Habakkuk and Redemption: An Alternative Paradigm

<p>In Tony’s second talk on Habakkuk he opens up the topic of ‘penal substitution’ which is increasingly controversial today.  For many it is the bedrock of the gospel but for a growing number it is an uneasy doctrine that suggests a nasty picture of God. Where do we go with this?  And why on earth is Habakkuk in any way relevant to the issue?  In this talk Tony pursues a multi-perspectival approach to the topic.  He explains how it is based on a metaphor, and begins by diagnosing some of the metaphor’s strengths and weaknesses.  He then suggests a different metaphor – one that dominated the Old Testament far more than the ‘penal substitution’ model and one that is described in Habakkuk in richly poetic terms. This talk aims to begin a journey for us so like any good inquiry it opens up the topic rather than trying to package a neat answer. Whatever the case, we need to think this topic through far more deeply.</p>