Monday, August 14, 2006
A New Mormon View of the Atonement?
A recent issue of the Dialogue journal (an unofficial and controversial publication by Mormons) included the article "The Divine-Infusion Theory: Rethinking the Atonement" by Jacob Morgan (Vol. 39 No. 1, Spring 2006, not available online).Last week, a Mormon over at Joel's Monastery summarized and interacted with Morgan's theory. Here is an excerpt:
Morgan begins by discussing other theories on the atonement and the weaknesses in these theories. He notes that the early and most current Church Authorities have adopted the penal-substitution theory. In a nutshell, this theory is that we must accept Jesus' atonement and repent, or we will pay for our own sins. He gives some good reasons why this theory is not truly sound, such as: if Jesus has already paid for our sins, why must he then insist on us repaying him? How is it that Justice demands not only payment, but also that we stay fully obedient to Christ? It also is contradicted by certain scriptural events: when Alma falls into an angel-induced coma and has a near-death experience, he starts out suffering for his own sins, but upon calling on Jesus' name for deliverance, he is immediately delivered from his sufferings. Why did God not require Alma to suffer for his sins until they were paid for first, and then free him, if the penal substitution theory was in force? The penal-substitution theory requires payment to Justice prior to forgiveness, but Alma seemed to receive it immediately - clearly there are holes in this theory.
Using D&C 93 and 88 as his primary scriptures, Morgan explains that the universe is filled with the Light of Christ. This light infuses all things with existence, and the more light an individual receives the more like God one becomes. Essentially, in the Divine Infusion theory, Christ's atonement lifts the universe out of total spiritual (and possibly also physical) darkness, allowing us to be able to become celestial.
Morgan writes, "The atonement was not a matter of satisfying justice's relentless thirst for suffering. Instead, it was a matter of pulling the universe far enough out of the darkness to make repentance and growth possible. The atonement 'bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance" (Alma 34:15). Thus, the atonement satisfies the demands of justice by making it possible for us to become celestial. A dual emphasis on grace and works follows naturally. Our works make us who we are and determine our final destiny, but every good work we do is enabled and influenced by the light of Christ in us."
What do we make of this? With this view not being taught or endorsed by any LDS church authorities, it could be dismissed as scholarly speculation. At the same time, these church leaders rarely address doctrinal questions anymore, leaving Mormon scholars to pick up the slack. In any case, the "Divine-Infusion" theory is a far cry from the true and biblical teaching of Christ's redemptive work.

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