atonement

1. Amends or reparation made for an injury or wrong; expiation.
2. 1. Reconciliation or an instance of reconciliation between God and humans.
   2. Atonement Christianity. The reconciliation of God and humans brought about by the redemptive life and death of Jesus.
3. Obsolete. Reconciliation; concord.

For more information on atonement, visit Britannica.com.

Furthermore, the exercise of human freedom is central to atonement. Just as man is free to sin, so he is free to repent, and it is for him to take the initiative in seeking atonement. The Bible and rabbinic literature contain numerous references to God as a merciful and forgiving Sovereign who does not desire the death of the sinner but rather that he return from his evil ways and life (Ezek. 33:11). In Judaism, however, there is no concept of "prevenient grace" whereby God takes the first step. Atonement depends first on the sinner's genuine, wholehearted repentance. Only when that becomes evident in the sinner's conduct does God proceed to the stages of granting atonement and pardon.

In the case of unwitting offenses against ritual law, the Bible prescribes a sin-offering. This is not viewed as payment of restitution to an offended God but rather as a sacrament intended to restore the ideal relationship between man and God, a relationship that had been impaired by man's sin. Confession, as an expression of repentance, always accompanied such Sacrifices and Offerings. When the prophets of Israel directed harsh criticism against sacrifice, their real target was not the sacrificial system as such but insincere atonement and the perfunctory way in which the offering was made (Isa. 1:11ff.; Hos. 14:2-3; Amos 5:21ff.; Mic. 6:6-8). No sacrifices could atone for deliberate transgressions, and the concept of a vicarious sacrifice was largely alien to Judaism.

Following the destruction of the Second Temple (and, to a certain extent, even before), Prayer replaced sacrifice, and propitiatory devotions became the chief means of restoring a broken spiritual relationship. Fasting, Gemilut ḥasadim ("kindly acts"), and the giving of charity were recommended paths to atonement (RH 18a; Ta'an. 16a; BB 9a). At this later stage, no priest or other intermediary helps the sinner to expiate his offense. The sinner must stand alone before God, and only God can forgive him. So R. Akiva declared (Yoma 8:9): "Happy are you, Israelites! Before whom are you made clean, and who cleanses you? Your Father in heaven."

So important, in the Jewish view, is the concept of atonement to man's spiritual health that a ten-day period is set aside at the beginning of each year so that more deliberate attention can be paid to the exercise of spiritual renewal (see Ten Days of Penitence). The climax of this period is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, dedicated entirely to prayer and fasting. A distant reflection of the ancient scapegoat (Azazel) ritual in the Temple may be seen in the Kapparot atonement rite observed by some on the eve of the Day of Atonement whereby an individual's sins are symbolically expiated by a white fowl. The Day of Atonement can help bring atonement, however, only for offenses against God. For those sins committed against one's fellow man, atonement is granted only after the sinner has made full restitution and sought the offended party's forgiveness (Yoma 8:9).

The Hebrew verb "to atone" (kipper) has been traced back to two separate etymologies: from Arabic ("cover") and Akkadian ("wipe"). However, both meanings may go back to a common notion: "rub". Since a substance may either be "rubbed on" or "rubbed off", the derived meanings "wipe" and "cover" may be complementary and not contradictory.

In the OT the meaning "rub off" predominates in ritual texts. This is best illustrated by the blood of the purgation offering. Its use is restricted to the sanctuary, never on a person. This means that a person is never the object of the atonement rite but only its beneficiary. The blood of the purgation sacrifice serves, not to purge the worshiper of alleged sin, but to purge that to which it is applied, i.e. the sanctuary and its sanctums. Presumptuous sins and impurities, however, cannot be purged by the offender's own purgation sacrifice (Num 15:30-31), but must await the annual rite of purgation of the sanctuary and the nation. Expiatory sacrifices deal only with offenses committed against the deity; they do not redress wrongs against human beings.

