The Empathic God: A Clinical Theology of At-Onement
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
What if Jesus did not come to die for our sins? What if, instead, Jesus’s life and death was intended to provide a way out of our shame? While traditional Christian teachings about the atonement emphasize sin as guilt and transgression against God’s will and commandments, Frank Woggon points out that clinical spiritual care reveals that the human condition is predominantly marked by shame rather than guilt.
In The Empathic God, Woggon examines myopic readings of the Jesus event that, in turn, have embedded distortions into traditional paradigms of the atonement. In contrast, Woggon mines narratives of the human condition to engage in a critical examination of the Jesus story. As a clinician and ordained Baptist minister, Woggon presents the Jesus event as God’s empathic initiative toward humanity and convincingly argues that salvation comes through empathy rather than forgiveness.
Woggon’s work constructs a clinical theology of “at-onement” from the perspective of clinical spiritual care. The Empathic God calls for a practical response of caring participation in God’s ongoing work of salvation through an empathic praxis of spiritual care. Most importantly, The Empathic God takes seriously that lived human experience is the starting point for theological exploration rather than doctrine.
This book will help practitioners and students of spiritual care in the Christian tradition to reflect more critically on the intersection of spiritual care practice and theology. The book also will challenge pastors, ministers of pastoral care, chaplains, pastoral counselors, spiritually oriented therapists to interrogate and re-interpret traumatic, shame-filled Christian teachings about the atonement so that they, too, can join in God’s ongoing and liberating work of salvation.
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- Points out that clinical spiritual care reveals that the human condition is predominantly marked by shame.
- Explains a clinical theology of “at-onement” from the perspective of clinical spiritual care.
- Encourages to reflect more critically on the intersection of spiritual care practice and theology.
- Preface
- Introduction
- Part One: A Problematic Atonement
- 1. Tradition
- 2. Re-Visions
- Part Two: Life Narratives of Shame, Salvation, and Redemption
- 3. Frederick Buechner: Telling Secrets
- 4. Toni Morrison: Beloved
- Part Three: Shame
- 5. Psychological Perspectives
- 6. Theological Approaches
- Part Four: Empathy
- 7. Clinical Theories and Applications
- 8. A Theological Interpretation
- Part Five: Practicing At-Onement
- 9. Toward an Empathic Praxis of Spiritual Care
- Bibliography
- Index of Names, Scripture References, and Subjects
The Empathic God is a masterpiece. In this groundbreaking contribution, Frank Woggon skillfully engages pastoral, theological, and clinical perspectives from his experiences as a spiritual care provider, educator, administrator, and researcher to explore new understandings of at-onement. This book will stimulate new conversations among theological educators and students, clergy and chaplains, and other readers who seek to interpret human experience with fresh insights into a classical theological doctrine.
—Kenneth J. McFayden, vice president for academic affairs and academic dean,and professor of practical theology, Union Presbyterian Seminary
Frank Woggon redefines the narrative of the concept of atonement in a way that liberates it from traditional themes that often suppress and oppress. In the context of spiritual care, this reframing invites all to see this move as a means of healing of body, mind, and spirit. Practitioners in both the clinical and congregational setting can utilize this text to enhance their care of persons who are seeking to integrate faith practices into their lives.
—Bishop Teresa E. Snorton, Clinical Pastoral Educator (ACPE and BCC) (retired),Ecumenical Bishop, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Atonement theology has fallen on hard times, it seems, but Frank Woggon’s book The Empathic God: A Clinical Theology of At-Onement breaks open this central Christian understanding with freshness, clarity, and comprehensiveness. This book will remain a valuable resource that touches this core Christian understanding with theological and spiritual integrity as well as grounded life-praxis. Pastoral practitioners as well as theological and spiritual seekers--even those soured on the question--will find a guide and a friend in this book.
—William S. Schmidt, professor, Loyola University Chicago
- Title: The Empathic God: A Clinical Theology of At-Onement
- Author: Frank Woggon
- Publisher: Fortress Press
- Print Publication Date: 2024
- Pages: 306
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
- ISBNs: 9781506496696, 1506496695
- Resource ID: LLS:MPTHCGDCTHTNMNT
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-09-12T21:19:28Z