THE RECONCILING WISDOM OF GOD

reframing the doctrine of the atonement

Snapshots

Michael F. Bird, Series Editor

Adam J. Johnson

The Reconciling Wisdom of God: Reframing the Doctrine of the Atonement

Snapshots

Copyright 2016 Adam J. Johnson

Lexham Press, 1313 Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225

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You may use brief quotations from this resource in presentations, articles, and books. For all other uses, please write Lexham Press for permission. Email us at permissions@lexhampress.com.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) (esv), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (kjv) are from the King James Version. Public domain.

Scripture quotations marked (nasb) are from the New American Standard Bible ®, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (niv) are from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Print ISBN 9781577997252

Digital ISBN 9781577997269

Series Editor: Michael F. Bird

Lexham Editorial: Elliot Ritzema, Abigail Stocker, Joel Wilcox

Cover Design: Jim LePage

Back Cover Design: Liz Donovan

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

grant a double share of your wisdom

to my three sons,

Reuben, Nathan, and Simeon,

to whom I dedicate this book.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

On Telling Stories

Aulén’s Tale and Its Legacy

The Structure of the Atonement

Chapter 1

Atonement as a Work of Wisdom: Snapshots from Scripture

Chapter 2

Atonement as a Work of Wisdom: Snapshots from the History of Doctrine

Chapter 3

Wisdom, Faith Seeking Understanding, and Theories of the Atonement

Chapter 4

Defining Wisdom

Wisdom in the Life of God

Wisdom in Relation to Creation

Chapter 5

Atonement: A Work by, of, and for Wisdom

A Work by Wisdom

A Work of Wisdom: The Goal

A Work of Wisdom: The Efficient Means

A Work of Wisdom: Circumstances

Wisdom’s Parody: The Sin of Folly

A Work for Wisdom

Summary: Atonement as a Work by, of, and for Wisdom

Chapter 6

Wisdom and the Breadth of Atonement: In Dialogue with Jonathan Edwards

Chapter 7

Wisdom, Atonement, and Polemics: Reconciling the Atonement

Breadth vs. Singularity

Boundary Markers

Chapter 8

The Way Forward: A New Definition

Chapter 9

Conclusion

Appendix

Five Questions to Ask Ourselves

Bibliography

Subject and Author Index

Scripture Index

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This short book on wisdom has progressed through a variety of stages. A number of friends, mentors, and publishers lie in its wake, deserving their respective tips of the hat.

The earliest version was a research paper for Prof. Sang Lee at Princeton Theological Seminary, and I thank both him and Prof. Daniel Migliore for their encouragement in this project.

Subsequently, this topic ...