Best Reading on Atonement
What are some good general books on atonement and its theories in the literature? I am looking for suggestions from the forumities.
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Here’s an interesting one I just started reading so I can’t really say much about it: https://www.logos.com/product/45336/from-heaven-he-came-and-sought-her
It’s on definite atonement. Different authors discussing different aspects of this doctrine.
DAL
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perspectives on election: five views..............can show you different ways of looking at this topic
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Hopefully you'll expand your thinking beyond the protestant world. From 'Reclaiming the Atonement: An Orthodox Theology of Redemption':
"Atonement?
It is imperative that these introductory comments explain somewhat my choice of the word atonement in the title of the present project.
This word is new to Eastern Orthodox theology, which has only recently, after all, found its way into the English language. Much of theological English is dominated by terms of Latin origin: trinity, generation, mission, procession, sacraments, grace, deification, advent, nativity, presentation, redemption, salvation, and so on. Now it is a fact that most Orthodox Christians have no problem using these terms from Western theology. Non-Latin theological words are used less frequently, Lent being the obvious exception.
Since I am writing in English, I hope to find sympathy from other Orthodox Christians for my use of a uniquely English expression, atonement, to designate what Christ the Redeemer accomplished on the earth. ...."
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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Christian Alexander said:
What are some good general books on atonement and its theories in the literature? I am looking for suggestions from the forumities.
Don't miss this classic that shaped the contours for atonement studies for the last 100 years:
I could recommend many monographs on specific aspects and theories, however know that any good, modern systematic theology text should have a chapter on it that will explain the different views in some depth.
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Don't sleep on this Lexham press gem: The Reconciling Wisdom of God: Reframing the Doctrine of the Atonement It's a great read on its own, and the introduction succinctly explains the fatal flaw in Aulen's historiography (i.e. Aulen tells a great story about the history of the doctrine of atonement that doesn't correspond to actual history).
That doesn't diminish the truth of Christus Victor. It simply demonstrates that Jesus accomplished many things on the cross! Christus Victor is true, and so is penal substitution, and so is moral exemplar, etc. (As to the question of which might be primary, I would personally recommend you consider passages like Isa 53:5, Matt 1:21, Matt 26:28, Rom 3:23–26, etc.)
Some good additional resources might be:
- The Cross of Christ, Stott
- Classic Studies on the Atonement (32 vols.)
- As well as the Soteriology section of your favorite systematic theologies
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I think you are probably looking for Four Views on the Nature of the Atonement. Then you can branch out to more specific resources. https://www.logos.com/product/157851/the-nature-of-the-atonement-four-views
Using Logos as a pastor, seminary professor, and Tyndale author
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Here's a few others
Chapter 18 THE ATONEMENT How has the church come to understand the nature and benefits of the atonement?
in Gregg R. Allison, Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011)
J. I. Packer & Mark Dever, In My Place Condemned He Stood: Celebrating the Glory of the Atonement (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2007),
CHAPTER 9 Historical Theories of the Atonement
in David L. Allen, The Atonement: A Biblical, Theological, and Historical Study of the Cross of Christ (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2019),0 -
Justin Gatlin said:
I think you are probably looking for Four Views on the Nature of the Atonement. Then you can branch out to more specific resources. https://www.logos.com/product/157851/the-nature-of-the-atonement-four-views
You probably know this and just overlooked it, but to make a link go "live", you have to make a space after it, which I did above.
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People have given you lots of good suggestions already that cover some of the main atonement theories. But here are a few from an Anabaptist and/or nonviolence perspective:
The Nonviolent Atonement, 2nd ed. by J. Denny Weaver
Stricken by God?: Nonviolent Identification and the Victory of Christ edited by Brad Jersak & Michael Hardin (not available in Logos, but it's in Kindle; and there's a request for it in Logos to vote for)
Instead of Atonement: The Bible’s Salvation Story and Our Hope for Wholeness by Ted Grimsrud (also not available in Logos, but I've posted a request on the feedback board)
Another voice worth learning about is Catholic philosopher/polymath René Girard. He has influenced a lot of newer thinking on the atonement. There's no book of his in Logos, but here's a video that explains his atonement theory.
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The Actuality of the Atonement by Gunton was the text that we used at seminary, but hat was some time ago. The strength of this book is it looks at how various theologians throughout history have viewed the atonement. I used this in 1996, so there may be new books that cover the same material. Avail every in Logos
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Phil Tuften said:
The Actuality of the Atonement by Gunton was the text that we used at seminary, but hat was some time ago. The strength of this book is it looks at how various theologians throughout history have viewed the atonement. I used this in 1996, so there may be new books that cover the same material. Avail every in Logos
The actual title is "The Actuality of Atonement".
https://www.logos.com/product/3057/the-actuality-of-atonement
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Leon Morris' The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross (https://www.logos.com/product/188589/the-apostolic-preaching-of-the-cross-3rd-rev-ed) is a good one.
