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Sources of Atonement Theology: Scripture

Curious how Scripture teaches healing atonement? In medical substitution, Jesus substituted his faithfulness at completing the healing of human nature for the partial attempts of all those who came before him. Check out the links below.

Practical Tools for Ministry and Action

These resources are practical tools, based on the conviction that God’s justice is restorative, so Jesus’ atonement must be a medical substitution. The implications reach far. Evangelism is much more robust. Bible study is richer. Preached messages on Jesus’ work on the cross are fuller. Worship accesses more human emotion and experience. Children’s Ministry is richer and developmentally appropriate. We also develop Christian study and action guides on social issues to inspire Christian activists, to engage non-Christians, and to help Christians live out God’s healing and restorative work. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote in Letter from Birmingham Jail that the earliest Christians were radical and revolutionaries. They changed the world. We hope to do so as well.

For More Information

To listen to helpful podcasts on the implications of atonement and restorative justice, Mako was featured on:

• Atonement and the Stone Table for Pints with Jack (May 13, 2023). A 35 minute video where Mako was a guest with David Bates on his podcast focused on C.S. Lewis, Pints with Jack. David and Mako focused especially on the death of Aslan the Lion in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. But we also engaged with The Magician’s Nephew and The Great Divorce. Mako suggested that Aslan’s death represented a medical substitutionary atonement. It was a short summary of his longer paper, C.S. Lewis’ Theology of Atonement.

• Healing Atonement and Restorative Justice for The New Evangelicals (Mar 14, 2022)

• Talking About Atonement for Can I Say This At Church? (Feb 28, 2022)

• Non-Violent Atonement for InVerse Podcast (Sep 21, 2021)

• Can We Be Re-Traumatized by Our Theory of Atonement? for Being With: On Neuroscience, Spiritual Formation, and Faith (Apr 16, 2021)

• A Restorative God for Rethinking God with Tacos (Apr 10, 2020)

• Deconstructing and Reconstructing the Atonement for Gravity Leadership (Feb 11, 2020)

• Beyond Penal Substitution for Almost Heretical (Mar 14, 2018)

Also, read Restorative vs. Retributive Justice and the Implications for Public Life. Journal of Urban Ministry, June 2020.

See the 2019 Conference: Healing Atonement page for some videos that will help you continue this journey.

We hope to foster and support a broad network of people who are interested in growing in Christ this way. Check out our Facebook group.

Check Out Atonement 301

See the Atonement 301 page to see more in-depth biblical exegesis and early Christian literature on what Jesus accomplished.

Revisit Atonement 101

See the Atonement 101 page to revisit how atonement influences and shapes ministry in practical ways.