Reference
Radcliff, A.S. 2016. The Claim of Humanity in Christ: Salvation
and Sanctification in the Theology of T.F. and J.B. Torrance. (Princeton
Theological Monograph Series 222), Eugene, OR: Pickwick. 208 pp.
Vicarious humanity
As Radcliff notes, “The cross
is an ontological [having to with “being”] event because, in Christ’s death,
our old humanity dies, and the whole body of sin and death is destroyed.” In
other words, the cross is an ontological
event because it effects us to the core of our “being.” All humanity is
included—and transformed—in Christ’s
death on the cross. As Paul writes, “one has died for all, therefore all have
died” (2 Cor 5:14).
In the Torrance tradition, atonement
includes more than Jesus' death on the cross. “Not only Christ’s death but also
his entire life is of atoning significance,” notes Radcliff. Throughout the
“whole course of his human life,” Jesus, the eternal Word incarnate, was healing
and cleansing the corrupt flesh he took from Adam (via Mary), sanctifying it
and turning it back to perfect relationship with the Father. Thus, all humanity is transformed in the
incarnation.
Not all, however, are
convinced by the Torrances’ notion of the vicarious humanity of Jesus. Letham
argues that Jesus’ humanity has no effect on our humanity. Christ affects only
his own humanity. Radcliff responds by asserting the priority of the “Who”
question over the “how” question. Falling back on “mystery,” she notes that the
union of divine and human natures defies logical description. For the
Torrances, she argues, we must subordinate human rational categories of thought
as to “how” God works in the atonement to God’s self-revelation in Jesus. While
I agree, this is not a convincing answer to Letham’s assertion (one of the few
times she falls short in my view).
Comment: We must affirm the cosmic dimensions of the incarnation. The Eternal Word of God,
through whom all things are made and in whom all things consists, assumed our
humanity. Therefore, not only do we
live and move and exist in Jesus (Acts 17:28), but all creation is taken up, healed and sanctified “in him.” I don’t
know if Letham would be convinced by this but it works for me!
By affirming the salvific
effect of Jesus entire life, the Torrances have been criticized for not taking
the cross seriously. This criticism is entirely unfounded, for the Torrances
regard the cross as the “center of the Christian Gospel.” In regard to Jesus’
death, Radcliff notes, “Death is a consequence of the corruption of humanity
and therefore a part of human life that Jesus has to assume in order to redeem.
Christ not only saves us through his death, but from death.” (Implied in this argument is Gregory Nazianzus’ famous
assertion that “the unassumed is the unhealed.”)
Resurrection, Ascension, Pentecost
This section offers us another
opportunity to compare the Torrance tradition to traditional, conservative
evangelicalism. For evangelicals, atonement is generally presented solely in
terms of the cross. John Stott’s popular book, The Cross of Christ (which I read years ago), describes the
incarnation as a means to an end: Jesus assumes a human body so that he can die
on the cross. Jesus’ death is presented as an external, legal transaction,
whereby God is conditioned (persuaded) to forgive. In other words, if Jesus
dies, the Father forgives. This places atonement prior to forgiveness, which
again, is backwards. This view reduces atonement to a forensic, external
transaction, while ignoring the atoning significance of the resurrection and
ascension. As Radcliff notes, ‘The incarnation is not simply the means to the
cross; humanity’s salvation depends upon our ontological union with Christ inaugurated
by his birth into our humanity. Yet the union of God and man is not
ontologically complete at the incarnation; rather, it depends upon Christ’s
life, death, resurrection, ascension and Pentecost.” The resurrection is not
simply confirmation of forgiveness of sins but the new birth of a righteous humanity in Jesus. “At Christ’s
ascension,” Radcliff continues, our new humanity is raised up in Christ to
share by the Spirit in his perfect relationship with the Father.” The ascension
is not a mere addendum to the Jesus story; it is a significant salvific event.
Comment: The ascension is hardly mentioned in
evangelical preaching. Maybe that’s because Ascension Day always falls on a
Thursday, or maybe evangelicals fail to realize the salvific significance of
the Ascension. The Ascension is actually part of the “wonderful exchange” that
Christ’s makes with us. He humbles himself for us, so that we might we exalted
with him (cf. Phil 2:5-11).
Today, as Radcliff notes, following
James Torrance, the ascended Jesus continues his vicarious ministry for us. As
“our great High Priest,” he continues to offer in or place, and on our behalf,
the perfect worship we are unable to offer, so that we might be accepted as
sons and daughters.
Finally, Pentecost too is
essential to the atonement, notes Radcliff. Jesus received the Spirit in his
humanity when he was baptized in the Jordan River, so that he might pour out
the Spirit upon us at Pentecost and enable us to participate in the life, love
and beauty enjoyed by the Father, Son and Spirit. As TF Torrance writes,
“Pentecost must be regarded, not as something added on to the atonement, but as
the actualization within the Church of the atoning life, death and resurrection
of the Savior.”
Thus, we are saved not only
by the death of Jesus, but by the whole course of his incarnate life, as lived
out from birth through death, resurrection, ascension and Pentecost.
Retrospective and prospective
In the Torrance tradition,
there is a “retrospective” and “prospective” aspect to atonement (with the
latter not usually given consideration in evangelicalism). The cross is not
merely the “retrospective” forgiveness of sins. There is a “prospective” aspect
that includes adoption, communion, participation, etc. Atonement only is not
the goal of God’s reconciling activity in Jesus. The goal of reconciliation is “union with God in an through Jesus
Christ in whom our human nature is not only saved, healed and renewed
[retrospective] but lifted up to participate in the very light, life and love
of the Holy Trinity [prospective]” (TFT).
Comment: If you think about, we should begin celebrating
the atonement at Christmas and carry on the celebration through Easter,
Pentecost and Ascension Day. Bring out the incense and candles!!
If I understand correctly,
the prospective aspect of atonement is captured in the “atoning exchange”
between Jesus and us, wherein he takes our poverty, while giving us his riches.
He takes our mortality, while giving us his immortality. He descends in
humility, so that we may be lifted up in exaltation. Jesus takes our sinful
humanity and gives us is perfect relationship with the Father. As Radcliff
notes, “We are not only forgiven but, in Christ and by the Spirit, raised up to
participate in the inner relations of God’s life.” As JB writes, “Jesus
received the word of forgiveness for us from the Father, not only that our past
sins might be wiped out but in order that we might receive the Spirit of
adoption, and be restored to the status of sonship by a life of union with
Christ.”
All this accords with
Athanasius’ famous saying: “He became what we are, so that we might become what
he is.” This is the essence of the atoning exchange (or, “wonderful exchange”)
and the prospective aspect of atonement. Unfortunately, per the Torrances, the
western-Latin tradition has lost sight of this essential aspect of Nicene theology.
In concluding this post, I
want to bring in a portion of a great quote from Thomas Smail that Radcliff
provides. It concerns the evangelical insistence on the legal-retrospective
aspects of the atonement at the expense of the filial-prospective aspects. Writing
from personal experience in his book, The
Forgotten Father, Smail says:
Many of us have a sin-soaked guilt-ridden
evangelicalism where there has been a great deal of talk about the cost of our
atonement in the blood of Christ and very little upon the free and loving grace
of the Father … The God people have been shown is the righteous judge who
requires the propitiation [turning away wrath] which Jesus alone can offer, and
who in response to it can just manage to restrain his wrath against us provided
those redeemed by Christ continue to behave in a moral and religious way …
Ain’t it so!! Read Tom Smail. You’ll like him!
***
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