Paul on the Cross: Reconstructing the Apostle's Story of Redemption [Paperback]

David A. Brondos (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2006

Even as theologians and others have become more critical of classic theories of atonement, Brondos maintains, biblical scholars have continued to understand Paul's soteriology based on the language and categories of a thousand years later. In this vital volume he draws the theological consequences of the "new perspective" on Paul for our understanding of the meaning and efficacy of Jesus'' death.

Paul, says Brondos, understood Jesus' death primarily as the consequence of his mission of serving as God's instrument to bring about the awaited redemption of Israel, in which Gentiles throughout the world would also be included. For Paul, Jesus' death is salvific, not because it satisfies some necessary condition for human salvation as most doctrines of the atonement have traditionally maintained, nor because it effects some change in the situation of human beings or the world in general, but because God responded to Jesus' faithfulness unto death by raising him, ensuring that all the divine promises of salvation would be fulfilled through him.

Jesus' death forms part of an overarching story culminating in the redemption of Israel and the world; it is this story, and in particular what precedes and follows Jesus' death on the cross, which makes that death redemptive for Paul.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

David A Brondos is Professor of Theology at the Theological Community of Mexico, an ecumenical consortium of seminaries in Mexico City, where he teaches systematic theology and biblical studies. An ordained ELCA minister, he is author of The Letter and the Spirit: Discerning God's Will in a Complex World (Augsburg Fortress 2005,0-8066-4935-6)

Product Details

• Paperback: 241 pages
• Publisher: Fortress Press; 1 edition (August 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800637887
• ISBN-13: 978-0800637880
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #756,970 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly fresh reading of Paul, November 6, 2007

By 

Andy Kaylor (Beaverton, OR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paul on the Cross: Reconstructing the Apostle's Story of Redemption (Paperback)

I am absolutely enamored with this book. I picked it up because I have a fascination with theories of the atonement, but on reading it I discovered that it is so much more than another book on the atonement. In fact, Brondos really rejects the whole idea of atonement theories. He doesn't want to explain how the cross "works" to achieve salvation. He wants to understand what Paul means when he talks about the cross.

This book properly fits in the recent tradition of the New Perspective on Paul. Brondos' main goal is to see if it is possible to understand Paul in a way that makes Paul's story of Jesus compatible with the story of Jesus we find in the gospels and Acts. Traditional interpretations of Paul have him presenting a gospel which is very disjointed from the story we find in Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. Brondos suggests a new way of reading Paul that brings these two visions of Jesus together.

It's a remarkable work. I highly recommend it.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Early View of Atonement, May 24, 2011

By 

Searching for what the Bible actually says - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Paul on the Cross: Reconstructing the Apostle's Story of Redemption (Paperback)

This is an excellent book on a number of levels. First, it demonstrates effectively how vacuous Reformed views of theology tend to be. They are build on multiple generations of error and result in a truly strange view of how we are supposed to engage the Gospels and live our lives as Christians. Second, it recognizes that atonement theology based on Augustine is heavily influenced by Platonic philosophy and Gnosticism and should be discarded. As a point of contrast, he does a good job of pointing out that there are really no grounds to claim that Gnosticism had anything to do with Paul's writing. Finally, the author does a detailed job of reintegrating the message of scripture so that it makes quite simple sense.

Don't be dissuaded by Calvinists and Dispensationalists. Read it for yourself.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, April 18, 2008

By 

J. Noble (Wilmore, KY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Paul on the Cross: Reconstructing the Apostle's Story of Redemption (Paperback)

As a seminary student required to read this book for class, I was enthralled by this book far more so than the run of the mill required seminary reading. Brondos makes a thorough and compelling argument. I will wait for more time to digest this book, and let others do the same, before completely abandoning whatever hodgepodge of traditional atonement theory I currently hold. I pray more learned minds than mine read this book and discuss its contents with their peers. I am extremely curious what respected theologians who hold traditional atonement theories will say...