February 17, 2024 
Reviewed by:
G. Connor Salter, Professional Writing alumnus from Taylor University, Upland, IN.
Title:
The Wood Between the Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross
Author:
Brain Zahnd
Publisher:
InterVarsity Press
Publication Date:
February 6, 2024
Format:
Paperback
Length:
216 pages
OVERVIEW
What does it mean that Christ’s death on the cross changed everything? What if his example doesn’t just change the state of our salvation, but it goes further? Does it give an example for how we can live across all areas? Does the reality that he defeated evil by love shift how we understand fighting evil? Brian Zahnd addresses these questions and others as he explores the cross and its implications.
Zahnd may be best known for his book Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God. There, he discussed how he slowly came to reject the fiery, bloodthirsty god depicted in Jonathan Edwards’ famous sermon. Zahnd then led readers through a discussion about how whether Christians need to believe that sermon’s iconic imagery. How much of the wrathful, warmongering God really fits with the New Testament? How much of the imagery is cultural—specifically, the product of a certain kind of American Calvinism intermingled with colonialism and other factors? Zahnd addressed some of these questions even further in his later book Farewell to Mars—Mars as in the god of war, while Christ is a peacemaker.
Here, readers can see Zahnd continuing in that same interesting, provocative direction. There are chapters on whether pacifism is closer to the gospel than just war theory. Reflections on whether the Bible actually says God poured his wrath on Jesus at Golgotha, or we have mixed up the imagery (a point that Matt Bohlmann addresses in The Fall and Return of Shadowmere). Thoughts on how Jesus’ death shows his love for humanity at the cross.
It’s all very thought-provoking, and more orthodox than some readers will think. Orthodoxy means whatever fits the historic Christian faith as explored in the Bible and church creeds—Jennifer Woodruff Tait gives an excellent overview of several early creeds in Christian History in Seven Sentences. These sources give a blueprint for what Christians must believe yet leave room for debate on smaller topics. For example, we have to believe that there is evil and Christians must avoid it, but can hold any of several views on whether we can use violent force to resist evil. Augustine’s just war theory allows for Christians to be soldiers. Others (such as the anabaptist tradition) argue that living Christ’s way of peace means Christians cannot return violence with violence.
So, much of what Zahnd is saying is not heretical (outside orthodoxy). Occasionally he’s heterodox—a little outside the mainstream—and he often argues against things that White Anglo-Saxon Protestants in the evangelical tradition take for granted. But, at his best, his books are conversation starters, pushing readers to consider how much cultural baggage their faith carries and whether they must get back to the Bible and acquire a new view of God.
The struggle is that Zahn isn’t at his best in this book. One reason that Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God was so effective was its structure. Zahnd began every chapter with an idea or anecdote that readers sympathized with, then slowly nudged them toward rethinking that idea. It was often shocking, but always methodical. Here, he’s not quite as methodical.
Sometimes he is very effective. He discusses Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and what it teaches us about resisting the urge to compromise our ethics for quick power. As the Ring of Power tempts people to side with evil to get power, the church should remember that compromising our position for influence will corrupt us.
Other chapters work less well. The chapter on pacifism comes across as just a bit shrill. Zahnd makes some good points about how Augustine’s just war theory didn’t develop until after Roman emperor Constantine gave the church political power. Ronald J. Sider makes a compelling argument in a 2020 article for Plough that the fact the church’s first few generations appear to have been consistently against killing anyone ever means that pacifism is closest to the gospel. Zahnd moves more quickly, and relies a little too much on assertions to make his point interesting.
Admittedly, the problem may be that Zahnd has given himself a huge task. He’s tread this territory before, so whatever he says must be extra good to avoid feeling like an appendix to his earlier books.
He’s also implied this book must be good because his title and method allude to classic writers. “The wood between the worlds” is an image from C.S. Lewis’ book The Magician’s Nephew, so the allusion reminds readers of how good Lewis was at gently provoking people to rethink their faith. Zahnd describes “the wood between the worlds” as the phrase he’s using to talk about the cross—how it is the Bible’s center, and therefore reality’s center—which brings to mind G.K. Chesterton’s description of the cross in Orthodoxy. Zahnd’s method resembles Chesterton’s writings (starting with what readers assume, suggesting a paradoxical solution), and Chesterton looms large in discussions about Lewis, so the similar language must be deliberate. So, Zahnd sets himself as following in the footsteps of two great Christian thinkers, and perhaps inevitably doesn’t reach their level.
All told, The Wood Between the Worlds may lack some finesse, but it leaves readers with intriguing questions well worth pursuing. An engaging look at the cross.
Rating (1 to 5 stars):
4 stars.
Suggested Audience:
Readers seeking accessible thought-provoking discussions about the crucifixion and how to formulate a Christological worldview.
Christian impact:
Zahnd clearly shows how studying the cross can radically shift how we think about everything in life. His ideas may overreach his grasp occasionally, but he does demonstrate the cross means far more than just a get-out-of-hell-free pass. It changes everything.
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