What Was God Doing on the Cross?

by Alister E. McGrath

A book that brings to life the story of the cross and the resurrection--and impresses upon us the almost unbelievable truth that God allowed himself to be executed for our sake. McGrath challenges us to think and speak about the cross with freshness, directness, and vitality. An outstanding title for Lent and Easter. McGrath is the author of The Sunnier Side of Doubt and Explaining Your Faith.

Genres: Christian, Theology, Nonfiction

124 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Alister Edgar McGrath is a Northern Irish theologian, priest, intellectual historian, scientist, and Christian apologist. He currently holds the Andreas Idreos Professorship in Science and Religion in the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford, and is Professor of Divinity at Gresham College. He was previously Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at King's College London and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture, Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Oxford, and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, until 2005. He is an Anglican priest and is ordained within the Church of England.

Aside from being a faculty member at Oxford, McGrath has also taught at Cambridge University and is a Teaching Fellow at Regent College. McGrath holds three doctorates from the University of Oxford, a DPhil in Molecular Biophysics, a Doctor of Divinity in Theology and a Doctor of Letters in Intellectual History.

McGrath is noted for his work in historical theology, systematic theology, and the relationship between science and religion, as well as his writings on apologetics. He is also known for his opposition to New Atheism and antireligionism and his advocacy of theological critical realism. Among his best-known books are The Twilight of Atheism, The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine, Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life, and A Scientific Theology. He is also the author of a number of popular textbooks on theology.

Reviews

[Klāvs Miezis · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, consider the cross. A symbol of death? No. A symbol of suffering? No. A symbol of a world of death and suffering? Not quite. A symbol of hope in the midst of a world of death and suffering? Yes! A symbol of a God who is with us in this dark world, and beyond? Yes! In short, the cross stands for a hope that is for real, in a world, that is for real. But that world will pass away, while that hope will remain for eternity.
McGrath "What Was God Doing on the Cross?", p. 118.
A great read for those that want to find out about the meaning of the Cross.

[Chet Duke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, enjoyable book that introduces atonement theology in practical language. This is a good book for introductory level theology, pastors, and lay leaders.

[Радостин Марчев · Rating 4 out of 5]

Нелоша, малка книжка - завърших я за един ден. МакГрат със сигурност може да задълбае много повече (и на други места го е правил), но тук умишлено се стреми да достигне по-обикновена публика - при това без по никакъв начин да бъде повърхностен.
Книгата няма да даде много на човек, който търси доказателства за дадена теория за механизма на икуплението, но определено има какво да предложи по темата. По-конкретно, в утвърждаването на мултифасетното и кумулативно виждане както и за начина, по който функционира разнородната образност свързана с кръста авторът според мен е на много прав път.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for Easter this year.

It talks about the cross. The cross is something we overuse to the point that it loses its meaning. We often mention the cross without really understanding it.

Alister McGrath uses simplistic, but not simplified, language to talk about why the cross matters.

You can easily read this book over the weekend. I highly recommend it.

[Laura]

A great little book on the meaning of the cross. You can read it in a day!

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read and a good discussion of Theology on the Cross. This was a little heady of a read for me.