Atonement
Christ's work reconciles sinners to God.
This doctrine defines Christian orthodoxy. Denial places one outside the historic faith.
What the traditions say
Christ's sacrifice is the perfect satisfaction for sin. The Mass re-presents (not repeats) this sacrifice. Aquinas developed a comprehensive satisfaction theory.
Christ's death is a substitutionary sacrifice that satisfies God's wrath. The theology of the cross reveals God's saving work in apparent defeat.
Multiple models coexisted: ransom (Origen, Gregory of Nyssa), recapitulation (Irenaeus), Christus Victor. No single theory was dogmatized.
Penal substitutionary atonement is central: Christ bore the penalty of sin in the place of the elect. God's justice and mercy meet at the cross.
Orthodoxy prefers Christus Victor and therapeutic models over penal substitution. Christ conquers death and the devil; salvation is healing, not primarily legal acquittal.
Key scriptures
- 1John 2:2 — And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
- 1Pet 2:24 — Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
- 2Cor 5:21 — For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
- Isa 53:5 — But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
- Isa 53:6 — All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
- Rom 3:25 — Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
- Rom 5:8 — But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.