Incarnation Against Incarceration: A Dialogue Between Christian Theology and Prison Abolitionism Open Access

Barber, Jacob (Spring 2024)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/vt150k59h?locale=en
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Abstract

Incarnation Against Incarceration brings Christian theological ethics and prison abolitionist theory into conversation. Episcopal theologian Kathryn Tanner’s christologically-grounded principles of unconditional, universal, and non-competitive giving provide a frame for this dialogue. Her approach is then used to engage with data ranging from the theoretical to the social scientific to the practical. Specifically, this thesis argues that Tanner’s three principles of giving offer an alternative to punitive theological and ethical theories, make a critique of the material dynamics of incarceration, and provide a direction for practical action in movements for social change. On this basis, I conclude that faithful Christian discipleship calls for rejection of penal theories and carceral practices, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, calls for participation in abolitionist movements, sustained by hope in God’s grace.

Table of Contents

Introduction, p. 6 Chapter 1: Atonement and Ethics, p. 19 Chapter 2: Engaging Abolition, p. 43 Chapter 3: Indicating a Horizon, p. 60 Bibliography, p. 79

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