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Durham E-Theses Penal Substitution in the Construction of British Evangelical Identity: Controversies in the Doctrine of the Atonement in the Mid-2000s WOOD, MAXWELL,THOMAS How to cite: WOOD, MAXWELL,THOMAS (2011) Penal Substitution in the Construction of British Evangelical Identity: Controversies in the Doctrine of the Atonement in the Mid-2000s, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3260/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Penal Substitution in the Construction of British Evangelical Identity: Controversies in the Doctrine of the Atonement in the Mid-2000s Maxwell Wood A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Theology and Religion Durham University 2011 Maxwell Wood Penal Substitution in the Construction of British Evangelical Identity: Controversies in the Doctrine of the Atonement in the Mid-2000s. Abstract This thesis examines the controversy surrounding the doctrine of the atonement and penal substitution which occurred within British evangelicalism as a result of the publication of Steve Chalke and Alan Mann‘s book The Lost Message of Jesus (2003). The primary focus is upon what this controversy can reveal about the function of the doctrine of the atonement and various atonement models, such as penal substitution, in the ongoing construction of British evangelical identity. The doctrine of the atonement is a key theological concept which accompanies crucicentrism, which is a particular focus upon the death and crucifixion of Jesus as salvific events. Religious collectives utilise various aspects of religion, including theological doctrines, in order to mark their corporate identity and distinguish themselves from other collectives. It will be demonstrated that the doctrine of the atonement has been used throughout history as a core marker in the construction of British evangelical identity. Penal substitution, as one model of the atonement, has been of particular significance in further defining the collective identity of one particular group within British evangelicalism, namely conservative evangelicals. For other British evangelical groups, penal substitution has been seen as a less significant aspect of their identity. During the late nineteenth and first half of the twentieth century, contestation concerning the validity of penal substitution intensified and took on an increasingly ‗intra-evangelical‘ function; adherence or otherwise to penal substitution contributed to the delineation of boundaries between different types of British evangelicals, particularly between conservative and liberal evangelicals. An analysis of the controversy which occurred during the mid-2000s confirms that this situation has essentially continued into the twenty-first century. This is in terms of both the content and manner of the contestation. The analysis is based upon a review of a wide range of documentary sources, supplemented by new data obtained from a series of semi-structured interviews conducted with some key individuals involved in the controversy. The conclusion is reached that the doctrine of the atonement remains a salient theological concept used by British evangelicals in the construction of their collective identity. Further, that advocacy or rejection of penal substitution also continues to contribute to the delineation of boundaries between different types of British evangelicals. i Declaration This thesis is based on research solely undertaken by the author. No part of this thesis has previously been submitted for a degree at Durham University or at any other university. Copyright The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without the prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. ii Acknowledgements I would like to thank the following people for their support and assistance in this research. Firstly, the Right Reverend Richard Hurford, OAM, the people and clergy of the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst, Australia, and the Trustees of the Lucas-Tooth Scholarship. Without their generous support and prayers, this research would never have been possible. My supervisors, Professor Gerard Loughlin and Dr Mathew Guest, for their extensive guidance and encouragement throughout the project. Colleagues at St Chad‘s College, Durham. In particular, my College Tutor, the Reverend Professor Jeff Astley and the College Principal, the Reverend Canon Dr Joseph Cassidy, for their support and assistance. The interviewees who generously gave up of their time and provided valuable insights into the controversy and contemporary British evangelicalism. Marian Cleary for her outstanding proofreading assistance. The people and