The notion of "ransom" or "substitute" is clearly represented in the Bible in the instance of the scapegoat (See AZAZEL). The avowed goal is to siphon off the wrath of God from the entire community. The final stage in the evolution of the root kipper yields the abstract, figurative notion "expiate". Having begun as an action which eliminates dangerous impurity by absorbing it through direct contact (rubbing off) on indirectly (as a ransom/substitute), it eventuates into the process of expiation in general.

Whereas in ritual, the subject of "atonement" is invariably a priest and the direct object a contaminated thing, in the nonritual literature the subject is usually the deity and the direct object a sin (e.g. Ps 78:38; Jer 18:23; Ezek 16:63). Actually this represents no rupture with ritual atonement; on the contrary, it gives voice to its implicit meaning. As for the object; though the cult concentrates mainly on the purging of sanctuary impurity, it too recognizes that the source of the latter is human sin. The subject implies even less change: though the priest performs the rituals, it is only due to the grace of God that the ritual is efficacious. Thus, nonritual exhortations, requiring no priestly mediation, uncompromisingly turn to God, the sole dispenser of expiation.

The holiness of the sanctuary is complemented in the priestly source by the notion of the holiness of the land of Israel. Correspondingly, the land too is capable of defilement (e.g. Lev 18:25, 28, for sexual immorality; Num 35:33-34, for murder; cf also Ezek 36:17; Deut 21:23), and just as the sanctuary needs atonement, so does the land (Num 35:33). Furthermore, the implications are likewise identical: defilement of the land will result in the destruction of Israel just as it did for the previous inhabitants (Lev 18:28; 20:22), because God can no longer abide in it.

Another postulate of the biblical doctrine of atonement is that God will spare the community by virtue of the merit of the just people in it, e.g. Abraham's intervention on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18:16-33). The atoning power of the righteous reaches out not only horizontally to the community but vertically to posterity. This principle undergirds all of God's covenants with Israel: with the patriarchs for offspring and soil (Gen chap. 15; 17:1-8; 22:17-18; 25:23; 35:9-12; Ex 32:13), with Phinehas for a priestly line (Num 25:11-13), and with David for a royal dynasty (II Sam 7:12-16). See DAY OF ATONEMENT.

In the NT the word atonement (or a close translation), appears infrequently (Rom 3:25; Heb 2:17; I John 2:2; 4:10). In each case it alludes to, or is taken from, an OT reference. In the OT it can be said that God atones (Is 53:10) and so on in the NT, God, through Christ, is reconciling the world unto himself (II Cor 5:19). Evidence for God's love is seen in the fact that he "sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins" (I John 4:10; cf I John 2:2). Paul used similar language when he spoke of Jesus as someone whom God put forth "a propitiation by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness" for the remission of sins that have been committed (Rom 3:25). The imagery here is clearly from the temple, or the mercy-seat in the ark. Just as the covering there had been the place where God's forgiving mercy was demonstrated, so God's saving mercy was manifested in the cross of Christ.

Consequently the NT writers spend little time debating who is the agent of atonement or who is being atoned. Rather they concentrate their attention on the conviction that, in Jesus, sin had been done away with, and that those who lived in faith under his lordship were able to share in his victory over sin. The Christus Victor model emerged as stronger than the model of Christ as paschal lamb who made atonement for all people's sins.

In Christian theology, the sacrificial death of Christ as some kind of payment for the sins of mankind. Various theories attempt to make sense of a perfect deity directing a sacrifice of this kind. They include: (a) the idea that the event is the payment of some kind of a ransom to the forces of evil. But since the Son is rejoined with his Father, the forces of evil appear to have been cheated, and this seems incompatible with justice. (b) The Satisfaction theory (Anselm). The sacrifice restores God's honour, insulted by sin. But the way this restoration works remains obscure, especially as the insult goes on. (c) The Acceptance theory (Duns Scotus). God freely decides to accept this event as a repayment of our dues to him. But then why not freely decide to accept something less traumatic, such as the sacrifice of a sheep? (d) Jesus suffers as a substitute for us. But the morality of using substitutes or scapegoats is particularly unedifying. (e) The Ethical Message or Example (Abelard). Jesus is sent to exemplify for us the perfect life. It seems strange, however, to deliver the message in one particular place and time, and especially one with such fragile means of recording the event. The matter is not rendered easier by the doctrine of the identity of the Son and the Father (see homoousion, homoiousion), and Christian theology continues to address the issue.

