A Cry in the Darkness : The Forsakenness of Jesus in Scripture, Theology, and Experience

The dying cry of Jesus as recorded in Mark's Gospel, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?', has puzzled and inspired Christian thinkers and preachers through the ages. In the past it has raised questions about the historicity of the events of the cross, the identity of Jesus, and the meaning of atonement. In our present day, this cry has taken a central place in grappling with the problems of human suffering and in exploring the idea of the suffering of God. In this book Anthony Clarke brings together a careful exegesis of the Gospel text with a study of the way it has been used by four modern theologians: Jurgen Moltmann, Dorothee Solle, Eberhard Jungel and Hans Urs Von Balthasar. This leads him to conclusions about the vulnerability and justice of God which began to meet the challenge of doing theology after the Holocaust. He also draws practical implications about hope for both the Godless and the Godforsaken. Throughout, he shows the way that biblical study, theological thinking and pastoral experience are related in reflecting this cry of forsakenness uttered in the darkness of the cross. A Cry in the Darkness Contents Acknowledgements Foreword 1: Introduction: Seeing Salvation Strangely Part I—The Scriptural Basis 2: A Test Case? 3: A Climactic Point? 4: A Happy Ending? 5: A True Account? Part II—The Theological Implications 6: Jürgen Moltmann: Exploring the Opposites 7: Dorothee Sölle: Interpreting the Story 8: Eberhard Jüngel: Receiving the Revelation 9: Hans Urs von Balthasar: Renewing the Tradition Part III—The Pastoral Experience 10: Vulnerability: Overcoming Conflict 11: Love: Pursuing Atonement 12: Justice: Seeking Theodicy Afterword Index of Biblical References Index of Names and Subjects