I believe the actual resurrection of Jesus is the only plausible explanation for why his followers risked death and were actually martyred over and over for their claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. Their boldness in sharing the amazing story, and the work of the Holy Spirit among Jesus’ followers, led to the rapid growth of those who followed Jesus.

But what was the meaning of the death and resurrection events? If these events did not happen to appease God the Father’s need of  justice for sins against Him, then why did they happen? And what sense can someone 2000 years later make of the earliest followers’ understanding of Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”?

Now, in my fifties, I find major parts of the traditional Easter story troubling, and increasingly difficult to accept as “gospel truth”. At the heart of this story is a God who, although He created all things, finds His most beautiful creation (humankind) to be hopelessly stained with sin. This sin creates a barrier that only a blood sacrifice can break through. At the heart of this story is a God who is unable to forgive sins without a blood sacrifice, and who arranges somehow to place the sins of the entire world upon His Son, who then receives a torturous death to somehow purchase forgiveness for other people.

I am convinced there must be another way of interpreting Jesus’ death and resurrection. There must be a more beautiful story.