For other uses, see Atonement (disambiguation).

This article is about the doctrine. For the 2001 novel, see Atonement (novel). For the 2007 film, see Atonement (film).

The atonement is a doctrine found within both Christianity and Judaism. It describes how sin can be forgiven by God. In Judaism, Atonement is said to be the process of forgiving or pardoning a transgression. This was originally accomplished through rituals performed by a high priest (Kohen) on the holiest day of the Jewish year, Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). In Christian theology the atonement refers to the forgiving or pardoning of sin through the death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion, which made possible the reconciliation between God and creation. Within Christianity there are three main theories for how such atonement might work: the ransom theory, the satisfaction theory and the moral influence theory.

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Atonement in Christianity 3 Main theories in detail 3.1 Ransom & Christus Victor 3.2 Satisfaction 3.2.1 Substitution 3.2.2 Governmental 3.3 Moral influence 3.3.1 Scapegoating 4 Other denominational perspectives 4.1 Eastern Christianity 4.2 Roman Catholic views on atonement and reparation 5 Non-trinitarian theologies 5.1 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) 6 See also 7 References 8 External links and Bibliography

Etymology

The word atonement was invented in the sixteenth century by William Tyndale who recognized that there was not a direct English translation of the biblical Hebraic concept. The word is composed of two parts "at" and "onement" in order to reflect the dual aspect of Christ's sacrifice: the remission of sin and reconciliation of man to God. Tyndale's concept overcome the limitations of the word "reconciliation" whilst incorporating aspects of propitiation and forgiveness.^[1][2][3]

Atonement in Christianity

Christians have used three different metaphors to understand how the atonement might work^[4]. Churches and denominations may vary in which metaphor they consider most accurately fits into their theological perspective, however all Christians emphasize that Jesus is the Saviour of the world and through his death the sins of mankind have been forgiven.^[5]

The first metaphor, epitomised by the "ransom to Satan" theory, was used by the fourth-century theologian Gregory of Nyssa based on verses such as Mark 10:45 – "the Son of Man came … to give his life as a ransom for the many". In this metaphor Jesus liberates mankind from slavery to Satan and thus death by giving his own life as a ransom. Victory over Satan consists of swapping the life of the perfect (Jesus), for the lives of the imperfect (mankind). A variation of this view is known as the "Christus Victor" theory, and sees Jesus not used as a ransom but rather defeating Satan in a spiritual battle and thus freeing enslaved mankind by defeating the captor.

The second metaphor, used by the eleventh century theologian Anselm, is called the "satisfaction" theory. In this picture mankind owes a debt not to Satan, but to sovereign God himself. A sovereign may well be able to forgive an insult or an injury in his private capacity, but because he is a sovereign he cannot if the state has been dishonoured. Anselm argued that the insult given to God is so great that only a perfect sacrifice could satisfy and Jesus, being both God and man, was this perfect sacrifice. A variation on this theory is the commonly held Protestant "penal substitution theory," which instead of considering sin as an affront to God’s honour, sees sin as the breaking of God’s moral law. Placing a particular emphasis on Romans 6:23 (the wages of sin is death), penal substitution sees sinful man as being subject to God’s wrath with the essence of Jesus' saving work being his substitution in the sinner's place, bearing the curse in the place of man (Gal. 3:13). A third variation that also falls within this metaphor is Hugo Grotius’ "governmental theory", which sees Jesus receiving a punishment as a public example of the lengths to which God will go to uphold the moral order.

