What a Book! Finally something that makes sense to me.

The following information regarding the crucifixion was taken from a book entitled, “Repair My House – becoming a Kindom Catholic” written by Michael H. Crosby (Michael H. Crosby is a Capuchin Franciscan with degrees in economics and New Testament spirituality.)    Regarding the title, Repair My House” – St. Francis of Assisi heard this instruction from a crucifix in a ruined chapel, inspiring his radical mission of church renewal.   Bob and I were blessed to see Assisi and this crucifix when we traveled to Italy a year ago (October 20110).

Taken from page 11 & 12 

“………at a deeper theological level, the form of child abuse that is too often actually promoted has been part of our mindset for centuries.  This refers to the soteriology (salvation story) that it was “God the Father’s will that Jesus, His only Son, die on the cross in order to save us from our sins.”  In other words, God the Father willed that Jesus be killed as the way God decided could be the only way to bring about atonement for humanity’s sins.   This is child abuse, by any definition.  It is just less violent to say that God willed Jesus to die than to say God wanted Jesus to be killed.  Interpreted literally, this would make God at least complicit in child abuse, the murder of “His own Son,” for in Catholic theology to will the sin to occur is to be guilty of it as much as the one who makes it happen.   Furthermore, for such a killing, God would have to have willed that those doing the killing violate God’s own revelation as found in the Fifth Commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.”  Again, God would be guilty of breaking God’s own commandment.

I am happy to belong to the Franciscan tradition for many reasons, but one of them involves the rejection of such a “theological” notion.  Indeed, Blessed John Duns Scotus taught that God, being unconditioned by anything (or anyone) but love, could “only come to earth” for one reason: to manifest that love.  Therefore the reason for the incarnation was not the sin of humans but God’s love. The death of Jesus was the inevitable consequence of that love, but never willed by God. “

The sentences below are paraphrased from pages 94 and 137:

It was the evangelical radicalism of the message of Jesus which led him to be crucified as subversive to the imperial household (i.e., the Roman Empire).   

There is also an understanding expressed that there was no necessary reason for God to come to earth except love that is unconditional.