atonement theology

[cmotherofpirl]

Sigh.
Article in [i]US Catholic[/i] [March 2005] on atonement theology is confusing to say the least. Says its only a theory anyway. Among its many points are that Jesus's life is more important than his death, his death was not willed by God, and victims of violence are offended by the sanctification of violence.
Do we have any articles that clearly explain Church teaching?

[Guest Eremite]

[url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02055a.htm"]http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02055a.htm[/url]

[quote]victims of violence are offended by the sanctification of violence.[/quote]

Not surprising.

"We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles" (1Cor 1:23)

Edited March 25, 2005 by Eremite

[cmotherofpirl]

This is exactly what the [i]USCatholic[/i] rag is promoting:
"The first is indicated in the above words of Pattison in which the Atonement is specially connected with the thought of the wrath of God. It is true of course that sin incurs the anger of the Just Judge, and that this is averted when the debt due to Divine Justice is paid by satisfaction. But it must not be thought that God is only moved to mercy and reconciled to us as a result of this satisfaction. This false conception of the Reconciliation is expressly rejected by St. Augustine (In Joannem, Tract. cx, section 6). God's merciful love is the cause, not the result of that satisfaction.
The second mistake is the tendency to treat the Passion of Christ as being literally a case of vicarious punishment. This is at best a distorted view of the truth that His Atoning Sacrifice took the place of our punishment, and that He took upon Himself the sufferings and death that were due to our sins. "

Thanks Mr E