This challenging work explores the history of the Christian doctrine of atonement, exposing the intrinsically violent dimensions of the traditional, Anselmian satisfaction atonement view and offering instead a new, thoroughly nonviolent paradigm for understanding atonement based on narrative Christus Victor. 
The book develops a two-part argument. J. Denny Weaver first develops narrative Christus Victor as a comprehensive, nonviolent atonement motif. The other side of the discussion exposes the assumptions and the accommodation of violence in traditional atonement motifs. 
The first chapter lays out narrative Christus Victor as nonviolent atonement that reflects the entire biblical story, though paying particular attention to Revelation, the Gospels, and Paul. This biblical discussion also touches on the Old Testament story, Hebrew sacrifices, and the book of Hebrews. Following chapters place narrative Christus Victor in conversation with defenders of Anselm and with representatives of black, feminist, and womanist theologies. These discussions expose an accumulation of dimensions of violence in the several forms of satisfaction atonement. 
A final substantive chapter analyzes the inadequacy of all attempts to defend Anselm against the recent challenges raised by feminist and womanist perspectives. This analysis lays bare the violent dimensions of satisfaction atonement, which can be camouflaged but not removed. In light of this discussion, Weaver argues that the view of satisfaction atonement must be abandoned and replaced with narrative Christus Victor as the only thoroughly biblical and thoroughly nonviolent alternative. 
A provocative study that cuts to the very heart of Christian thought, The Nonviolent Atonement will be of interest to scholars, students, and pastors.

The Nonviolent Atonement

Weaver, J. Denny

Religion & Spirituality

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

A provocative study that cuts to the very heart of Christian thought, The Nonviolent Atonement challenges the traditional, Anselmian understanding of atonement ― along with the assumption that heavenly justice depends on Christ’s passive, innocent submission to violent death at the hands of a cruel God. Instead J. Denny Weaver offers a thoroughly nonviolent paradigm for understanding atonement, grounded in the New Testament and sensitive to the concerns of pacifist, black, feminist, and womanist theology. While many scholars have engaged the subject of violence in atonement theology, Weaver’s Nonviolent Atonement is the only book that offers a radically new theory rather than simply refurbishing existing theories. Key features of this revised and updated second edition include new material on Paul and Anselm, expanded discussion on the development of violence in theology, interaction with recent scholarship on atonement, and response to criticisms of Weaver’s original work. Praise for the first edition: “The best current single volume on reconstructing the theology of atonement.” ― S. Mark Heim in Anglican Theological Review “Weaver provides an important contribution to atonement theories by seriously inserting the contemporary concerns of pacifist, feminist, womanist, and black theologians into the centuries-old christological conversation. . . . A provocative but faithful proposal benefiting any student of christology.” ― Religious Studies Review “A noteworthy contribution to the literature on the atonement. Weaver provides a useful critique of the history of atonement motifs; he does a fine job of placing Anselm’s theology in its historical context; he creatively fuses a singular biblical vision from the earthly narrative of the Gospels and the cosmic perspective of the Apocalypse; and he attempts to relate discussions of the atonement to Christian social ethics.” ― Trinity Journal “This is a superb succinct survey and analysis of classical and contemporary theories of the atonement, ideal for students and general readers. . . . A clearly written, passionately expressed introduction to current debates on the atonement. . . . Excellent resource.” ― Reviews in Religion and Theology

This bold new statement on the nonviolence of God challenges long-standing assumptions of divine violence in theology, the violent God pictured in the Old Testament, and the supposed violence of God in Revelation. In The Nonviolent God J. Denny Weaver argues that since God is revealed in Jesus, the nonviolence of Jesus most truly reflects the character of God. According to Weaver, the way Christians live -- Christian ethics -- is an ongoing expression of theology. Consequently, he suggests positive images of the reign of God made visible in the narrative of Jesus -- nonviolent practice, forgiveness and restorative justice, issues of racism and sexism, and more -- in order that Christians might live more peacefully.

The Nonviolent God

When Becoming Anabaptist appeared in 1987, it was the first major study to incorporate the new history of multiple beginnings and a diverse Anabaptism into a synthesis of meanings for the late 20th century. J. Denny Weaver’s attempt was welcomed and widely acclaimed by scholars and by church leaders alike. In this second edition, Weaver provides a “masterful treatment of his beloved Anabaptist vision” (William Willimon, in the Foreword).

Becoming Anabaptist: The Origin and Significance of Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism

Herald Press

Playing off a child's question concerning whether parents would put their son to death on a cross, this book plunges headlong into the ongoing debate about the character of God. The church confesses that God is revealed in Jesus. This book explores the implications of that radical claim. Jesus' life reveals his rejection of violence and calls for an understanding of God in nonviolent terms. Weaver thus invites us to embrace a nonviolent atonement image, in contrast to our inherited atonement images. Deriving theology from the narrative of Jesus also leads Weaver into discussions about the very nature of theology, the character of the Bible, the divine violence in the Old Testament (as well as the purported divine violence in the book of Revelation), and a rethinking of historic Christology. Each of these discussions has implications for life today--for economics, forgiveness and restorative justice, violence, gender discrimination, racism, and more. This second, expanded edition of God Without Violence is an introduction to foundational issues of theology and ethics, suitable for church discussion groups and introductory college classes.

