Questions about the “necessity” of atonement are usually framed in terms of the character of God and the nature of sinful humanity. Given these two factors, could God have followed any other path than the cross? Augustine and Aquinas said Yes, Anselm said No.
But God and sinful humanity aren’t the only factors. The cross is preceded by a long history of God-with-Israel, and that history includes institutions of sacrifice, access and exclusion, substitution, etc.
So the question is: Given the prelude to the cross in God’s history with Israel, was the cross necessary? The necessity of the cross is not simply theological; it’s salvation-historical.
We might say that the necessity of the cross is a narrative necessity, a suitable climax to the story of God and Israel.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Moral Certitude and the Iran War
The current military engagement with Iran calls renewed attention to just war theory in the Catholic tradition.…
The Slow Death of England: New and Notable Books
The fate of England is much in the news as popular resistance to mass immigration grows, limits…
Ethics of Rhetoric in Times of War
What we say matters. And the way we say it matters. This is especially true in times…
