Theorising a Quaker View of the Atonement

Abstract

Gustaf Aulén described a classical view of the atonement, in which God through Christ triumphs over the forces of evil: ‘Christus victor’. Denny Weaver’s narrative Christus victor developed this view into a fully developed theory, spelled out as biblical narrative. A biblical theology framework provides a context for integrating this theory with Larry Shelton’s theory that God in the atonement establishes and maintains a new covenant community with humanity. Christus victor/covenant atonement incorporates biblical values of nonviolence and restorative justice; satisfaction and substitutionary theories are rooted in retributive justice and violence. George Fox was committed to a Christus victor view of Christ’s atonement. Lamb’s war writings of Fox, Burrough, and Nayler gave a powerful and original extension of that view. These Friends foreshadowed the combination of narrative Christus victor theory with covenant theory of the atonement.