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Practical Tools for Ministry and Action

These resources are practical tools, based on the Early and Eastern Christian conviction that God’s justice is restorative, and Jesus’ atonement was the healing of human nature, a medical substitution. The implications reach far. Pastoral Implications compares the Medical-Restorative paradigm to the Punitive-Retributive paradigm in matters in day to day work in spiritual formation and following Jesus. Justice Implications shows how the two paradigms affect our ideas of what justice really means, and how to express it. Study Guide takes you through our step-by-step guide for learning. Evangelism Tools show you how to share Jesus. Bible is our library of messages, essays, and videos. Sample Messages highlight a few on Jesus’ work on the cross. Worship explores how Jesus meets us in a full range of human emotion and experience. Children’s Ministry is rich and developmentally honoring. Study and Action Guides help you engage the world. Debates showcase the debates we’ve had online, and how you might engage, too.

Pastoral Implications

Justice Implications

Study Guide

Evangelism Tools

Bible

Sample Messages

Worship

Children's Ministry

Study & Action Guides

Debates

Sources of Atonement Theology

These resources explore the foundation of “Medical Substitution” as the best understanding of the Bible, and the original understanding of the church. There are also links to books, web articles, etc. from representatives of the three broad Christian traditions.

Scripture

Early Church

Orthodox

Roman Catholic

Protestant

For More Information

To listen to helpful podcasts on the implications of atonement and restorative justice, Mako was featured on:

Atonement and the Stone Table for Pints with Jack, May 13, 2023. A 35 minute video where Mako joined David Bates to talk about the death of Aslan the Lion in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. We also engaged with The Magician’s Nephew and The Great Divorce. Mako argues that Aslan’s death represents a medical substitutionary atonement. of Early and Eastern Christianity It was a short summary of his longer paper, C.S. Lewis’ Theology of Atonement.

Healing Atonement and Restorative Justice for The New Evangelicals, Mar 14, 2022

Talking About Atonement for Can I Say This At Church? Feb 28, 2022
Non-Violent Atonement for InVerse Podcast, Sep 21, 2021
Can We Be Re-Traumatized by Our Theory of Atonement? for Being With: On Neuroscience, Spiritual Formation, and Faith, Apr 16, 2021
Restorative vs. Retributive Justice and the Implications for Public Life. Journal of Urban Ministry, June 2020.
A Restorative God for Rethinking God with Tacos, Apr 10, 2020
Deconstructing and Reconstructing the Atonement for Gravity Leadership, Feb 11, 2020
Beyond Penal Substitution for Almost Heretical, Mar 14, 2018

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We hope to foster and support a broad network of people who are interested in growing in Christ this way. Check out our Facebook group.