There's an interesting attack on the 'penal substitution theory' of atonement going to be broadcast on Radio 4's Lent Talk this evening. Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans will be giving the talk. They played an extract on Today this morning in which John said "This [theory] is repulsive as well as nonsensical. It makes God sound like a psychopath. If a human behaved like this we'd say that they were a monster" and had Jonathan Bartley and some guy from Reform discussing it. Here's a link to a Telegraph article about it too (of course, being the media, they have to bring John's sexuality into it - the suggestion being that he's an all-round deviant: not just gay but a heretic too - grrrr).
It's probably worth a listen - think they publish the transcript after the broadcast too.

Labels: BBC Lent Talks, Jeffrey John, penal substitution