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.
Keywords
narrative, covenant, mighty acts of God, restorative justice, George Fox, Christus victor
How to Cite
Palmer, T., (2011) “Theorising a Quaker View of the Atonement”, Quaker Studies 16(1), 105–123. doi: https://doi.org/10.3828/quaker.16.1.105
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