The Nature of Atonement - Four Views

Recently, I have been hunkered down, reading and writing for my Systematic Theology class. I had to write a review of a few books. Here is the first. Why let all this work go to waste, right?

In today’s modern world of technology and information being readily available for consumption at the click of a mouse, scholarship is something that is continually lacking. With access to a myriad of topics becoming as easy as shopping in a retail store, hearing from men and women with exceptional academic backgrounds is encouraging and refreshing. The Nature of Atonement is a great example of a collection of individuals who are learned in the world of biblical scholarship and are offering insights and examples into thinking through the atonement critically.

The apostle Paul in his letter to the believers at Corinth communicated the significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; with out which, our faith futile. Over the three days many different important things happened, one of which was the atonement. Atonement in its core is, “the saving work of Jesus” but how this works itself out is a much debated issue. It is argued from many different directions, taking place at different times and accomplishing a variety of things.

Paul Eddy and James Beilby in their introduction to the four views of the atonement begin with this statement, “Today however, the waterway has begun to flow anew, and the atonement is again a matter for serious and widespread discussion at the theological roundtable.” This is a great primer for this book as well as this review. The roundtable that Eddy and Beilby form contains; Gregory Boyd and the Christus Victor view, Joel Green and the kaliedoscopic View, Bruce Reichenbach and the healing view and Thomas Schriener with the penal substitution view. Each theologian provides an appropriate introduction to their view of the atonement as well as a response to the others.

The first view we are introduced to is the Christus Victor view as presented by Greg Boyd. He begins his essay by placing in in context of the broader spiritual warfare motif that runs through scripture. First, in the Old Testament it is portrayed through YHWH’s battles with hostile waters and vicious sea monsters that plague the earth. This included the broader non-israelite belief in various deities like Marduk and Baal. He moves onto Satan in the New Testament. Boyd explains it in this way, “While Jesus and his followers of course believed that God was the ultimate Lord over all creation, they clearly viewed Satan as the functional lord over the earth at the present time.” Boyd goes on to show that ultimately Christ was victorious over his enemies. He goes on, “In a word, Jesus came to end the cosmic war that had been raging from time immemorial and to set Satan’s captives free.” Ultimately, what we are given in this model is a Savior who actively stopped one thing to accomplish another. This model according to Boyd is, “makes the call to resist the powers and imitate Christ in these ways is the centerpiece of what it means to follow Christ.”

The next view is the Penal Substitution view as presented by Thomas Scheiner. Schreiner offers a helpful definition of his view at the beginning of the essay and spends the rest of his time explaining and defending,

The Father, because of his love for human beings, sent his Son (who offered himself willingly and gladly) to satisfy God’s justice, so that Christ took the place of sinners. The punishment and penalty we deserved was laid on Jesus Christ instead of us, so that in the cross both God’s holiness and love are manifested.

Schreiner’s view of the atonement focus’ its attention on the evil that is within us inherently. We, as human’s are bound by our sins through our own moral failure and guilt. That is where is Jesus Christ comes in. Christ as our penal substitution satisfies the need for us to be perfect before God. Or to use the Governmental theory metaphor that Schreiner employs, “God desires to show how seriously he takes the law without requiring a pull payment for every infraction”

The next view is the Healing View by Bruce Reichenbach. This focus’ on the need for healing in multiple ways; in the human condition, sin and sickness. Reichenach in his conclusion offers this succinct definition of atonement,

In its deepest rhythms, necessitates that the great physician take on our sin and suffering as the only way to finally address the human predicament and to restore us to shalom with God, with ourselves and with our community.

Greg Boyd in his response to Reichenbach applauds his work and attention to healing and his understanding of the atonement, “I whole heartedly agree that through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection God brought healing to humans and to the cosmos on every level”

The final view is the Kaliedoscope View by Joel Green. Green begins his essay with some theologically packed statements about the atonement, one of which being, “the significance of Jesus’ death is woven so tightly into the fabric of God’s purpose that we may never exhaust the many ways of articulating its meaning for our salvation” Ultimately, the opinion of Green is that it impossible, and potentially unnecessary, to distinguish a single goal of Jesus Christ and his time on earth. Because of the diversity of voices in scripture and christian tradition than the nature of atonement needs to be understood under a diverse framework.

Although this book, at times, is academic, its contents are compulsory for the church today. The manner in which each author handles their view communicates the seriousness required for such a topic. Reading this within the context of ministry, it provides the leader of the church with tangible ways of working through their view of the atonement and communicate these truths to the men and women listening.

Overall, I have found this book extremely helpful and would offer it to students as well as the more academically engaged men and women. This book goes much further than a simple primer for the atonement. It provides the views and also offering the rebuttals in an extremely scholarly but palpable way that allows any and all individuals to enter into the conversation it will produce and hopefully, help in the growth of knowledge as well as affirming their faith.