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Average Rating:  out of 31 Reviews
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Price: $26.00
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Sale: $17.15
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Manufacturer: InterVarsity Press
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EAN (European Article Number): 9780830833207
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Number of Items: 1
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Binding: Hardcover
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Author: John R. W. Stott
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Publisher: InterVarsity Press
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Edition: 20 Anv
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Dewey Decimal Number: 232.3
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Publication Date: 2006-09-30
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Reading Level: 380
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Description: About the Book "I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. . . . In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?" With compelling honesty John Stott confronts this generation with the centrality of the cross in God's redemption of the world -- a world now haunted by the memories of Auschwitz, the pain of oppression and the specter of nuclear war. Can we see triumph in tragedy, victory in shame? Why should an object of Roman distaste and Jewish disgust be the emblem of our worship and the axiom of our faith? And what does it mean for us today? Now from one of the foremost preachers and Christian leaders of our day comes theology at its readable best, a contemporary restatement of the meaning of the cross. At the cross Stott finds the majesty and love of God disclosed, the sin and bondage of the world exposed. More than a study of the atonement, this book brings Scripture into living dialogue with Christian theology and the twentieth century. What emerges is a pattern for Christian life and worship, hope and mission. Destined to be a classic study of the center of our faith, Stott's work is the product of a uniquely gifted pastor, scholar and Christian statesman. His penetrating insight, charitable scholarship and pastoral warmth are guaranteed to feed both heart and mind.
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Customer Reviews
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Review Summary: Definitive |
Date: 2008-12-27 |
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Details: A masterpiece - possibly the definitive work on substitutionary atonement, which makes it all the more important for the present decade, when there are many who claim to be evangelicals but deny this historic doctrine.
Stott looks at the Cross from all angles, including its symbolic significance to the church, the reasons which necessitated it, and the consequences of it (theologically, personally, socially, etc.). One of the brilliant points that this book establishes is that though there are many pictures for the atonement (courtroom, marketplace, conquest, etc.), the concept of substitution is behind them all.
D.A. Carson's endorsement was accurate: this is one of those rare must-own, must-read books. |
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Review Summary: Clear-headed, running over with humility |
Date: 2008-11-19 |
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Details: This is my first venture into a work of John Stott. Absolutely fabulous. It is not often that detailed study into complex theological issues leave you with a tremendous feeling of humility. This one does. Concepts are presented clearly and, better yet, encourage further study. Especially helpful for those of us not in the ministry. The first chapter on the cross in historical context is worth the price of the book alone. And it just gets better from there. I now understand why this book is a classic. |
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Review Summary: Revelatory... |
Date: 2008-07-28 |
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Details: It is easy for many of us, and certainly myself, to look unthinkingly upon the cross at times as a mere symbol, a fixture upon which we awkwardly and sporadically register our faith. Indeed, for the amateur, it can be difficult to discern the relative priority of the birth, death and resurrection of Christ within a personal theology decidedly laic. John Stott eloquently resolves these issues by describing the centrality and certitude the cross brings to Christian belief.
In a manner indomitably thorough, Stott alternately inspires, educates, challenges, and encourages the reader with a scope not only vast, but, for the arm chair theologian, largely unexpected. Perhaps, for some readers, The Cross of Christ may act as a refresher, but for others, it provides nothing less than discovery. While passages exist which may prove daunting, there are wide swaths of the book that are readily consumed and abruptly revelatory. Though typically ecumenical in nature, Stott's book offers several finely-tuned comparisons between Catholic and Protestant theologies which are welcomely affirmational. This is not a book for the casual enquirer, but can be transformational for those willing to put forth the effort. Accordingly, I find The Cross of Christ solidly merits a rating of 5 stars. Highly recommended. |
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Review Summary: The Cross Transforms Everything |
Date: 2008-04-03 |
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Details: From the beginning John Stott recognizes the impossibility of exhausting that which will take an eternity to unfold. He also acknowledges that the cross is not something that we can distantly analyze and discuss. As Stott says, "we can stand before it only with a bowed head and a broken spirit". Throughout this work our author appears to be a man that is bowed and broken himself. Stott, on the topic of the Cross of Christ is a sure guide.
