The Nature of the Atonement: Four Views

Editors: Paul R. Eddy, James Beilby

Authors: Gregory A. Boyd, Thomas R. Schreiner, Joel B. Green, Bruce R. Reichenbach

Publisher: InterVarsity Press (2006)

Topic: Theology: Why did God become a man and die on the cross?

Description: One of the issues most hotly debated among evangelicals today is the atonement. While most protestants have held to “the penal substitution” view (the view that Jesus was punished by God for our sins), this view is being questioned by many today. In this book four scholars express and defend four of the main perspectives of evangelicals today. Gregory Boyd defends the Christus Victor view; Thomas Schreiner the Penal Substitution view; Bruce Reichenbach the Healing view; and Joel Green the Kaleidescopic view (that is, that we need to embrace the truth of all views). Each of the contributors responds to and critiques the others.

Whatever their perspective on the atonement may be, anyone interested in this issue will benefit from this unique collection of essays.