encouraging signs of a wider understanding of the atonement

I have been so busy the past few weeks working with thousands of volunteers in our Holiday Center as they served over 5000 families (we will serve 8000 more in December) that I have been out of pocket media-wise (except for listening as much as possible to Sufjan Stevens, My Morning Jacket, Matt Pond PA and Fiona Apple). My TiVo is loaded with unwatched Daily Shows and other assorted programs. My email accounts are loaded with unread messages. My blogroll is untouched. My newspapers are in a pile in the corner and my Economist sits patiently in the bathroom waiting for a movement.

All this is to say, I am taking the long weekend to not only spend time with family and friends. I will also watch football (especially FSU/UF), catch up on reading and plugging into the media machine. As I surf the blog-world this evening I happily came upon a wonderful discussion of a terribly important theological matter on the Missional Baptist Blog. It seems that the reality that the theory/ metaphor of substitutionary penal atonement is even being re-examined by a few Southern Baptists.

Please read the blog posting and its comments for insight into some encouraging signs of a deeper understanding of the Atonement and the nature of the Gospel.

Links on the site include this discussion of rethinking penal substitution and this good book.