Jesus the Forgiving Victim: Listening for the Unheard Voice

by James Alison

Jesus the Forgiving Victim offers something quite fresh in the field of introductions to faith and Christian orthodoxy by restoring to the Christian life the wonder and transformative power of discovering not some new Biblical fact or church doctrine, but that you are loved far more than you know. In reading these four books of essays, you will undertake a journey of discovery that will open your heart and mind to discovering new things about yourself and your faith. It is a journey from fake goodness, from a false and insecure self, to relaxing into a goodness and security not your own, but in which you discover yourself held by God. And it is a journey from a unity that needs to create victims toward a unity received from the risen and forgiving victim in our midst. James Alison hopes Jesus the Forgiving Victim will be a meaningful part of your journey toward a deeper faith and fuller life in Christ.

Genres: Theology, Religion

572 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2013

About the author

James Alison (b. 1959) is a Catholic theologian, priest and author. He grew up in an evangelical family in England and converted to Catholicism as a teenager. Alison studied at Oxford and earned his doctorate in theology from the Jesuit Faculty in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He was a member of the Dominican order from 1981-1995.

Reviews

[Andrew Marr · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Alison is one of the most vital and imaginative theologians I know. "Raising Abel" is one of my favorite theology books of all time. After publishing several books of provocative and powerful essays and papers, he now gives us a systematic catechesis of Christian thought and life. Please do not be alarmed at the thought of a catechetical book! It's like nothing you have read unless you've read some of Alison's other books. Strongly influenced by the thought of René Girard, he takes us through the ramifications of living with the inescapable reality of mimetic desire, both the ways we are pulled in often undesirable directions by others and how we are pulled in a direction of a great good by God who likes us without reservation and without scandal over the things we do. Alison discusses several passages of scripture, some of them such as the stoning of Achan in Joshua being troubling stories, in unforgettable ways that tilt our minds and hearts to odd angles that help us see scripture with new eyes, eyes moved by the Holy Spirit. The presentations are also available on DVD at http://www.forgivingvictim.com/store Recommended in excelsis!

[Victoria Gaile · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent, accessible, frequently entertaining book that pulls together and re-presents much of what Alison has been working through over the past ten years. Readers familiar with his earlier work will appreciate the further development, integration, or smoother presentation of familiar themes; newcomers will have the pleasure of encountering the material in a systematically developed manner.

There are also accompanying DVDs available; the books indicate which chapters go with which lectures. James is a very engaging speaker and I can confidently recommend these lectures even without having seen them.

[Dragan Radović · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know that scene in "The Matrix" where the spoon bends? Reading this book is like that, but with your perspective on God and the World and Christianity.

[Naum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nearly finished re-reading this and thus, needed to revisit my *review* here.

This is a brilliant book|set of books (4 individual books that tally up to a nearly ~600 page book.

Much better consumed in book(let) form than on the Kindle -- perhaps because I frequently flipped back to previous essays (the book is comprised of 12 essays that masterfully build on each other). James Alison lays out a way of seeing Scripture through Jesus cruciform lens, and brilliantly illustrates in each essay, linking together what hitherto would have struck Bible readers as unrelated disparate passages.

The author's writing style takes a little bit to get used to but the text is very accessible. And the other slight negative is that there are a few spots that are muddled, most significantly, the opening in essay 1. But it's well worth it to slog through those few paragraphs for the gems embedded in here.

[Belinda Mellor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all of James Alison's works, this varies between "I need to read that again" and 'Wow! That speaks straight to my heart ... I have goosebumps." Both are compliments, of course. There are so many brilliant facets of this collection that it is hard to pick out favourites. I am just glad that I have another of his books waiting for me ... before I re-read this one.

[Daniel Weir · Rating 4 out of 5]

This appears to be an edited transcript of lectures Alison gave. It is therefore a less formal but no less valuable presentation of his interpretation of Scripture and doctrine than his other books.

[Jack Hartjes]

Great theology from the perspective of society's victims. (Alison is a gay Catholic priest.) I saw some of the Bible stories in a new way.

[Marko J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes a bit all over the place, but all in all challenging and insightful reading.

[Sister Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a kind of study series but I read it as a collection of short books. Lots of great insights from Alison's reading of Rene Girard.

[Gregory Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fresh, positive theology