Calvin and the Atonement

📖 The Scoop

"Book is a breath of fresh... air in Calvin studies. Much debate has been (and still is) centered on whether or not Calvin taught a limited atonement (that Christ died only for some--the elect). While this is an important issue, Peterson wisely does not let it determine the course of his investigation and instead offers us the many facets of Calvin's understanding of the atonement. He begins with a chapters on the free love of God in Christ (the starting point), then the incarnation (the prerequisite) and the offices of Christ (Prophet, Priest & King). Following these introductory chapters, Peterson lays out (in prism-like fashion) the myriad aspects of Christ's saving work. In sum, these are Christ as the obedient second Adam, the victor, our legal substitute, our sacrifice, our merit and our example. The book is a model of careful, cautious scholarship that refuses to be dogmatic where the evidence does not justify it. Additionally, the author is merciful to the reader by keeping this work (a revision of his Ph.D. dissertation) crisp, concise and cogent rather than attempting to be exhaustive (and exhausting). I suppose the highest praise I can give the book is that it stimulates the reader to want to read more in this area, and even more Calvin (which is really saying something)!" -- Amazon.com.

Genre: Biography & Autobiography / Religious (fancy, right?)