In the theological book, Nature of the Atonement, edited by James Beilby and Paul R, the atonement is discussed as well as its many theories and views, with Jesus at the center. Many of the views of Jesus’ role vary, from depicting Jesus as either the victor, the physician, the sacrifice, and more. In this book report, four major views and theories of atonement are summarized. The four major views that will be summarized are the Christus Victor view, the Kaleidoscopic view, the Healing view, and the Penal Substitutionary view. Each of these views grant a different perspective on atonement, focusing on different pieces of scripture throughout both the Old and New Testament. Not only will these views be summarized, but also compared. The Christus …show more content…
The author reminds us multiple times that this view serves as the anchor for every other theory of atonement, because God is at the center. When comparing the Christus Victor view to the Penal Substitutionary view of atonement, many similarities and differences can be found. When compared, the Christus Victor view focuses primarily on Jesus’ victory over the evil spiritual forces once in control of the world. The author argues that the Christus Victor view does not particularly hold individuals accountable for their actions. “Even though sin is a power that holds us in bondage, such a reality does not lessen individual responsibility” (Chapter 1). The Penal Substitutionary view focuses instead on the idea that we are sinners in need of a savior and not much on the idea that we are sinners held captive by Satan and evil forces. The author argues that we are captive by the devil because we are sinners, and that the devil’s hold on us is broken when Christ took our sins on the cross. Ultimately, the Penal Substitutionary view is favored by the author because it focuses more on the idea that we are atoned because Jesus took our deserved punishment and not just because of Jesus’ victory over