A community called atonement

The new Scot McKnight book, A community called atonement, which I've had on order for a couple of weeks has finally arrived today.

I've been hanging out to read it.

I heard Tony Jones speaking about the atonement and the complexity of views (other than simply that of penal substitution) that exit around this momentus, historical act of Jesus and was facinated by this new (to me) perspective on the subject. Until very recently the penal substitionary view was the only view I was aware of.

I know it has been a little controversial with several names going to town on the "emerging/emergent" commentary on the topic - D.A. Carson to name one, John McArthur another. From what I have read and heard since first coming across the Carson/McArthur criticisms, I think they are probably rather narrow and their recounting of the view of the emerging church on this topic not truely representative.

I heard another Tony Jones interview on this (and other topics) with a very conservative talk radio host a couple of months ago and was really disturbed by the way the host refused to hear what Jones was trying to say, and then, in a live interview with a critic of Emergent proceeded to further twist his words. Really bad form. I can't find the link to the podcast but if anyone would like to listen to it I can send it to you - my email address is in my profile.

Anyway, I've digressed. I'm hanging out to start the book and will try and post some of my thoughts as I read it.