Atonement (moral influence view)

The moral influence view of the atonement is a doctrine in Christian theology that explains the effect of Jesus Christ's death as an act of exemplary obedience which affects the intentions of those who come to know about it. [hence St. Paul's emphasis on the necessity of preaching] This understanding dates back to the early fathers, and can be found in biblical sources as well as in the teachings of St. Augustine. Its most famous proponent is the medieval logician Peter Abelard. More recently, Hastings Rashall expounded the view in his 1915 Bampton lectures. [ "The Idea of Atonement in Chistian Theology"] The "moral influence view" can be contrasted with the "objective views" that Christ affected human nature by His death, [ cf. St. Athanasius, De Incarnatione] the various "penal substitution views," and the "classic view" that Christ's death was a ransom or redemption paid to free human kind from its bondage to sin. [ cf. Aulen, Gustaf, "Christus Victor" tr. A.D. Hebert (SPCK 1931)]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/hodge/theology2.iv.ix.iii.html "The Moral Theory"] section III.9.3 from Charles Hodge's "Systematic Theology", describing the view and arguing against it.

* [http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_atone11.htm "The Moral Theory of Atonement"] Website giving a positive explanation of this perspective.
* [http://www.theopedia.com/Atonement_of_Christ "Historical Theories of Atonement"] Theopedia gives a brief and fair treatment of the historical and modern theories of atonement.