He begins by approaching the cross (his introduction) and then moves us to the "heart of the cross". This is the meat of Stott's book. It is his argument for substitutionary atonement. After attempting to convince the reader of the substitutionary core of the cross our author discusses the benefits that this sacrifice has produced. Many authors prior have stopped at this point in their discussion of the cross, not Stott. He introduces a much needed fourth section; what it means to "live under the cross". Perhaps the many books that have hit our shelves since 1986 owe a debt of gratitude to Stott's premise that, "the cross transforms everything".
What I Enjoyed:
Perhaps the best section is Stott's fourth. The entire book is worthy of our read, yet the practical application of "living under the cross" is priceless. In fact, Stott does a wonderful job of keeping the entire book "out of the clouds" and into the life of the every day believer. It will speak to those in the ivory tower but also will touch the lives of those in the marketplace.
The book may be a little difficult for the typical lay person, but by no means unreadable. The learned scholar will not be in the least bored by this work, nor would a newer believer be completely lost. Stott teaches on the Cross in a clear and concise manner.
What I Disliked:
Something about Stott's writing style (which I typically enjoy) caused me to get distracted occasionally. It seemed as if at times Stott would walk us up to the foot of the cross, and then point across the street at something else. By no means would this have ever been his intent, yet the book is wrought with some arguments that took place 20 years ago and are less relevant today. In the 20th anniversary edition perhaps this should have been edited.
There are also a few things with which I disagree with Stott on. Occasionally it appears that his desire to be ecumenical makes the truth seem more fluid than it needs to be.
Should You Buy It?:
How can you not by a book that CJ Mahaney recommends as the elite book on the cross? In all actuality if I were to recommend a book on the cross to a typical believer it would not be Stott's it would be Mahaney's The Cross Centered Life. Yet, Stott's is an essential companion. To the pastor/theologian this work is a must have. To the everyday reader it is not a "must-have" but one that would be very beneficial to own.
Additional Note to the Reader:
I am fully aware that Stott believes in Annihilationism. I consider this as I recommend this book. The truth is his Annihilationism, from what I could tell, did not affect this book. I am certain that he might have taken a few different roads had he held to an eternal conscious torment in hell. Nevertheless, Stott does acknowledge the punishment and wrath of God, as well as the idea of separation from the Godhead. Therefore, Stott's view on Annihilationism does not cause me to refrain from recommending this work. |
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Review Summary: Best book I have read on the cross |
Date: 2008-03-20 |
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Details: John R. W. Stott, pastor of All Soul's Anglican Church in London, is one of the most respected evangelical writers in Great Britain. I just finished reading his classic book, The Cross of Christ, and I found it to be the best book I have ever read about the Cross.
Stott writes as an evangelical pastor and scholar. While he thinks deeply, he writes with clarity and frequent illustrations. In fact, I used his book as the basis for a series of sermons on the cross that I preached recently.
Stott begins by making a passionate argument for the centrality of the cross to the Christian gospel. Then he explores the reasons for the crucifixion, and while describing many "images" of atonement, he zeroes in on Christ as a substitutionary sacrifice to satisfy both the holiness and love of God. His discussion in chapter seven of propitiation, redemption, justification and reconciliation is perhaps the best chapter of the book. The book concludes with chapters on what it means to live as followers of the One who died on the cross, with excellent explanations of service, overcoming evil, and understanding suffering.
Stott has read widely on the subject and he graciously comments on opposing views from liberal and Roman Catholic scholars. He takes other views seriously, but is faithful to an orthodox evangelical interpretation of scripture. I found it interesting that he disagrees with the popular view of Jesus' death as a "ransom" paid to the devil in a strictly literal sense. His discussion on the distinctions between Protestant and Roman Catholic views of justification is particularly insightful. Stott rejects the doctrine that God does not suffer, maintaining in chapter 13 that it is precisely because God did suffer on the cross that we are able to bear our suffering.
Many parts of the book read as if they were sermons. This is not surprising, since Stott is a pastor. Yet it comes together as a systematic theology of the cross. His conclusion makes an excellent sermon on how central the cross is to Paul's Letter to the Galatians.
This is a book that I will read again and again in the years to come.
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