God Without Violence, Second Edition: A Theology of the God Revealed in Jesus

Cascade Books

God Without Violence, Second Edition

This book argues that for John Howard Yoder both theology (in particular Christology) and ethics are expressions of the meaning of the narrative of Jesus. All such statements are relative to a particular context, which means that theology and ethics are always subject to reaching back to the narrative in order to restate the meaning in new and ever-changing contexts. This methodology is visible in Yoder's Preface to Theology, which has been little used in most treatments of Yoder's thought. Yoder has been characterized as standing on Nicene orthodoxy, criticized for rejecting Nicene orthodoxy, called heterodox, and designated a postmodern thinker to be interpreted in terms of other such thinkers. None of these characterizations adequately locates the basis of his methodology in the narrative of Jesus. Thus John Howard Yoder: Radical Theologian aims to go beyond or to supersede existing treatments with its demonstration that Yoder is a radical theologian in the historical meaning of radical-that is, as one who returns to the root. For Christian faith, this root is Jesus Christ. Parts II and III of the book explore the sources of Yoder's approach, and its application in several contemporary contexts.

John Howard Yoder: Radical Theologian

Grimsrud, Ted

Mast, Gerald J.

Zimmerman, Earl

Walton, Zachary J.

This accessible history tells the story of how adult Christians of the 1500s first shaped the Anabaptist believers church tradition and of how it lives on today and can be joined by any who identify with Anabaptist understandings of following Christ. "I can't wait to use this with my high school Anabaptist theology and history class as well as my new members' classes. It's an accessible, user-friendly, up-to-date resource that reflects the vitality and diversity of those who have lived and currently are living the Anabaptist story." --Sheri Hostetler, Pastor, First Mennonite Church of San Francisco "As this vital resource for current younger Mennonites or those exploring Anabaptism stirs a remembering of the past, it will awaken contemporary Anabaptists to be radically discipled after Jesus into a more hopeful future." --Drew G. I. Hart, blogger for Christian Century and The Mennonite, is Author, Trouble I've Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism (2016) "This is a superb account of the diversity and unifying understandings of Anabaptism from its beginnings in sixteenth-century Europe through its expressions today in North America and worldwide. Thoughtful questions help the readers connect to the Anabaptist story and its meaning in their lives." --J. Richard Thomas, Superintendent, Lancaster Mennonite School "As a first-generation Mennonite, I'm grateful that this resource invites me to reflect on my part of the story, what it means to be an Anabaptist today, and how relevant early Anabaptist positions like nonviolence are in today's world." --Carlos Romero, Executive Director, Mennonite Education Agency "This is an excellent overview of Anabaptist history, from its humble beginnings through persecution to the present day. It will be a wonderful addition to any classroom or personal study." --Tony Hartman, Middle School Bible Teacher, Sarasota Christian School "This much-needed interpretation and narrative presents not only a concise and teachable history of Anabaptist history but also a usable past that challenges us toward Christian renewal and witness." --Lloyd Weiler, Chair, Board of Directors, Muddy Creek Farm Library; Mennonite historian The Authors: Lisa D. Weaver, Madison, Wisconsin, teaches in the Madison Metropolitan School District. She is a previous board member of the Mennonite Historical Society, Goshen, Indiana; has served on the steering committee as a member of the Bearing Witness project, Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism; and is president of the board, Central District Conference, Mennonite Church USA. J. Denny Weaver, Madison, Wisconsin, editor of the C. Henry Smith Series, has written, edited, or co-edited many other books and shorter contributions, including Becoming Anabaptist. He taught 31 years at Bluffton University and is a frequent speaker in a variety of academic and church settings. His foreign experience includes service with Mennonite Central Committee, Christian Peacemaker Teams, and short-term teaching in Kenya and Congo.

Living the Anabaptist Story: A Guide to Early Beginnings with Questions for Today

Weaver, Lisa

Cascadia Publishing House

New Moves: A Theological Odyssey (Dreamseeker Memoir)

DreamSeeker Books

This book displays how the nonviolent Word of God made visible in Jesus Christ is expressed in the contemporary idiom of the peaceable grain of the universe. Moving between historic Anabaptist understandings of Jesus as revealing the “Word of God” and more recent expressions of Jesus as disclosing the “grain of the universe,” the book invites a reading of Scripture centered in Jesus’ life and teachings as told by the narratives of the New Testament. This approach to the Bible discovers there a persuasive witness to the power of nonviolent action in both historic movements and contemporary settings. Beginning with the radical wing European Reformation, the book explores how new understandings of biblical authority expressed in the language of that era have relevance now over five centuries later when stated in a contemporary language for evangelical, ecumenical, and anti-racist Christian witness. To that end, chapters in Part One explore how Reformation-era Anabaptists expanded or went beyond the received understandings of Scripture and Word in confronting their crises. In Part Two the chapters apply this expanded understanding of the Word to contemporary understandings of the Bible and theology, dialogue across black-white lines, and in nonviolent witness and activism.

Nonviolent Word: Anabaptism, the Bible, and the Grain of the Universe

Pickwick Publications

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Weaver, J. Denny. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Weaver, J. Denny

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Weaver, J. Denny. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Nonviolent Atonement

The Nonviolent Atonement

The Nonviolent God

Becoming Anabaptist: The Origin and Significance of Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism

God Without Violence, Second Edition: A Theology of the God Revealed in Jesus

God Without Violence, Second Edition

John Howard Yoder: Radical Theologian

Living the Anabaptist Story: A Guide to Early Beginnings with Questions for Today

New Moves: A Theological Odyssey (Dreamseeker Memoir)

Nonviolent Word: Anabaptism, the Bible, and the Grain of the Universe