as a sacrifice that cancels sin and effects the possibility of forgiveness, the atonement ended the cycle of sacred violence by exposing the “scapegoat mechanism” as a tool of Satan, who deceived humankind into thinking that violence could be redemptive. God does not require violence but wants it uprooted and abolished. Girard was critical of the way in which he saw the Christian tradition supporting the “sacralization” of violence by articulating Christ’s death in terms of a sacrifice and satisfaction