The Atonement
Channing L. Crisler
Benjamin L. Merkle, Series Editor
40 Questions About the Atonement
© 2025 Channing L. Crisler
Published by Kregel Academic, an imprint of Kregel Publications, 2450 Oak Industrial Dr. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505-6020.
This book is a title in the 40 Questions Series edited by Benjamin L. Merkle.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without written permission of the publisher, except for brief quotations in printed reviews.
Italics in Scripture quotations indicate author’s added emphasis.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version. Public domain.
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The English translation of the Septuagint (LXX) is the author’s translation.
ISBN 978-0-8254-4592-7
Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the Library of Congress
To all those like me who sometimes still think
(wrongly) that they must atone for their owns sins.
May you find the answer in Christ.
Part 1: The Need for Atonement
1. What Is the Origin and Meaning of the Word “Atonement”?
2. Why Is the Doctrine of Atonement Important for Christian Doctrine?
3. How Significant Was the Preaching of the Death of Jesus in the Early Church?
4. Should the Death of Jesus Be Prominent in Preaching Today?
Section B: Questions About Reconciliation
5. Why Is Atonement Necessary?
7. How Does Christ’s Atoning Work Reconcile Us to God?
8. How Does One Receive the Benefits of God’s Atoning Work in Christ?
9. What Is the Christus Victor Theory of Atonement?
10. What Is the Moral Exemplar Theory of Atonement?
11. What Is the Socinian Theory of Atonement?
12. What Is the Ransom Theory of Atonement?
13. What Is the Satisfaction Theory of Atonement?
14. What Is the Governmental Theory of Atonement?
15. What Is the Amyraldian Theory of Atonement?
16. What Is the Penal Substitutionary Theory of Atonement?
17. Does Scripture Have a Primary Theory of Atonement?
Part 3: Views on Atonement in the Christian Tradition and World Religions
18. What Is the Roman Catholic View of Atonement?
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About 40 Questions about the AtonementSuccinct, biblical answers about the role and fundamental importance of the doctrine of the atonement. Atonement sits at the very heart of Christian doctrine, describing believers’ status as “being one again” with God through Jesus Christ. It is the culmination of God’s work of reconciliation, simultaneously defining believers’ relationship with God while also describing how that relationship is restored. Because of this, how one understands atonement has a profound impact on how one views and understands God, salvation, and human nature. New Testament scholar Channing L. Crisler offers a robust foundation for understanding the divine mystery of atonement, drawing on biblical and historical witnesses to answer pertinent questions, such as: • Why is atonement necessary? • What are the different theories of atonement? • How is atonement understood by the various Christian traditions and world religions? • What implications does one’s understanding of atonement have on the present? Through its question-and-answer format, 40 Questions About the Atonement provides an expansive introduction to the doctrine of atonement, inviting the reader to wade into this divine mystery with curiosity and awe. |
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