The third metaphor is that of healing, associated with Pierre Abélard in the eleventh century, and Paul Tillich in the twentieth. In this picture Jesus’ death on the cross demonstrates the extent of God’s love for us, and moved by this great act of love humankind responds and is transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. This view is favoured by most liberal theologians as the moral influence view, and also forms the basis for Rene Girard’s "mimetic desire" theory (not to be confused with meme theory).

Main theories in detail

Ransom & Christus Victor

Main articles: Atonement (ransom view) and Christus Victor

• Origen of Alexandria
• Gregory of Nyssa
• Gustaf Aulén
• Irenaeus of Lyons ("Recapitulation")

Satisfaction

Main article: Atonement (satisfaction view)

• Divine satisfaction: Anselm of Canterbury and salvation in Catholicism

Substitution

Main articles: Substitutionary atonement and Penal substitution

• Penalty or punishment satisfaction: John Calvin, Calvinism, and imputed righteousness
• Vicarious repentance, John McLeod Campbell and Robert Campbell Moberly

Governmental

Main article: Atonement (governmental view)

• Hugo Grotius, James Arminius and John Miley
• Jonathan Edwards and Charles Grandison Finney

Moral influence

Main article: Atonement (moral influence view)

• Pierre Abélard
• Hastings Rashdall

Scapegoating

William Tyndale (who invented the word from Hebrew and Greek manuscripts), René Girard, James Alison, Mark Heim, Gerhard Förde see 'In Christianity' in Scapegoat

Other denominational perspectives

Eastern Christianity

Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholicism have a substantively different soteriology; this is sometimes cited as the core difference between Eastern and Western Christianity. Salvation is not seen as legal release, but transformation of the human nature itself in the Son taking on human nature. In contrast to other forms of Christianity, the Orthodox tend to use the word "expiation" with regard to what is accomplished in the sacrificial act. In Orthodox theology, expiation is an act of offering that seeks to change the one making the offering. The Greek word that is translated both into propitiation and expiation is "hilasmos" which means "to make acceptable and enable one to draw close to God". Thus the Orthodox emphasis would be that Christ died, not to appease an angry and vindictive Father, or to avert the wrath of God, but to change people so that they may become more like God (see Theosis).^[6]

Roman Catholic views on atonement and reparation

As expressed by Pope Pius XI in his encyclical Miserentissimus Redemptor, in the Roman Catholic tradition the concepts of atonement and redemption are often seen as being inherently related. And atonement is often balanced with specific Acts of Reparation which relate the sufferings and death of Christ to the forgiveness of sins.^[7]

Moreover, in Miserentissimus Redemptor the Pontif called acts of reparation a duty for Roman Catholics:

"We are holden to the duty of reparation and expiation by a certain more valid title of justice and of love." ... "Moreover this duty of expiation is laid upon the whole race of men"^[8]

Pope John Paul II referred to the concept as:

"the unceasing effort to stand beside the endless crosses on which the Son of God continues to be crucified".^[9]

Specific Roman Catholic practices such as the Rosary of the Holy Wounds (which does not include the usual rosary mysteries) focus on specific redemptive aspects of Christ's suffering in Calvary. ^[10]

Non-trinitarian theologies

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) expands the doctrine of the atonement complementary to the substitutionary atonement concept, including the following:

