In this book, the problem of the reality of salvation is addressed by T.F. Torrance's doctrine of "the vicarious humanity of Christ." Through this approach, salvation as humanization is affirmed, yet without the problems of anthropocentric theologies. This book is unique in that it offers both a survey of contemporary Christian thinking on salvation as well as a constructive alternative based on Torrance's doctrine, a significant yet neglected contribution to modern theology.

Atonement. For some this word is the heart of the Christian faith. For others, it is irrelevant for Christianity and how they live their Christian lives. Often we do not see "the breadth and depth" of the atonement in the gospel. Christian D. Kettler, in his fourth book on "the vicarious humanity of Christ," suggests that we consider that the atonement is not only a vicarious death in our place and on our behalf--whether in the form of a "penal substitute" or a "moral example"--but also his vicarious humanity, having atoning significance for all of our lives, indeed, all of reality: the church, the world, and the self. These essays are collected from several years of Kettler's thought on the doctrine of the vicarious humanity of Christ and its implications for all of life and reality, seeking to demonstrate that the doctrine of the atonement is not to be restricted to one small part of the doctrinal agenda, but has profound implications that theology sometimes does not explore. These issues include the nature of culture, aesthetics, creation out of nothing, spiritual formation, emotional weakness, the priesthood of Christ and creation, genetic engineering, and trusting in the "ideal" self.

How does one deal with despair? Are joy and despair irreconcilable? How does the joy and despair of Jesus Christ relate to our joy and despair? Continuing to explore the implications of the vicarious humanity of Christ as he did in The God Who Believes, Christian Kettler investigates the christological implications of the all too human phenomenon of despair. All people experience the pain of personal loss and lack, of the meaninglessness of existence. We also desire and covet joy, as difficult as it is often to define or maintain. Jesus was both "the man of sorrows" and one who "for the joy set before him endured the cross" (Heb 12:2). Can we think of the despair of Christ and the joy of Christ as both being vicarious, in our place and on our behalf, and thus have a theological way to possess joy in the midst of despair as well as to have a more robust theology of the atonement? Drawing on wide-ranging resources from Augustine, Calvin, Karl Barth, and T. F. Torrance to Bob Dylan, the fantasy writer Ray Bradbury, and Ed Wood, the director of Plan Nine from Outer Space, Kettler seeks to bring Trinitarian and incarnational theology deep into our flesh, filled with real despair and joy, and find that Jesus is there, with his own despair, there to lift us up with his own joy.

How does one deal with doubt? Are faith and doubt irreconcilable? Does one's understanding of God affect the answers to these questions? Christian Kettler investigates these questions from a christological perspective, drawing implications from the Scottish theologian T. F. Torrance and his doctrine of "the vicarious humanity of Christ." If we take the humanity of Christ seriously, should we not speak of the faith of Jesus as a vicarious faith, believing for us and in our place when it is difficult if not impossible to believe? How Christians know God ("Jesus Knows God for Us and in Our Place"), who God is ("Who is the God Whom Jesus Knows?"), and how to believe in God in a world of suffering and evil ("Providence, Evil, Suffering, and the God Who Believes") receive new insight in light of this christological exploration. Wendell Berry's poignant novel of a humble country barber, 'Jayber Crow,' adds an incarnational context to a discussion with important pastoral and existential dimensions. In the vicarious faith of Christ we are not left, as James Torrance cautions us, to be thrown back upon ourselves, but called to participate by the Spirit in the faith of Jesus.

Much of the preaching and teaching today demands that people actively earn their relationship with God. This prevailing understanding runs counter to the theology of the brothers Thomas F. Torrance (1913-2007) and James B. Torrance (1923-2003), who promoted the radical notion that all of humanity has its true being in Christ. In The Claim of Humanity in Christ, Alexandra Radcliff refutes the Torrances' many critics, asserting the significance of their controversial understanding of salvation for the interface between systematic and pastoral theology. Radcliff then widens the scope of her argument, constructively applying the implications of the Torrances' work to a liberating doctrine of sanctification. The Christian life is conceived as the free and joyful gift of sharing by the Spirit in the Son's intimate communion with the Father, revealing the reality of who we are in Christ.

It's the defining reality of all existence, the central fact of human history, and the heart of the Christian faith: God became a man and lived among us. More than just part of the Christmas story, the doctrine of the incarnation radically affects our understanding of God, humanity, life, death, and salvation. In The Incarnation of God, theology professors John Clark and Marcus Johnson explore this foundational Christian confession, examining its implications for the church's knowledge and worship of God. Grounded in Scripture and informed by church history, this book will help Christians rediscover the inestimable significance of the truth that the Son of God became what we are without ceasing to be the eternal God—the greatest mystery of the universe.

The eternal Son of God became man for our salvation; but what kind of human nature did he assume? The answer of this book is that he took human nature as it was because of the fall. Despite this, he lived a perfect, sinless life, and finally redeemed this "fallen nature" through his cross; this victory is the basis of atonement. The New Testament supports this christological position, and there are several indications that suggest it gives a deeper interpretation to some sections of the gospel narrative. It is clearly taught by Paul, and is the obvious implication of certain aspects of the Christology of Hebrews. During the centuries, but mainly in the post-Reformation period, a number of theologians have expounded this theory, and in the present century there have been distinct signs that it is becoming more acceptable to theological thought. The various advocates of the theory are not unrelated, for certain principles of unity hold them together. The number of advocates through the years, however, has been few. One reason for this is that the term "fallen human nature" has often been misunderstood. Additionally, throughout the history of Christology, there has been a serious tendency to neglect the humanity of Christ, and this has gone decisively against the general acceptance of the doctrine that Christ assumed "fallen human nature." If the theory is accepted, it helps to give a more adequate view of the work of Christ. There are five main theories of the atonement; all these are strengthened, and many of their weaknesses are eliminated, if this christological theory is accepted. Here is a book that contains new thinking on a great theme. It is clear, logical, and rewarding to both mind and heart.