posted 4/14/09 by Jacob on The Mockingbird Blog
Last week was Holy Week and there were a lot of services I had to attend and inevitably a lot of sermons I had to listen to…Ugh! One was a sermon by a very liberal clergyman who was preaching what initially sounded like the theology of the cross. For a brief moment I wanted to shout, “AMEN!” However, in the end, the sermon turned into a therapeutic message about Jesus being with us as we go out to serve the world. In light of that sermon, I would like to focus on the distinction between the theology “of” the cross versus a theology “about” the cross. This distinction while sounding very similar is significantly different; and while both seem to focus upon Jesus and his death, a theology about the cross inevitably is nothing more than a theology of glory; seeing the cross as a means to an end as opposed to the end itself.
A theology about the cross quickly becomes what I would call a “Hallmark Card Theology.” It is sentimental and therapeutic as opposed to healing and salvific. This is because a theology about the cross sees us in this cruel world as chiefly victims; and hence because misery loves company we are called to gaze upon Jesus as the ultimate victim, one with whom sufferers can identify. Therefore, since we are victims, what we need is affirmation and support. We need to be told that it is o.k. when sin because of the law pricks our conscience. “The language of sin, law, accusation, repentance, judgment, wrath, punishment, perishing, death, devil, damnation and even the cross itself—virtually one-half of the vocabulary—simply disappears. It has lost its theological legitimacy and therefore its viability as communication” (Forde). A theology about the cross sounds very close to a theology of the cross, but it moves us beyond the cross; from a place of need and forgiveness, to a place of self-pity and self-identification with God.
Jesus says in John 10:18 “No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.” In John 19:30 we are told that Jesus gives up his Spirit. Indeed, a theology of the cross sees the world through suffering and death, but not with the view of, “poor me and poor Jesus.” Rather a theology of the cross points out that Jesus suffered and died alone because all of us poor misunderstood victims, are actually at odds with God and were in the crowd shouting “crucify him.” As Forde points out, a theology of the cross allows us to call “a spade a spade.” It sees all of us not as victims who are just misunderstood, but as the victimizers who have killed Jesus. It is a theology that sees us as sinners for whom Jesus became sin and died in order to forgive (2 Cor. 5:21).
Therefore, a theology of the cross, as opposed to simply inoculating our conscience to sin and our own culpability in it, finds us guilty of the sin that we have committed, and states that we should be justly condemned for it, while at the same time stating our penalty has been paid for and we are 100% forgiven. A theology of the cross keeps us in our proper place, as helpless sinners, and keeps Christ in His proper place, as our Lord and Savior.
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Ah. This is like a breath of fresh air to me. Thanks, Revelife.
i fail to see how a theology that labels all of humanity as murderers is considered "healing." i wonder what kind of sadistic deity would create us as such and not want us to feel some type of connection with a suffering god on the cross.
i remember reading somewhere the difference between conservative and liberal Protestants when it comes to the significance of Jesus' death in theology, i wish i could find it. either way, sorry, but i prefer the theology about the cross.
This is one of the best religious books that I have read: The Theology of the Cross.
Moralistic therapeutic deism. That is the title given to the type of theology you speak of with a theology ABOUT the cross. A title derived from a study done at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It was titled National Study of Youth and Religion. Good stuff if your biggest problem is high gas prices and how to get rid of stress in your life but worthless when it comes to dealing with sin and how to be at peace with an angry God!
Good post!
Grace and peace!
~Michael
This is very good but then we need to go a step further. The cross is what sets us free from being slaves to sin so we might be slaves to God. If we forget that, we've only got half a Gospel. We can't stop at justification but must always include sanctification in the Gospel message: that we are made new creations in Christ, His Spirit has come to indwell us, His law is written on our minds & hearts, so we no longer see God's commands as burdensome and can live as the holy people God has called us out to be. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Romans 6:6.
The cross is way bigger than even what u have described above. The cross is about laying down life so that new life will come. It's more than a guilt offering as if guilt, shame... offerings could ever pay for the darkness we have done or the darkness that lurks in our hearts. I am not at all trying to negate the criminal elements of Christ's death but actually shed a different light on the theology built around it. Instead of a debt, credit idea of the cross, for me the cross is about loving the world enough to lay down the false self, the ego of constant gratification and laying it down so that the new life which results in the holy spirit can be lived out here on earth and in heaven. That to me is a theology of the cross worthy of the sacrifice of our Lord and savior.
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@lomal@xanga - Actually u provided a third of the picture there. the other piece missing is Pentecost.
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I think too much emphasis is being placed on the cross. Jesus was not the only one who was crucified. There is more to it than that. Much of Christianity loses focus of the entire picture when they do that. They forget about Gethsemane, and they forget about the resurrection. Those two combined with the cross are what culminates the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. The symbol of Christianity should not be the cross (which is a symbol of death) but the empty tomb.
@Pashe@xanga - Actually, pentecost didn't have anything directly to do with the atonement. It's one of the first evidences that we have that it worked in people's hearts, but once Christ was resurrected, the Atonement was complete. His work is not yet finished, except for that which He did when He was mortal.
@lomal@xanga - Good comment.