Not for Myself Alone

Abstract

This chapter puts Elizabeth Johnson’s Creation and the Cross in conversation with Numinous Treasure Daoism and the traditions that flow from it. The comparison yields a theology of penance that fills the void left by Johnson’s accompaniment interpretation of the cross. The proposal is that penance is a necessary response to sin by the Christian who participates in the voluntary suffering of Christ. Penance is not limited to the cross (penance of diminishment) but includes participating in the atoning activities of Christ’s ministry (penance of growth). These lead to atonement which is a reconciliation with the Divine Will. The comparison also points to the radically social dimension of penance: Penance is not performed for the penitent alone, but for the entire cosmos.