Following the 9 11 terrorist attacks in the United States there was prolific misuse and abuse
of the concept of divine wrath in church pulpits. In pursuit of a faithful understanding of
what he calls a lost doctrine the author of this study investigates the substantial history of
how the wrath of God has been interpreted in Christian theology and preaching. Starting with
the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures and moving historically through Christianity's most
important theologians and societal changes several models of divine wrath are identified. The
author argues for the reclamation of a theological paradigm of divine wrath that approaches
God's love and God's wrath as intrinsically enjoined in a dynamic tension. Without such a
commitment to this paradigm this important biblical aspect of God is in danger of suffering
two possible outcomes. Firstly it may suffer rejection through conscious avoidance of the
narrow misinterpretations of divine wrath that dominate contemporary theology and preaching.
Secondly irresponsible applications of divine wrath may occur when we neglect to engage and
understand the wrath of God as inseparable from God's justice and love in Christian theology
and proclamation.
