The Promise of Peace: A Unified Theory of Atonement

Description

The book offers a defence of a mediatorial interpretation of the atonement, that is one in which Christ is held to have become as we are, so that he might on our behalf make peace with God. It is argued that such an interpretation is not one of a number of valid descriptions of Christ's saving work, but the normative redemptive account. The erosion of this classic view of the atonement can be explained partly by a number of developments that have taken place in theological thought during the past two hundred years. These include the emergence of a christology in which Christ's divinity is linked to his saving ministry; a new interpretation of Pauline theology in which issues of justification are held to be secondary to those of participation; a return to the more dualistic world-view of the Church Fathers; difficulties with the concept of divine judgement; and a culture of relativism in which a unified or coherent account of the atonement not only no longer seems possible, but is generally not even considered desirable. The book achieves its purpose by engaging critically with these various theological ideas. It is as much a clearing of the undergrowth from the foundations of soteriology as it is the construction of a coherent account of Christ Jesus as the one mediator between us and God. It goes on to consider the relation of such an account to the proclamation of the gospel and the response required of its hearers.

Dr Alan J. Spence has been a teacher in Harare, an evangelist in the South African townships, a human rights advocate in Zimbabwe and Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa. He is now a minister in the United Reformed Church in Nottingham, UK.

"Alan Spence's manuscript, 'The Promise of Peace: A Unified Theory of the Atonement' is ... a very clearly argued and well written text in which the author sets out to develop an account of the atonement that is faithful to the biblical record and that tries to overcome perceived difficulties in the accounts of the atonement commonly espoused within the theological tradition. In particular, Spence proposes that the notion of the mediatorship of Christ provides a means of drawing together under a single concept the various strands of the diverse biblical witness to the atonement. This is an idea worthy of consideration and deserving of the scrutiny of a wider audience. In general terms, Spence develops the argument well and offers perceptive criticisms of some widely accepted accounts of the atonement that appear to neglect key aspects of the biblical witness. ... The doctrine of atonement is a theme attracting widespread contemporary interest and Spence's argument promises to be a valuable to contribution to the ongoing exploration of the matter." -- Murray Rae, University of Otago "so solid, lucidly written, and appealing in terms of its content and overall argument. It will be widely read." -- Mark Valeri, ET Thompson Professor of Church History, Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, Virginia 'Seasoned by years on the front lines of ministry, both in missions and human rights work, the author's profound insights into the logic of redemption bear a sense of urgency and pastoral depth. The Promise of Peace is not simply another summary of Christian doctrine; it is a judicious and passionate--at times even polemical--defense of the heart of the gospel for our time. This is the clarity and wisdom that the church desperately needs in our day if we would turn from fads to faith in the promise-maker of peace.' -- Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California 'Alan Spence's new book is a very welcome addition to the literature on the doctrine of atonement. Dr Spence has read widely and deeply, and engages seriously and sympathetically with many others in developing his own distinctive proposal. More than that, however, any book so well written will gain a heart-felt welcome from scholars so used to wading through impenetrable prose. With the style and urgency of a true preacher, and the knowledge and insight of a true scholar, Dr Spence offers us a book of genuine interest and worth. I am very happy to commend it.' -- Steve Holmes, Lecturer in Theology, St Mary's College, St Andrews, Scotland 'Alan Spence advocates and practises a non-nonsense approach to Christian theology: clear, accessible, passionate, not afraid of controversy, but always pastoral, and, above all, earger to be faithful to the Christian Gospel. Even those who do not agree with his conclusions will enjoy engaging in conversation with him.' -- Christoph Schwoebel, Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Tubingen "Spence does more than simply restate the classic Reformed positions regarding the atonement. He firmly takes a stand against influential, recent approaches like the 'new perspective' on Paul. His language is clear and concise; his testimony warm and convincing." Jan Hoek, Journal of Reformed Theology "Any serious work of theology coming from a URC minister is a note-worthy occurrence. Colleagues who set theological reflection at the heart of their ministries will therefore want to read Alan Spence's The Promise of Peace...Amidst a theological scene which takes for granted the diversity of the biblical models of atonement, he wishes to demonstrate how the major redemptive ideas can be woven together within 'a master (sic) story' - 'one extensive and considered explication of God's saving action'." David Peel, Reform Reviewed in International Review of Biblical Studies, 2007.