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Michael Barros's avatar

I recently read St. Athanasius’ “On the Incarnation.”

Can anyone explain substitutionary atonement to me?

Like I get the mechanics, and the idea “God is perfectly just.”

But what’s happening spiritually? By that I mean: why should an unblemished sacrifice satisfy death as a whole?

I know I should know this, and it’s been explained to me before. But I’ve never ever felt like I truly understood it.

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Evan Nathaniel Collins's avatar

I personally recommend Khaled Anatolios’ book Deification Through the Cross. The end of the book has a fascinating appreciation and reception of substitionary atonement framed in the works overarching spiritual vision

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Michael Barros's avatar

Awesome ty I’m looking it up now

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Evan Nathaniel Collins's avatar

He also is a leading Catholic scholar in Athanasius, which is fitting given the post

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Michael Barros's avatar

That’s awesome. It’s a long book!

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