Keeping the irony in atonement

“So how do we talk about Jesus’ death in a way that keeps the irony necessary for a crucifixion to be good news? Perhaps we begin by leaving to one side all the theories and staying with the narratives in the gospels. The basic structure of those narratives is that Jesus returns from death and seeks out relationship with those who in one way or another participated in his death, starting with those most intimate to him,” says Dr Peter Kline from St Francis College