Saving Power: Theories of Atonement and Forms of the Church
by Peter schmiechen
August 31, 2005
Jesus’ death and resurrection are undeniably central to the Christian faith. But how, precisely, is their significance to be understood?
Concerned to reinvigorate the church’s teaching on the cross, the resurrection, and salvation — the atonement — Peter Schmiechen here invites readers to rediscover the wealth of the Christian tradition. In Saving Power he makes ample use of primary sources to unpack ten distinct theories of atonement, welcoming aspects of each rather than championing only one. Along the way, he demonstrates that while most Christians assume the basic theme of atonement to be sin and forgiveness, other powerful themes — liberation from oppressive powers, reconciliation in the face of division, and the hope of resurrection in the face of death, for instance — also deserve to be studied and preached.
Affirming orthodox teaching while offering a positive take on marginal views, Saving Power is a crucial resource for anyone who seeks a fuller understanding of Christ’s work.
Tradition in Crisis: The Case for Centric Protestants
by Peter Schmiechen
August 22, 2022
Does it matter whether traditional Protestants survive? Yes, because they are a distinct and necessary voice in American religion. Here that case is made, along with an honest assessment of what went wrong. We are witnessing the death of churches relying on agreement based on race, class, and tradition or the newer divisions of left or right religion and politics. Now is the time to reclaim the church based on the grace and community of Christ. For this to happen, we need to heed Martin Luther’s claim that the only treasure of the church is Jesus Christ, as well as Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of an America where all people may gather together in peace.
Words Unspoken
by Peter Schmiechen
July 1, 2012
This is a chance to explore the meaning of Christian faith for those in and outside of churches: adults who left the church in their youth, the many religious refugees pushed out by churches, as well as those in churches looking for serious reflection. With short chapters written in conversational style, it refuses to dumb down the presentation or offer false promises. There are no tricks, no bait and switch. It simply gives an account of the good news for our time. Christian faith is risky business. It requires that we consider the way the good news is subverted by religion itself and American culture. Most important, it means examining our own resistance to the message of Jesus. In the end, it involves a willingness to participate in a future marked by the unfolding glory of God.
Gift and Promise: An Evangelical Theology of the Lord’s Supper (Princeton Theological Monograph Series Book 225)
by Peter Schmiechen
December 9, 2016
What would happen if the liturgy for the Lord’s Supper started with the images in the New Testament rather than the divisions of our past? It would be like going through an open door into a new world. There we would find a new Passover celebration, a new covenant, and remembrance and proclamation of Jesus’ death and resurrection–all in the context of the kingdom of God. It would be an evangelical Lord’s Supper. This is a high-risk operation, given the reliance by many on transactional sacrifice and the tendency to reduce the Supper to a sacrament of penance for individuals. Ideas rejected by Luther and Calvin now reappear even among Protestants. The goal cannot be reached by subtracting a few things and adding references to eschatology and joy. The good news is that many churches have already taken steps to reform their liturgies. To support that process, here is a clear and consistent evangelical perspective, based on the theology and biblical considerations that have formed our faith and practice.
Defining the Church for Our Time Paperback
by Peter Schmiechen
June 12, 2012
The church is broken and we cannot fix it. Faith in God is disconnected from churches. Mainline churches are deeply divided, and their budgets and congregations have diminished, with no agreement for recovery. So what shall we do? It is time to stop talking about the problems and to consider a new vision of the church for our time. This book is a celebration of the church as the community of new life in Christ. It assumes Christ intended to create a community on earth embodying grace and holiness. It begins with a new and inclusive definition of the church as a community enduring in time. It affirms the great variety of churches, all as valid expressions of the new life, and explains how and why churches are formed in different ways. The goal is for churches to celebrate the saving power of Christ and to see the glory of God revealed in the world in our time.
Christ the Reconciler: A Theology for Opposites, Differences, and Enemies Paperback
by Peter Schmiechen
July 12, 1996
After first analyzing the dysfunctional state of America’s churches–with their capitulation to modern culture– Schmiechen argues convincingly that the church can be renewed only through the recovery of Christ’s gospel of reconciliation.
The Gift and the Promise: Becoming What We Are in Christ (Kaleidoscope Series Resource)
by Peter Schmiechen
January 1, 1990