Good grief mate, you are probably sitting next to the Leon Morris Library, and haven’t mentioned any of his five books on the atonement! I guess they are a bit dated (1956 to 1984) but for decades he and John Stott and Roger Nicole were the only evangelicals with much to say about it.
Not a heavy weight academic tome but Michael Green's 'The Empty Cross of Jesus' was very important to me growing up and also Tom Smail's 'Windows on the Cross'. Both Anglicans! Light reads but good reads.
Hello Mike I've been a big fan of the Ask NT Wright Anything podcast you have been doing with Tom Wright, and I have been binging on past episodes as they come up in my feed. With this impressive list you've offered here, I was wondering which of them you'd recommend that contains the best defense of Unlimited Atonement, as opposed to the Calvinist view? With all these many choices, knowing a little more might help me in terms of deciding where to start! Thanks again & God bless.
Nice list Mike! I don’t have any books specifically to add, but do want to suggest another theme that I’ve read recently on Calvin and the concept of ‘satisfaction’. The point being argued for is that Calvin, rather than being the archetypal adherent to the common understanding of Penal Substitution, understands the work of Christ as satisfaction. The key difference being that it’s about his life of obedience being something that averts God’s displeasure (wrath) towards sin, in response to what is offered ‘to’ the Father. Not a ‘satisfaction’ that is achieved through some kind of pouring out of wrath ‘towards’ the son. It interests me because it says something interesting to both sides of the penal substitution conversation. It also differs from Anselm in that it’s not a case of ‘satisfaction OR Punishment’ as an absolute necessity but rather it’s a fitting expression of divine mercy and righteousness.
Rillera’s ‘Lamb of the Free’ really deserves a slow and meticulous read, with Bible open, plenty of post-it notes, and the time to read it again. Will be very interested to see what you make of it. I need to read it again. Thanks for your generous sharing of so much good stuff.
Good grief mate, you are probably sitting next to the Leon Morris Library, and haven’t mentioned any of his five books on the atonement! I guess they are a bit dated (1956 to 1984) but for decades he and John Stott and Roger Nicole were the only evangelicals with much to say about it.
Not a heavy weight academic tome but Michael Green's 'The Empty Cross of Jesus' was very important to me growing up and also Tom Smail's 'Windows on the Cross'. Both Anglicans! Light reads but good reads.
Hello Mike I've been a big fan of the Ask NT Wright Anything podcast you have been doing with Tom Wright, and I have been binging on past episodes as they come up in my feed. With this impressive list you've offered here, I was wondering which of them you'd recommend that contains the best defense of Unlimited Atonement, as opposed to the Calvinist view? With all these many choices, knowing a little more might help me in terms of deciding where to start! Thanks again & God bless.
Kevin, it just so happens that I edited a book on this very topic! We try to thread the needle between Calvinism and universal atonement.
https://amzn.to/4z1SV6Q
I feel good that I’ve read three of these —- McKnight, Rutledge, Wright. All very good!
Nice list Mike! I don’t have any books specifically to add, but do want to suggest another theme that I’ve read recently on Calvin and the concept of ‘satisfaction’. The point being argued for is that Calvin, rather than being the archetypal adherent to the common understanding of Penal Substitution, understands the work of Christ as satisfaction. The key difference being that it’s about his life of obedience being something that averts God’s displeasure (wrath) towards sin, in response to what is offered ‘to’ the Father. Not a ‘satisfaction’ that is achieved through some kind of pouring out of wrath ‘towards’ the son. It interests me because it says something interesting to both sides of the penal substitution conversation. It also differs from Anselm in that it’s not a case of ‘satisfaction OR Punishment’ as an absolute necessity but rather it’s a fitting expression of divine mercy and righteousness.
Is this something you’ve thought about before?
Thanks
Nathan.
Rillera’s ‘Lamb of the Free’ really deserves a slow and meticulous read, with Bible open, plenty of post-it notes, and the time to read it again. Will be very interested to see what you make of it. I need to read it again. Thanks for your generous sharing of so much good stuff.
Excellent! Loved Stump. May I also recommend Jonathan Rutledge Forgiveness and Atonement? My remarks here. https://inchristus.substack.com/p/forgiveness-and-atonement-christs?r=9mwmf&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
I just wish I had the time and money to get and read them all.