The Breadth and Depth of the Atonement

Atonement. For some this word is the heart of the Christian faith. For others, it is irrelevant for Christianity and how they live their Christian lives. Often we do not see «the breadth and depth» of the atonement in the gospel. Christian D. Kettler, in his fourth book on «the vicarious humanity of Christ,» suggests that we consider that the atonement is not only a vicarious death in our place and on our behalf–whether in the form of a «penal substitute» or a «moral example»–but also his vicarious humanity, having atoning significance for all of our lives, indeed, all of reality: the church, the world, and the self. These essays are collected from several years of Kettler's thought on the doctrine of the vicarious humanity of Christ and its implications for all of life and reality, seeking to demonstrate that the doctrine of the atonement is not to be restricted to one small part of the doctrinal agenda, but has profound implications that theology sometimes does not explore. These issues include the nature of culture, aesthetics, creation out of nothing, spiritual formation, emotional weakness, the priesthood of Christ and creation, genetic engineering, and trusting in the «ideal» self.