Trust in Atonement: God, Creation, and Reconciliation

by Teresa Morgan

Overview

A fresh exploration of atonement, rooted in the theology of trust

Atonement—the restoration of right relationship with God, which God has made possible for humanity through Christ—is the good news of Christianity. How ought Christians think about the epicenter of salvation history?

Teresa Morgan takes up this longstanding question and—in a significant departure from both classical and modern theologians—proposes new answers that are rooted in the concept of trust (pistis). Weaving together exegesis and theology, sociology and psychology, Morgan defines atonement as the restoration of trust between God and humanity through the trust and trustworthiness of Jesus Christ. Her model has important implications for Christians’ understanding of sin, suffering, and the possibility of forgiveness and restoration of trust among human beings.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467466912
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	10/29/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	359
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Teresa Morgan is the McDonald Agape Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Yale Divinity School.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
1. Wrongdoing and Suffering, Trust and Mistrust
2. Trust after Trauma, Conflict, and Offending
3. The Trust and Trustworthiness of Jesus Christ
4. Trust in Creation
5. As We Forgive
Conclusion
Works Cited
Index of Subjects
Index of Scripture

Editorial Reviews

I know of no one else drawing breath who has Teresa Morgan’s remarkable combination of classical learning and theological profundity. In this book she puts it to powerful, arresting use, showing us how the restoration of trust leads at last to the reconciliation of all things.”
—Matthew V. Novenson, Princeton Theological Seminary

“Teresa Morgan has long been recognized for her groundbreaking interdisciplinary work on pistis in the ancient Greco-Roman world. Trust in Atonement now establishes her as a prophet who speaks directly to our fractured times. Dealing directly with the many and varied critiques of atonement, Morgan—quite remarkably—develops a new model that is at once faithful to scripture and pertinent to this moment.”
—Gabrielle Thomas, Emory University

“In this stunning book, Teresa Morgan refuses to be constrained by the narrowness of academic analysis alone. Through a penetrating examination of the connection between trust and atonement, this study illuminates how the relationship between humans and God is put right and considers the implications for interpersonal relationships. It offers rich insights into what it means to forgive and to trust, and how one then enacts restorative justice. This is a book that must be read—and more than that, acted upon—in order to build a fairer and more compassionate society that is renewed in the image and love of God.”
—Paul Foster, University of Edinburgh 

“Teresa Morgan’s fascinating model of the atonement is the natural next step in her work on the multidimensional theme of trust. Her proposal is at once focused and far-reaching, provocative and pastoral. Morgan’s attention to the trust and trustworthiness of Jesus, on the one hand, and to our contemporary context and concerns, on the other, makes this book a significant contribution to both the academy and the church.”
—Michael J. Gorman, St. Mary’s Seminary and University

“The fruitfulness of Morgan’s decisive turning of pistis in the direction of trust is clearly seen now as she eloquently develops a new, theologically and pastorally constructive turn in understanding of Christ’s role in bringing reconciliation. Morgan very effectively combines the fruits of her classical and biblical research with insights from trauma studies and many other areas important for life today.”
—Peter Oakes, University of Manchester

“Teresa Morgan has developed a fascinating new model of the atonement based on the New Testament concept of pistis, or trust. She unpacks Christ’s work as a mediator by renewing our attention to this central biblical concept in dialogue with contemporary psychology and social science, with a vision wide enough to include not just the ways Christ reconciles us to God but also the ways he reconciles the natural world and transforms our relationship to it. This is theology that is at once biblical-historical, contemporary-social scientific, and philosophical-systematic.”
—Ross McCullough, George Fox University

“‘Reconciled diversity’ is a buzzword in missiology. What is often overlooked, however, is the issue of trust (pistis). In this well-written book, Teresa Morgan makes a compelling case for the importance of trust in understanding what God has done in Jesus Christ, and how His faithfulness invites us to the mission of healing relationships.”
—Stefan Paas, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

“In this work of constructive theology, Teresa Morgan develops an impressive model of at-one-ment as the rebuilding of trust that was started in the incarnation. This ‘therapeutic trust’ was as appealing in the early Roman Empire as it still is in modern conflict resolution. In a bold, Simone Weil–like argument Morgan shows how suffering and wrongdoing are often intertwined and that a therapy of trust is crucial for victims and perpetrators alike.”
—George van Kooten, University of Cambridge

“In this engaging, rich, and generative study, Teresa Morgan develops a new constructive theological account of the atonement as the restoration of trust between God and humanity through Jesus Christ. Morgan shows how a trust-based approach to atonement can enrich our thinking about the most acute and challenging aspects of our lives: violence, war, trauma, abuse, and environmental degradation. Readers will discover much food for thought to reconfigure their understanding of the central icon of the Christian faith: the crucified Christ.”
—David G. Horrell, University of Exeter

“In a bold hermeneutical study, Morgan moves from historical to theological studies, mediating central ideas from early Christianity successfully into modern life.”
—Cilliers Breytenbach, Humboldt University Berlin

“The fields of New Testament and classical Roman studies are once again indebted to Teresa Morgan, who offers here not only an innovative model for the atonement centered on trust, but a comprehensive and humane theology of the New Testament that will be useful for scholars and those in ministry alike.”
—Timothy Milinovich, Dominican University

From the Publisher