Atonement stuff
You may have heard of the atonement.
If you are new to Christianity, the atonement is concerned with the role of the cross and what it revaled about the nature of God and humanity.
The question is why did Jesus die? If Jesus is God, why did God let him be killed? As S. Mark Heim argues: We say both that the cross saves, and it didn't need to happen. This is a crucial paradox (in Saved from Sacrifice: A Theology of The Cross).
Progressives have to recognize that the cross saves. What we do not need, however, is to accept that such salvation requires the mental sadomasochism that is attributed to it. The cross illumines that violence does not need to happen for our lives to have value. Unlike myths, which conceal violence, this historical event shows a light over the roots of all violence. The story, with its appearance in history, changed the way we look at ourselves. The entire world was transformed because the victim now had a voice. Some people have so inculcated this concern for the victim, they don't recognize what a remarkable account the gospels offer.
Unfortunately, lots of this includes speculation about hell. Jesus went down to hell, so the theory goes, and was punished so that we wouldn't be for our various transgressions. I find this a bit incomprehensible, perhaps occasionally useful, and probably unnecessary, unless I'm telling people they are wrong and I'm right.
I don't believe in a physical hell, but I admire those who do. People who believe in hell are very happy because they are the ones who are convinced they aren't going there.
I don't want to rob them of their happiness.
Jesus believed in hell, but we don't know if he was using geological time or spiritual time: as in the Jewish calendar. Personally, I think he was making a simple point: actions have consequences. If you want war, you'll get war. If you want peace, then work for peace. But there is no reason for sacrifice. As Heim notes - Jesus warned of wars and rumors of wars. He never said we should fight in them.
This is the meaning of salvation. We don't need to gobble each other up to have a human community, to live with one another. That is good news, news that may just save the world. The crucifixion of Jesus revealed our willingness to sacrifice a victim. Our witness, our salvation, resides in our unwillingness to do this again. God's role is not to abuse or kill us. That God has been played out. Forever.