Synopses & Reviews
Through the story of a series of horrendous events and situations that befell a young boy, Sam, and his family, Kelsey explores the issue of redemption, asking, What can it possibly mean to say that in Jesus Christ God 'redeems' such situations and events? And to answer the question, he interweaves the story of Sam and his family with biblical narrative, theology, and the metaphorical application of secular uses of the words redeem and redemption. Kelsey suggests three ways in which to imagine redemption, suggesting (1) how Jesus' ministry, considered as God's making a promise to the likes of Sam and his family, may be seen as making up for the world's bad performance; (2) how Jesus' passion and crucifixion can be redemptive in the sense of redeeming their personal identities from their bondage to distorting powers; and (3) Jesus' resurrection can be seen as making good on a promise in a way that redeems Sam and his family from vicious cycles in their interactions that turn their lives into living deaths.
Synopsis
David Kelsey offers a groundbreaking discussion of Christian redemption by exploring the story of a series of horrendous events that befell a young boy and his family. Sam, eight years old, was stricken with a puzzling virus that left him physically and psychologically damaged. His family suffered greatly, as well. In the face of these events, Kelsey asks, what can it possibly mean to say that in Jesus Christ, God "redeems" such situations and events?
About the Author
David Kelsey is Luther A. Weigle Professor Emeritus of Theology at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut. Among his books are Imagining Redemption and To Understand God Truly: What's Theological about a Theological School?.