Does the Messiah have to die to pay for his people's sins? Is the cross of Jesus an atoning sacrifice? In recent decades a burgeoning number of theologians have answered the aforementioned questions in the negative. In fact some, like Rene Girard, have gone so far as to assert that seeing the cross as an atoning sacrifice undermines the very essence of the New Testament Gospels. While Girard and others following in a similar vein have offered provocative alterations to soteriology that no longer need Jesus's death to acquire forgiveness from God, does a bloodless atonement have biblical support? Does a nonviolent understanding of the atonement harmonize with the Gospels? This particular volume answers these questions with a fresh look at the Synoptic portraits of the Last Supper accounts. In them Jesus expounds upon the significance of his death by using the Passover symbols of bread and wine. More importantly, in these passages in the Gospels we find the fullest articulation of how Jesus's death benefits his followers. Holding a wealth of dense theological riches, these passages provide theological parameters that can inform contemporary soteriological development, especially that which appeals to the New Testament for its basis. Conversant with both biblical studies and contemporary theology, the work seeks to bring the best of both fields into conversation in productive new ways.

New approaches to a central area of Latter-day Saint belief The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other Christians have always shared a fundamental belief in the connection between personal salvation and the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While having faith in and experiencing the atonement of Christ remains a core tenet for Latter-day Saints, some thinkers have in recent decades reconsidered traditional understandings of atonement. Deidre Nicole Green and Eric D. Huntsman edit a collection that brings together multiple and diverse approaches to thinking about Latter-day Saint views on this foundational area of theology. The essayists draw on and go beyond a wide range of perspectives, classical atonement theories, and contemporary reformulations of atonement theory. The first section focuses on scriptural and historical foundations while the second concentrates on theological explorations. Together, the contributors evaluate what is efficacious and ethical in the Latter-day Saint outlook and offer ways to reconceive those views to provide a robust theological response to contemporary criticisms about atonement. Contributors: Nicholas J. Frederick, Fiona Givens, Deidre Nicole Green, Sharon J. Harris, J.B. Haws, Eric D. Huntsman, Benjamin Keogh, Ariel Bybee Laughton, Adam S. Miller, Jenny Reeder, T. Benjamin Spackman, and Joseph M. Spencer

It is an interesting fact of history that as the Reformation progressed, the Reformers adopted the Received Text in union with the Waldenses; the Jesuit-inspired counter-Reformation adopted the Latin Vulgate and the Vaticanus. What do we see today? Most of the modern versions are based upon the text of the counter-Reformation. In addition, we see increased negativity toward the Textus Receptus and the King James Version. This has not been without adverse effects upon all of Protestantism and Adventism, specifically. This book provides insights into the causes and effects that the doctrinal pluralism of the common text Bibles of the counter-Reformation have had on Adventist doctrine. Since doctrinally pluralistic Bibles cannot function as self-interpretive units, an interpretive authority from outside of Scripture is brought into play. As a result, creedalism is overtaking Biblical authority. History has demonstrated the sure results of this misplaced authority.

In this volume, an expert theologian addresses the key soteriological theme of atonement. Atonement and the Life of Faith provides substantive engagement with the doctrine of the atonement, including sections on the Apostles' Creed, Scripture, the history of the doctrine, constructive dogmatics, and Christian praxis. Focusing on the third part of the Apostles' Creed, it explores how atonement relates to the church, the Holy Spirit, and the Christian life. Each section offers a constructive departure from trends in contemporary works on the subject. This book shows students how to integrate theology into the life of faith and demonstrates how theological thinking is a part of Christian worship. Each unit begins with a brief section pointing readers to a familiar hymn, poem, or liturgy. The Soteriology and Doxology series consists of introductory textbooks that cover key topics in soteriology. Volumes provide substantive treatments of doctrine while pointing to the setting of theology in doxology. Series editors are Kent Eilers (Huntington University) and Kyle C. Strobel, (Biola University).

THE ATONEMENT DECEPTION, explores the Christian theological fiction that belief in Jesus is the only way to receive divine forgiveness for ones sins. Biblically, both Jews and gentiles can receive forgiveness of sins through sincere repentant confessionary prayer directed to the God of Israel. This is true at all times and in all places. There has never been a need for the so-called intercession role Jesus is supposed to play in attaining atonement. The facts speak for themselves. There is no truth to the Christian contention that Jesus died for our sins and salvation is only through Jesus. Jesus death does not bring atonement from sin nor is it in any way a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

This substantive and useful commentary on the book of Numbers is both critically engaged and sensitive to the theological contributions of the text. It is grounded in rigorous scholarship but useful for those who preach and teach. This is the second volume in a new series on the Pentateuch, which complements other Baker Commentary on the Old Testament series: Historical Books, Wisdom and Psalms, and Prophets. Each series volume covers one book of the Pentateuch, addressing important issues and problems that flow from the text and exploring the contemporary relevance of the Pentateuch. The series editor is Bill T. Arnold, the Paul S. Amos Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary.

Thanks to very peculiar style and theology, Pg was identified as far back as 1869 by Theodor Nöldeke and remains one of the last pillars of Pentateuch research after the fall of the Wellhausen model. Its existence is rarely doubted, but its extent is debated. Does it end already in Exodus (Otto, Pola, Bauks) or does it go as far as Deuteronomy (Noth, Frevel) or even into Joshua (Lohfink, Knauf)? The end determines Pg's notion of the land and its conquest, important subjects today for the formation of the Pentateuch (was there first a Hexateuch?). The 364-day perpetual calendar offers a reliable criterion to identify Pg within the final text of the Hexateuch because the simple mathematic of the calendar are easier to control than hypothetical redactors. Pg is divided into seven periods, from creation to the entry of the sons of Israel in an empty land of Canaan. The festival calendar of Leviticus 23, and the Jubilee of Lev 25 constitute the heart of Pg, the practical outworking of principles presented in the narrative. Bloodless atonement with no connection to any temple whatsoever, peaceful entry into the empty Promised Land, eternal sabbatical rhythm, are Pg's major theological characteristics.