What did Jesus accomplish when he died on the cross? It seems like an obvious question: he died for my sins. He died to save us. He died so that we might have life.
But there’s actually a lot more to it than that. Over the centuries, many theologians have grappled to understand exactly what happened in the universe at the moment when Jesus surrendered his life.
At the heart of it, Jesus reconciled us back to God. This is what theologians refer to as atonement. And there are many different theories as to how that atonement actually happened.
In this episode, we explore eight different theories of atonement, their history, strengths and weaknesses, as well as how they help us understand the heart of the gospel message.
These are the theories we cover:
- Satisfaction Theory
- Penal Substitution Theory
- Moral Influence Theory
- Example Theory
- Governmental Theory
- Nonviolent Atonement Theory
RELATED RESOURCES
READ: Where Did Jesus Go When He Died?
READ:Good Friday Service Should Not Be a Funeral for Jesus
READ: Did Jesus Really Rise From the Dead?
REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE
“Systematic Theology” by Louis Berkoff
“Systematic Theology” by Wayne Grudem
“Ransom, substitute, scapegoat, God: is there one doctrine of the atonement?” by Ben Pugh (blog article)
“Cur Deus Homo” by Anselm of Canterbury
