The Transforming Nature of the Cross

Atonement theology remains a sticking point in much theological debate. That may be because the cross stands at the center of Christian life. I guess it's true that we're the only religion with a mode of execution as its pre-eminent symbol. But what does this cross have to do with who we are as people of God?

Again I turn to the thoughts of James Thompson, for even when I'm not in agreement, I find him compelling. He writes:

The goal of Christ's death on the cross is not only to save sinners but to transform them and make them the living embodiment of the righteousness of God. Thus the cross is not only an event of the past but the event that continues to transform God's people. In his own suffering, Paul is the embodiment of the transforming effects of the cross. This transformation is not limited to Paul alone, however. The context indicates that "we" refers both to Paul and his converts, who together "become the righteousness of God." Only then will they engage in the reciprocal boasting at the end that is the goal of his ministry. (Pastoral Ministry according to Paul, p. 144)

The cross is a call to self-denial and self-sacrifice, the call to put the other before the self. It's not just that Jesus died for me, but that I have died with him, making it possible that I might be transformed. If the final goal is community formation, then the cross offers us a way forward. If I'm always concerned about my own self, then I will never put myself in a position to be part of the community. The things I must let go of include the prejudices and stereotypes of others that color my relationships. Thompson makes this telling point in his discussion of Paul's work with a multi-dimensional Corinthian church.

Although Paul addresses individual issues, his primary task is to ensure that a community composed of individuals from a variety of backgrounds (cf. 1 Cor. 12;12-13) overcomes the barriers of ethnicity and social class to become a demonstration of the unifying power of the cross. (p. 148)

And yet the church is still the most segregated institution in America -- and that's not just ethic segregation.