Being from the Reformed pursuation, J.I. Packer's introduction to the Death of Death in the Death of Christ, by John Owen (Banner of Truth edition) is a very clear treatment of limited atonement. Even if you reject limited atonement, you should read Packer before you do. It's also very readable as well, unlike John Owen.
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Removed duplicate post.
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Hi Bill do you have the text of Packer's work you suggested?
Thanks everyone for this list of readings. I cannot wait to hear from more of you all.
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Christian Alexander said:
the text of Packer's work
It's in Logos: https://ref.ly/logosres/myplccndmndhstd?ref=Page.p+111 (some 30+ pages long)
J. I. Packer, “Saved by His Precious Blood: An Introduction to John Owen’s: The Death of Death in the Death of Christ,” in In My Place Condemned He Stood: Celebrating the Glory of the Atonement (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2007), 111.
Have joy in the Lord!
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I am trying to unravel the different theories of atonement. I have read a lot of the books above but I do not understand the theories. What is a good work on that?
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Sean said:
Don't miss this classic that shaped the contours for atonement studies for the last 100 years:
This, indeed! Couldn´t be more influential and more discussion stirring!
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GaoLu said:
GaoLu: Hi. I took a look thru the book list you thoughtfully provided. I have several of them; it was good to compare what I have with what is out there.
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Christian Alexander said:
I am trying to unravel the different theories of atonement. I have read a lot of the books above but I do not understand the theories. What is a good work on that?
Maybe one of the Spectrum Multiview, Counterpoints, or Perspectives Series books would help. These include the views of multiple authors, often engaging each of the different theories and offering countering viewpoints.
- The Nature of the Atonement: Four Views
- Five Views on the Extent of the Atonement
- Perspectives on the Extent of the Atonement: Three Views
There are also lots of older and minor theories, so you might be interested in:
- Historic Theories of Atonement: With Comments (includes ancient Greek Church theories, Western Catholic Doctrine, Anselm and Satisfaction to the Divine Honour, Abelard and Moral Influence Theories, Historic Protestantism and the Penal Scheme, Grotianism, Theories of Vicarious Penitence, "Redemption by Sample", and a chapter on minor theories propounded by Bushnell, Fairbairn, Westcott, and Ritschl).
Another older theory not mentioned in the above book is the Moral Governmental Theory, based on the theology of Jonathan Edwards, and covered by Obbie Tyler Todd in this book:
There's also the ever-helpful "Guide for the Perplexed" series which has a volume on this topic:
Believe it or not, Wikipedia has quite a number of good articles on Atonement theories that you can access by starting here and clicking through on various links to named theories:
What I recommend you do, is active reading (a good idea anyway whenever you read books): take notes as you read and create a chart listing all the atonement theories you come across in the left column, then a middle column for major proponents of this theory and/or books that describe it, then a column for a description of that theory. Maybe a column in there somewhere for the dates of when the theory was prevalent. As you work to put this chart together, you will be learning to distinguish between the various theories. I just started this task myself, and I'm already finding it a useful exercise. So far I have 13 rows in my table, but there are more theories out there, I'm sure...
Other books that I purchased in order to work on my project of creating this chart:
- Proclaiming the Scandal of the Cross: Contemporary Images of the Atonement
- The Curse Removed: A Look at Image-Based Atonement
- The Cross in Context: Reconsidering Biblical Metaphors for Atonement
- Approaching the Atonement: The Reconciling Work of Christ
- The Atonement: An Introduction (Short Studies in Systematic Theology)
- A Community Called Atonement: Living Theology
- The Mosaic of Atonement: An Integrated Approach to Christ’s Work
There are another couple of books in pre-pub that I ordered:
- Recovering the Scandal of the Cross: Atonement in New Testament and Contemporary Contexts
- The Atonement Debate: Papers from the London Symposium on the Theology of Atonement
There are also these books which Logos doesn't carry, but which I bought in Kindle and recommended that Logos get:
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Rosie Perera said:
There are also these books which Logos doesn't carry, but which I bought in Kindle and recommended that Logos get:
I upvoted.....All the best on your project.
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Just released in Logos:
Varieties of Christian Universalism: Exploring Four Views, David W. Congdon [ed.]
Sorry, I don't know how to create the blue hot read to it's page.
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scooter said:
Just released in Logos:
Varieties of Christian Universalism: Exploring Four Views, David W. Congdon [ed.]
Sorry, I don't know how to create the blue hot read to it's page.
Here's how:
First, find the book on the Logos website, right-click on its title, and select Copy Link (or select the link URL from the address bar in your browser if you're already at the book's product description page).
Then come back to the forum where you're typing your message, and do this:
1. Select the text that you want to turn into a link
2. Click the chain-link icon
3. Paste the link/URL into the Link URL box.
4. Click Insert.
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