Yeah - and I forgot to mention to @Dale that this was too much hyperbole on my part. …Like I’m such an “authority” on Penner that I can declare chapter 4 to be any sort of ‘pinnacle’ of his labors. I certainly didn’t mean to come across that way. Take it as an expression of my enthusiasm for what he says (and how he says it) in chapter 4.
Meanwhile, like Kendel, I didn’t really understand much of what you wrote either beyond that I took it to be your confidence that some of these other ‘more rowdy’ folks would take Penner out behind the woodshed - I don’t doubt that for a moment. (And I also vote for Penner as being the most likely party to be ‘turning the other cheek’ to his enemies with whatever transpired behind that woodshed.) I entertain no illusions whatsoever that Penner’s thesis really ticks off a lot of Christians (those who even know about it), beyond even just a few at the ‘rowdy’ margins that you note. But as it all turns out, after listening to and reading from so many on this subject, it’s not so much Penner’s faith and discipleship that I’m having doubts about, so much as the wider western culture at whom Penner’s critique is aimed. Turns out that Penner might be more the true disciple in wanting to emulate the guy getting nailed to the cross, rather than joining with the rest of ‘Christian’ society as it chooses to admire the ones wielding the hammers instead.