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I was flattered to be asked to contribute to the latest edition of the journal, Bible in TransMission, which is produced by the Bible Society.
The theme is ‘Sin: the human plight’, and I was asked to provide some reflections following on from my book, Atonement for a ‘Sinless’ Society.
You can find out more about the journal and download a pdf of the whole article here: http://www.biblesociety.org.uk/l3.php?id=311
But here is a taster of ‘Understanding Sin, Recognising Shame’
Unquestionably, Christian theology, has a well-developed notion of guilt and the rites and rituals deemed necessary to deal with it. Such tradition has served the church and its constituents well. However, in a society where guilt is a marginal concern , what is needed is a fresh engagement with the gospel narratives. We need to re-hear them in the light of shame, and so understand their relevance to this issue.