “is enough to uphold the Other”. Surely there is need, he argues, for corrective substitutionary action for the sake of those sinned against.
Such “corrective justice” is required to affirm the worth of every human being as made in the image of God. To undermine human worth is to wrong God as well as degrading the victim. Corrective justice requires corrective action, of which the Cross is the ultimate exemplar, “condemning the wrongdoing and affirming the value of the wronged”. That way, the human need for wrongdoing to be roundly acknowledged and dealt with is met.
This prompts the question whether any historical models of atonement succeed in maintaining the centrality of the Cross as a place where wrongdoing is held to account while, at the same time, promoting the non-violent atonement theologian’s Other-centred ethic. Here, Campbell finds an ally in P. T. Forsyth’s combination of kenotic Christology and moral concern with a substitutionary theory of atonement.
Clearly Jesus’s commitment to challenging the unjust practices inflicted on those “Othered” in his day, to the extent of his enduring death on a cross, continues to inspire Christ-centred opposition to injustice and oppression. Also, his partnership in suffering with such victims will surely encourage those facing a similar fate to find comfort in his solidarity. Whether the Cross can effect a corrective along the lines promoted here will continue to be debated. But Campbell has mounted a robust but measured response to the non-violent option, and his book is a welcome addition to the growing catalogue of analytic theology.
The Rt Revd Dr John Saxbee is a former Bishop of Lincoln.
One for the Other: Engaging with nonviolent atonement theology
Andrew P. Campbell
Cascade Books £20
(978-1-6667-3372-3)
Church Times Bookshop £18