I recently wrote a rant on knowing what you believe and why you believe it. I mentioned Christianese — vague words and phrases that don’t really mean anything, “Let Jesus into your heart,” for example.

Let’s look at something that on the surface sounds very religious, but if you stop and think about it, you have to wonder what it really means — atonement. While this is overall a great word, it requires a more precise definition. Christians seems to stop thinking about the topic once the surface level statement of, “I believe that Jesus died for my sins” has been acknowledged.

It’s kind of like saying, “Evolution is a proven fact.” I could be hanging out in atheist circles and say that phrase with no questions asked. But while it’s a true statement on a micro-evolution level, upon further investigation, I don’t believe in macro evolution and hold an intelligent design position.

So in an effort to help others out there define their faith, what view of atonement do you hold to? What type of atonement did Christ accomplish on the cross?

• Christus Victor
• Ransom
• Moral Influence
• Satisfaction
• Governmental

The Good Part: Here is some great satire that got me thinking about the whole thing:

$40 Million Dollar Debt Paid, But Debtor Still Faces Prison