Dissertation
Hermeneutics of Sacrifice: Wrestling with the Death of Christ in a Feminist and Ecological World
(2020)
Abstract
Trying to make sense of the brutal crucifixion of Jesus Christ has been one of the more controversial tasks of soteriological discourse in Christianity. While always understood within the light of the resurrection, scripture abounds with multiple metaphors that have attempted to ascribe salvific meaning to the cross. From a Catholic standpoint, sacrifice, and in particular, a “sacrifice for sins” has remained central to both theological and liturgical reflections on the death of Jesus. While the language of sacrifice pervades Catholic liturgy and has been used throughout the Christian tradition to describe the salvific meaning of the cross, its use has been particularly challenging in light of contemporary critiques that have emerged from the fields of feminist, womanist, and eco-theologies. Many theologians operating within these fields view the language of sacrifice as damaging for those on the very margins of society, for it continues to perpetuate violence and abuse. Some feminist and womanist theologians find it deeply problematic to claim that Jesus’ death was anything other than a brutal crucifixion, disclosing the reality of a violent world plagued by patriarchal power structures. For many eco-theologians, there has been an over-emphasis on the cross as a “sacrifice for sins,” which confines soteriological discourse to the human realm.
Publication Date
2020
Degree
Ph.D. Theology
Citation Information
King, C. (2020). Hermeneutics of Sacrifice: Wrestling with the Death of Christ in a Feminist and Ecological World. https://curate.nd.edu/show/5999n299w6f