The Crucifixion of Jesus: A Perspective from Family Systems Theory

Over the centuries Christians have used various ideas to try to explain their belief that the crucifixion of Jesus had consequences that were far-reaching and beneficial. I think it is helpful to think freshly about this, and to come up with new ideas that can go along side the traditional ones. In a previous blog I suggested an analogy with photosynthesis, i.e. between what a plant does to heal an injured atmosphere and what Jesus does to heal the moral and spiritual atmosphere in which humanity lives.

Read the article in full on my Blog.

What Jesus Accomplished

In my last blog I took a modest line about claims for the divinity of Jesus. In this blog I turn to what Jesus accomplished, and here I take a stronger line. In both cases I believe I am following the New Testament, which is much stronger about the ‘work’ of Christ than about the ‘person’ of Christ.

Strong claims are made for the resurrection of Jesus in the New Testament, but it is interesting that the claim is generally that ‘God raised him up’, rather than that Jesus rose of his own accord, because he was God. That way of phrasing it (‘God raise him up’) seems to indicate that it is not being claimed that Jesus is God.

Read the full article on my website.

Was Jesus God?

The claim made by Christians that Jesus was God has become problematic for many people, and deters many people who might otherwise think of themselves as Christians. I think Christians have become over-dogmatic about what Christians have to believe about Jesus, in a way that has become an obstacle to people following him.

Read 'Was Jesus God?' in full on my website.