The Cross in Our Context

by Douglas John Hall (Editor)

In this small gem of theological reflection, North America's foremost "theologian of the cross" offers a profound and compelling contemplation on the relevance of the church's most fundamental confession. Hall ponders what confessing Jesus as crucified means in today's context, one that is postmodern, pluralistic, multicultural, and in some respects post-Christian. A digest of his monumental trilogy, this book lays out in brief compass the heart of Hall's theology of the cross, contrasting it sharply with the theology of established Christianity, showing how it reframes classical Christology and soteriology, and drawing the implications for what it means to be human, for Christian ethics, and for the church.

Genres: Theology, Religion

288 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 2003

About the author

Douglas John Hall was an Canadian emeritus professor of theology at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, and a minister of the United Church of Canada. Prior to joining the McGill Faculty of Religious Studies in 1975 he was MacDougald Professor of Systematic Theology at St Andrew's College in the University of Saskatchewan (1965–1975), Principal of St Paul's College in the University of Waterloo (1962–1965), and minister of St Andrew's Church in Blind River, Ontario (1960–1962).

Reviews

[Bryan]

Not done yet but so far - wow! A relatively current and confessionally sound theologian who writes well and also draws on Luther, Pascal, Kierkegaard, Barth & Bonhoeffer does it for me.

Have finished now and didn't agree with everything - but Hall is well informed, writes well, and more importantly writes provocatively, which invariably results in the reader being led to thinking through the many issues raised. The book is not so much about finding definitive answers, as about a definitive approach, which of course makes sense when that approach is defined as "the theology of the cross." If you want definite answers you might hate the book. If you want to think and be better informed in "how" to think rather than in exactly "what" to think, you'll probably love it.

[Josh Trice]

This is a great theological venture that spans vast categories of faith and belief. With a cross-centric view, Hall (I believe rightly) examines Christianity from the point of the cross, seeing it as the centerpiece of God's action in and for the world.

This volume does get wordy and heady at times, but overall the message rings true and clear: we must heed the cross and its significance if we are to garner a true picture of the God who suffers.

[Ryan Ward]

An excellent and worthwhile summary of Hall’s approach to a theology of the cross in our modern context. He argues that above all, a theology of the cross leads to a real engagement with the problems and issues of our world in their specific contextual relativities, and that Christianity has lost its way in that it has become a religion of triumphalism and absolutes.

[Jim]

This is probably my 6th or 7th time through this book. It’s one that I need to read again every so often. And each time I appreciate it more. It grounds me in the theology of my tradition. It gives me hope. It inspires me for my pastoral vocation.

[Kelly]

Very very good read. I read for Seminary along with some older, more traditional books. The Hall stood as an excellent, modern counterpoint.

[Linden Leman]

Pros: highly quotable.
Cons: not very well organized.

[T.C.]

I began taking seminary classes in 2004. This is off the charts. Literally - it's too prophetic and dangerous for the church syllabus. The author speaks about the cross in all its metaphorical glory - hint: we are missing the point! And so the story of Jesus has much more value than most of us realize, and hence Jesus is meaningful today. But it's not your grandma's Jesus. Read this book or something he wrote in the 1980s called The Stewardship of Life in the Kingdom of Death, testament to the fact that at least one Christian foresaw the environmental and socioeconomic meltdown of the past few years in context of biblical worldview.

[Doug]

The table of contents promised great things, but Hall chose to preach to an academic choir and didn't really do any serious work on this crucial topic. He just floated above most issues abstractly and repeated Enlightenment slogans. What a tragedy. Skip this and just read Bonhoeffer again.

[JD Veer]

Great insights! I preferred God and Human Suffering, but I think this one to be a well-rounded theology.

[Danielle Ebaugh]

Reading for the Pastor;s Book Club.

[Cathy Monkman]

This was a very technical and difficult read for me. Very long and complicated sentences but enlightening for the preaching class at the Lutheran seminary.

[Andrew]

This put a theological framework around many things I felt to be true about Jesus, the cross, and what they mean for this world.

[John]

Very good introduction to the "Theology of the Cross." A humane writer with a heart for justice and the small person. Great reading for Calvinists tired of theology centred around sovereignty of God.

[Laura Whitaker]

Best theology book ever!

[Shannon Presler]

So THAT'S what theolgia crucis means! I thought it just made you a dour person...

[Nicole]

I'm glad I did a lot of underlining. I refer back to this book.