clergy of the Parish of St Margaret of Antioch, Durham, for providing one of my spiritual homes. The wonderful friends I have made while living and working in Durham. Other friends and family, old and new. In particular, my mother Patricia Wood and my aunt Margaret Bool, for their love and support. And, my wife, Danielle. Mon amour et ma gratitude à toi, ma chérie, ne pourraient jamais s'exprimer par des simples mots. iii Contents Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Identity Markers and British Evangelical 7 Identity 1.1 Religious Collective Identity 7 1.1.1 Identity, Culture and the Utilisation of Aspects of 7 Religion in Religious Collective Identity Formation 1.1.2 Approaches to Understanding Identity Formation 10 1.2 British Evangelical Identity 18 1.2.1 Defining Evangelicalism – Different Usages of the 18 Term 1.2.2 Key Aspects of British Evangelical Identity – 26 Bebbington‘s Quadrilateral 1.2.3 Responses to Bebbington‘s Quadrilateral 31 Chapter Conclusion 40 Chapter 2 Crucicentrism, Atonement and Penal Substitution 42 2.1 The Concept of Atonement 44 2.1.1 Atonement in the Broader Sense 44 2.1.2 Atonement in the Narrower Sense 46 2.2 The Concept of Penal Substitution 49 2.2.1 Defining Penal Substitutionary Atonement 49 2.2.2 Atonement Images in the New Testament 53 2.2.3 The Development of Different Atonement Models 56 Chapter Conclusion 70 iv Chapter 3 The Atonement and Penal Substitution within 72 British Evangelical Identity c. 1730 to c. 2000 3.1 The Period c. 1730-1800 74 3.2 The Period 1800-1845 79 3.3 The Period 1845-1920 85 3.4 The Period 1920-1960 102 3.5 The Period 1960-c. 2000 108 Chapter Conclusion 120 Chapter 4 The Doctrinal Controversy Among British Evangelicals During the Mid-2000s Part 1: 125 Events and Theological Arguments 4.1 An Overview of the Controversy 126 4.2 A Critical Analysis of the Main Arguments 145 4.2.1 Atonement Orthodoxy 145 4.2.2 The Primary Controlling Status of Penal Substitution 155 4.2.3 Tom Wright‘s Contribution and Atonement Theology 159 Chapter Conclusion 167 v Chapter 5 The Doctrinal Controversy Among British Evangelicals During the Mid-2000s Part 2: 169 Motivations and Strategies 5.1 Motivations 169 5.1.1 Critics of Penal Substitution – Social Gospel 169 Evangelism 5.1.2 Critics of Penal Substitution – Widening the Content 171 of the Gospel Proclaimed by Evangelicals beyond the Death of Jesus and Penal Substitution 5.1.3 Critics of Penal Substitution – Seeking to Overcome the 175 Guilt and the Image of God and Humanity Promoted by Penal Substitution 5.1.4 Critics of Penal Substitution – Concern Regarding the 176 Impact Penal Substitution can have on wider Criminal Justice Policy and the Role of Violence 5.1.5 Advocates of Penal Substitution – Feeling ‗Under 179 Attack‘ and Counterattacking to ‗Defend the Faith‘ 5.1.6 Advocates of Penal Substitution – Shoring up the 185 Boundaries of what Constitutes Authentic British Evangelicalism in the Contemporary Context 5.1.7 The Evangelical Alliance (UK) and its Involvement in 188 the Controversy 5.2 Strategies 191 5.2.1 Restriction and Control 191 5.2.2 The Use and Intentional Manipulation of Media 194 5.2.3 Denial of Orthodoxy 201 5.2.4 Exclusion 205 5.2.5 The Assertion of Superior Scholarship 210 Chapter Conclusion – Observations on the 214 Controversy vi General Conclusion 221 Appendices 1 Details of Interviews Conducted 228 2 Short Biographies of Interviewees 229 3 Methodology for Obtaining and Analysing 235 Research Data Concerning the Controversy During the Mid-2000s 4 Example of the Initial Interview Request 244 Letter 5 Example of the Explanatory Letter and the 245 Consent and Acknowledgement Form Bibliography 247 vii Introduction At the beginning of 2004 a fierce doctrinal debate broke out among British evangelicals. The controversy concerned a particular model of the Christian doctrine of the atonement, known as penal substitution, and its place in the construction of British evangelical identity. The trigger for this controversy was the publication in December 2003 of The Lost Message of Jesus. This is a superficially innocuous book authored by the high-profile English Baptist pastor Steve Chalke and one of his then collaborators, Alan Mann. However, a series of extraordinary events followed its publication. The book itself, and subsequent publications by Steve Chalke (and others aligned with him), were forcefully criticised by a number of key figures within British evangelicalism and The Lost Message of Jesus was banned from the bookshop of at least one prominent evangelical conference.1 Soon thereafter, public meetings were convened in which strongly held positions were vigorously debated.

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