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Thr theories of the atonement (not mutually exclusive) A level Eduqas RE Christianity
What is John 1:29
Look the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world
What is Hebrews 7:27
He sacrificed for their sins once for all her offered himself.
Define atonement
The process by which people are reconciled with God thorugh the death of Jesus on the cross.
Why do humans need atonement?
Because of Original sin (Genesis 3) which is a privation of good. Hence humans need to be reconciled by God.
Who created atonement?
William Tyndale who combined the words at and one.
What do older versions of the bible use instead of atonement?
Hebrew use kippur.
Greeks use katallage which means reconciliation.
What does Ephesians 5:2 say?
Christ loved us and gave himslef up as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
What dies Hebrews 9:28 say?
Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many and he will appear a second time not to bear sin but to bring salvation.
What does it say about atonement in the old testament?
Lev 16 describes a process where a priest symbolically lays the sins of the community upon a goat which is then cast out to the wilderness- a scapegoat.
Exodus 12, describes the process of Passover to remember the Jew’s deliverance from Egypt.
What was Jesus death seen as?
In both John 1:29 and Hebrews 7:27, they show Jesus’ death was a full expiation or final atonement for sin.
What did Early Christians do in order to reconcile with God?
They had nothing of sufficient value to sacrifice to God for their sins so God provided the sacrifice.
What did St Augustine write?
Jesus offered sacrifice for our sins. And where did he find that offering… He offered himself.
What quote in the bible was the ransom model based off of?
Matt 20:28 ‘Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’
Who made the ransom model and what did he say about it?
Origen (2nd cent) said it was a payment to Satan to free those enslaved by original sin.
How did St Gregory the great devloped Origen’s ransom model?
Baited hook model:
The devil is the sea monster
The bait is Christ’s humanity
The hook is Christ’s divinity.
How popular was the ransom model?
In the medieval period it was popular up until the enligtenment periodas it was regarded as outdated and unsophisticated.
What did St Irenaeus say?
Humans owe a debt to God because of The Fall. (Gen 3)
Quote from Irenaeus
Through a tree we were made debtors to God; so though a tree we have a debt cancelled- Tree of life mosaic in San Clemente Basilica
How was the debt repaid according to Irenaeus?
When Jesus ‘became what we are (sinful) that we could become what he is (holy and righteous) and waged a war with the devil.‘
Who favoured the thinking of Irenaeus?
Eastern Orthodox
Who made the modern development of the ransom model and what was it called?
Gustaf Aulén and called it Christus Victor
What year was Christus Victor made in?
1931
Who was Gustaf Aulén?
A Lutheran theologian (supports the reformation)
Quote from Gustaf Aulén
As a Divine conflict and victory; Christ- Christus Victor- fights against and triumphs over the evil.
What did Aulén argue?
Human beings have been bound by the powers of death and the devil.
What did Aulén believe about the ransom model?
It was a passion story about God liberating his people from the bondage of sin and death.
What is Aulén’s version of atonement?
Liberation of humans from sin through Jesus who through his incarnation, entered human misery and redeemed it.
What is Aulén’s model similar to?
Irenaeus’ model
What is one problem with Aulén’s model?
Plays down human sin and guilt- seen as something imposed on us by Satan that can be overcome.
Who made the penal satisfaction model?
St Anselm
Where can the penal satisfaction model be found?
Cur Deus Homo (1097)
What is the basis of the penal satisfaction model?
God could only be SATISFIED by the death of Jesus.
The human debt to God was greater than what humankind can pay.
God has to pay the debt himself by becoming human.
What is superergation?
Doing more than duty requires
What did Jesus do according to Anslem’s model?
Jesus’ death gained supererogation of merit.
What did Anselm say about Aulén’s model?
He was not happy with the approach of Aulén who take the approach of Irenaeus as it had highly questionable assumptions about the ‘rights of the devil’.
Why should the devil have any rights over humanity and why is God respecting these rights?
What else did St Anselm dismiss?
St Gregory the great’s notion that Gos deceived the devil, hook and bait analogy.
What was one of the main criticisms of Anselm’s model?
Based on the feudal system- peasants were bound to the overlord who in turn was bound to the king.
Anselm saw God as the overlord of the earth.
It was criticised as being based on ab unbiblical model.
Who made the penal substitution model and what century was it presented in?
The Protestant reformers back in the 16th cent.
What did the Protestants not like about Anselm’s model?
The ideas of ‘satisfying the justice of God’ rather than ‘the honour of God’.
They said there has to be a consequence to sin.
What was penal substitution based on?
Isaiah 53 the suffering servant:
‘He was wounded for our transgressions… punishment that made us whole and by his bruises we are healed.’
Give criticisms of penal substitution model?
Based too much on the criminal justice system rather than on the bible.
No such system would justify punishing the innocent.
Portrays a God who allows his son to suffer.
Suggests Son saves us from the punishment owed us by the Father.
Why would an omnibenevolent God need someone to take our punishment?
Who made ‘The Cross as a Moral Example’ model and what year?
St Augustine and 4th cent
Who rejected St Augustine’s model?
St Anselm
Who reacted against Anselm’s model?
Peter Abelard (12th cent French scholar) and restated the Ross as moral example.
Give the basis of the cross as a moral example model
Jesus died to show humans how much God loves them.
This leads us to repentance and to improve ourselves.
It is not to satisfy God’s honor or justice.
Give a quote from Peter Abelard
The Son of God took our nature and in it took upon himself to teach us by both word and example even to the point of death, thus binding us through love.
What are criticisms for St Augustine’s model?
Does not explain the crucifixion
Does not value the supernatural effect of Jesus’ death, instead teaches humans can gain salvation through their own moral effort.
Minimises God’s anger against sin.
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