Victus can be translated as food.

Perhaps Jesus as food for the journey giving strength for mankind to endure the crosses it finds itself upon is worth contemplating as well?

It could be revolutionary or at least radical (returning to roots).

I think the Eastern Orthodox Church still holds to this form and believes that Jesus’ death brings us victory over death and provides for the ultimate transformation of humanity into divinity. Contrast this with it simply giving us an escape from hell and our being returned to the ordinary Garden variety of Adamic existence.
For me the prospect of becoming like Jesus is more appealing on many levels than the idea of returning to the Edenic condition.

I have not settled on which approach is the truest one yet but I am leaning heavily towards the ancient Orhtodox Christus Victus(?) position.

I do think there is an element of neccessity in the Fall because only by allowing us the full reign of our freedom can we enter into the process required for the Sons of God to be created and revealed. So in some regard I think the Fall is part of God’s plan and provsion to get us into the game that will result in making us fit companions for Jesus, the spirit and the King. The fellowship of suffering plays heavily into my conception and the cross is a good approximation of the worst that any of us can go thru in our earthly existence. Perhaps this is also part of what was being accompished in Jesus’ death.

The traditional Christus Victus would be modified in my position but it is much closer to my thinking than the penal substituionary idea that you are speaking against.

So I think in some sense suffering is redemptive if not exactly sacrificial.
It must at least be substitutionary though because many innocents suffer immensely while great sinners often go their graves fat and happy.
And to give meaning to the sufering of innocents I feel they must be closely allied with Jesus in this suffering redemptive plan. And their suffering is for some large ultimate good and not for nothing.

I don’t know if I agree with your thesis because I don’t know if I understand it yet.
What was the death of Jesus about in your theology? Was it an example for us to emulate? Was it an exposure of evil that would repel us away from it? Was it an oblect lesson in the futility of sacrifice?
Are you saying that Jesus’ death does away with the scarifical system of religion practiced in the Old Testament, but doesn’t the traditional intepretation say the same? His death is the sacrifice that ends all sacrifice, isn’t it?
Does the concept of judgement and hell (which is disatasteful to say the least) motivate your desire to interpret Jesus’ death in a non sacrifical way?
I can certainly sympathize with wanting to overthrow the narrow definition of salvation that is prevalent in evangelical christianity but isn’t throwing out the reconciliation of substituionaly death more radical than required to address this?

BTW I am all in favour of a rebirth of the faith brought about by a reformation if not a revolution. I’m just not sure if your theological appraoch is the way ahead.
I am open to be convinced and I will try to investigate this more.

Thanks for the great info.

Great blog …