Reconciliation in Christ? Atonement and Sacrifice
Touchstones of disunity or the pathway to communion?
Saturday 14 June 2008 10.30 – 3pm
Cheyneygates, Dean’s Yard
Westminster Abbey, London SW1
Canon Nicholas Sagovsky
Westminster Abbey
Douglas Knight
Theologian and Author
The doctrine of the atonement has been controversial within Anglican thinking in recent years, marking the different principles held by evangelical, Anglican Catholic and those in the liberal traditions. In 2005 too, the Evangelical Alliance’s stakeholders looked closely at the differing emphases and positions among its members.
The concepts of sacrifice and atonement also go to the heart of catholicity in the Roman Catholic tradition and the nature and purpose of the Church in other Churches and Communions, as well as in relation between them. The centrality of Christ’s sacrifice is common to many of the Churches’ celebration of the Eucharist – yet it is the very point on which they have most disagreed.
What of the Jewish origins of our concept of sacrifice, and our relation with contemporary Judaism? And seeing that self-sacrifice and martyrdom are at the core of Christian’s common faith in Christ, how does that reflect on our understanding of Islam in the contemporary world where similar ideas remain potent?
Nicholas Sagovsky, Douglas Knight and other distinguished thinkers from across the Church help us to understand where unity can be found and how we might reach it.
I have copied out the flier before me, without comment. Make up your own jokes, but kindly book via ecumenicalstudies@btinternet.com. The day promises to end well – Evensong is at 3pm. I shall hang everything I say on the prospect of Evensong, and the privilege of being able to raise our voices to God in song. Come along, and if you have any idea how to answer any of these questions, mail me.
