In our reflection today, Hamilton invites us to consider “subjective” atonement theory. That is, Jesus died so that we might learn a great lesson about our own life. What lesson have we learned about our own sinfulness, our own mortality, our own selfishness from the event of the crucifixion? Have we learned that we are totally depraved and incapable of grace because we have learned nothing from the cross? Or, have we learned that violence is inevitable and that not even God can stop the powers of violence? Neither one of these is acceptable in my mind.
Maybe what we need to consider is that the cross teaches us a powerful lesson on how the act of violence on the cross for an innocent ought to the THE LAST act of violence. What if the world considered violence as not the answer? What we awakened to a world where the cross was a painful reminder that violence happened and it wasn’t to happen again? Subjective atonement would take on the ‘subject’ of the world, instead of my self-centered way. The “it” in Jesus’ utterance from the cross, “It is finished,” could be violence, hostility, human inflicted pain, torture.
In light of the cross, it may be time for Christians to wage peace. May the sign of the empty cross prove to be the beginning of the end of the world’s violent ways. May the beginning of the end, ‘begin with me.’
