Stricken by God?: Nonviolent Indentification and the Victory of Christ (Paperback)

~ Brad Jersak (Editor), Michael Hardin (Editor)
Key Phrases: flor del campo, learning theology, theological conversation, Christus Victor, New Testament, Grand Rapids (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 527 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (September 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080286287X
• ISBN-13: 978-0802862877
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #640,476 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Important Book for Christians, November 9, 2009

By	Lloyd L. Wilson "llw" (Woodland, NC, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Excellent collection of essays by a range of theologians concerned with envisioning an atonement free of divinely-sanctioned violence.

23 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hornets? Plagues?, February 27, 2008

By	Mary McKinney "Mary on the Prairie" (DeKalb, Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've found this book to be helpful in addressing the tectonic shift occurring between atonement theories such as penal substitution and its cousins and siblings and what is emerging due to a closer look at the text. In reading other reviews it is clear that the book stirs a hornets' nest. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised at the ferocity with which proponents of decaying atonement theories hang on in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Several reviewers urge us to read this book or that in lieu of a compendium such as this. Such counsel might be appropriate for members of the academy. As pastor of a congregation, this book employs my reading time efficiently and creatively. I am not bothered that some of the essays do not appear here for the first time.
For anyone struggling under the burden of a distorted image of who the God of the Bible is, I suggest this book with its many references to scripture. Denny Weaver's summary in light of the parable of the prodigal son is worth the price of admission!
Anyone ensconced in 19th and 20th century categories of liberal/conservative, modernist/fundamentalist may find these categories outmoded when using this text. One need not quote Shakespeare's "A Plague on both your houses." These houses are rickety at best and are falling w/out a plague. Jesus invites us, Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden." The book is a pathway to that joy.

40 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars not worth your time or money, November 12, 2007

By	John - See all my reviews

Potential buyers should be aware that more than a third of the essays (including most of the ones written by heavyweights) in this book have been previously published elsewhere. In other words, the editors simply asked N.T. Wright, Marcus Borg, Rowan Williams, and others if they could republish chapters from other recently published books.

Among the essays that were actually written for this book few provide serious interaction with either the biblical text or opposing viewpoints. Most of the chapters are based on caricatures of penal substitution.

This book is poorly edited. I'm not sure how Eerdmans let some of this stuff get past them. For example, in the essay by N.T. Wright the footnotes are nearly useless because they assume a non-existent bibliography and therefore only provide authors' last names, the year of publication, and the page number (footnote 5: "See e.g. the protests of Borg 1984, ch. 1; Horsley 1994, esp. 395-8."). This chapter also contains abbreviations despite the fact that the book contains no list of abbreviations anywhere. For example, footnote 1 says, "See JVG, ch. 3.2.iii (106-9) for a preliminary discussion and setting of the scene." Do you know what JVG stands for? You won't find out until footnote 35 where the editors finally indicate that it refers to "Jesus and the Victory of God" (the book this essay was copied from). Examples of this type of editorial work can be found throughout the book. This book isn't going to do anything to help Eerdmans's reputation.

There are much better books on the atonement. Good alternatives to this one include,

Jeffery, Ovey, & Sach, "Pierced for Our Transgressions"
Beilby & Eddy, eds. "The Nature of the Atonement"
Hill & James, eds. "The Glory of the Atonement"

All three of these titles are available through Amazon. Don't waste your money on "Stricken by God?"