Many books on the Christian doctrine of atonement have been publishedin recent years. Some point out the difficulties of traditionalatonement theories; others attempt a revision of one of the classicalthree types; others attempt to combine aspects of these types.

Jennings attempts something new: by approaching the question of themeaning of the cross through close attention to the biblical passagesthat serve as the basis of any reflection on the cross of Jesus and anengagement with patristic as well as contemporary discussion. Theresult is an alternative theology of the cross that grounds themessage concerning the cross in the socio-political reality in whichit was historically located and points to the way in which thismessage bears upon contemporary social and ecclesial reality.

Jennings's truly fresh understanding for Christians of the meaning ofJesus' death specifically grounds the cross in the concrete politicalconfrontation within which it occurred, relates the message about thecross to the practice of Jesus (thus keeping in relationship thegospels and the theology of Paul), and shows how the cross bears onovercoming of human division and sin, reconciliation to God, and newforms of social reality in the community of the crucified.