• Suffering in Gethsemane. The Atonement began in Gethsemane and ends with Christ's resurrection. (Luke 22:44; Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-19; Mosiah 3:7; Alma 7:11-13. Christ described this agony in the Doctrine and Covenants as follows: "...how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.... Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit..." (19:15,18).
• The relationship of justice, mercy, agency, and God's unconditional love. Christ's infinite atonement was required to satisfy the demands of justice based on eternal law, rendering Him Mediator, Redeemer, and Advocate with the Father. Thus, he proffers divine mercy to the truly penitent who voluntarily come unto him, offering them the gift of his grace to "lift them up" and "be perfected in Him" through his merits (2 Nephi 2 and 9; Alma 12, 34, and 42; Moroni 9:25; 10:33; compare Isaiah 55:1-9).
• No need for infant baptism. Christ's atonement completely resolved the consequence from the fall of Adam of spiritual death for infants, young children and those of innocent mental capacity who die before an age of self-accountability, hence all these are resurrected to eternal life in the resurrection. However, baptism is required of those who are deemed by God to be accountable for their actions.
• Empathetic purpose. Christ suffered pain and agony not only for the sins of all men, but also to experience their physical pains, illnesses, anguish from addictions, emotional turmoil and depression, "that His bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities" (Alma 7:12; compare Isaiah 53:4).

"The word (atonement) describes the setting 'at one' of those who have been estranged, and denotes the reconciliation of man to God. Sin is the cause of the estrangement, and therefore the purpose of the atonement is to correct or overcome the consequences of sin." (Bible Dictionary in the LDS version of the King James Bible.)

See also

Christianity portal

Acts of Reparation to Jesus Christ Blood atonement Divine grace Divine mercy Forgiveness Justification Mercy seat

Pardon Propitiation Sacrifice Scapegoat Sin Substitutionary atonement

References

1. ^ The Archbishop of Canterbury: William Tyndale; Reformer and Rebel. A Quincentenary Appreciation. Lambeth Palace, 5th October 1994 [1]
2. ^ Online Etymology Dictionary, Yom Kippur, 2001 [2]
3. ^ David Rolph Seely, PhD. "Words 'Fitly Spoken': Tyndale's English Translation of the Bible." [3]
4. ^ Kohler, K. (1997) Atonement from the Jewish Encyclopedia, http://www.mb-soft.com/believe/text/atonemen.htm
5. ^ Ward, K. (2007) Christianity – a guide for the perplexed. SPCK, London, p. 48- 51
6. ^ Fr. James Bernstein, author of Surprised by Christ: My journey from Judaism to Orthodox Christianity, The Illumined Heart Podcast, May 22, 2008
7. ^ Ann Ball, 2003 Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices ISBN 087973910X
8. ^ Pius XI, Miserentissimus Redemptor (08/05/1928)
9. ^ Vatican archives http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/2000/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_20001021_riparatrici_en.html
10. ^ Michael Freze, 1993, Voices, Visions, and Apparitions, OSV Publishing ISBN 087973454X

External links and Bibliography

Look up atonement in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Paul Fiddes, Past event and present salvation: the Christian idea of atonement (London: Darton, Longman, & Todd, 1989)
• Nonviolent Atonement and the Victory of Christ
• Atonement Theories in Current Philosophical Theology from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• "Atonement" in the Jewish Encyclopedia
• "The Doctrine of Atonement" from the Catholic Encyclopedia
• "Atonement" from the Christian Cyclopedia (Lutheran)
• Articles on the Atonement (Calvinist/Reformed)
• Historical Opinions as to the Nature of Christ's Atoning Death (Arminian/Wesleyan)
• The Atonement of Christ (Latter-day Saint)
• Online academic articles on atonement
• The Relationship of the Atonement

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - soning, udsoning, bod

Nederlands (Dutch)
boetedoening, zoenoffer

Français (French)
n. - expiation, pénitence, réparation

Deutsch (German)
n. - Versöhnung, Wiedergutmachung, Buße

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - εξιλέωση, εξιλασμός, επανόρθωση

Italiano (Italian)
espiazione

Português (Portuguese)
n. - castigo (m), penitência (f), indenização (f), reparação (f)

Русский (Russian)
искупление

Español (Spanish)
n. - penitencia, expiación

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - gottgörelse, försoning

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
补偿, 赎罪, 赔偿

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 補償, 贖罪, 賠償

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 보상 , 속죄

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 償い, キリストの贖罪, 賠償

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) تعويض‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮כיפור‬

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