In a masterly examination of both the Christian doctrine of Atonement and the nature and working of theological language, Professor Gunton reassesses the doctrine and the language in which it is expressed in the light of modern scholarly developments. He explains how the traditional metaphors of Atonement, drawn from the battlefield, the altar and the law courts, all express something of the meaning of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus—and examines their bearing on human life in today’s world.
Taking the crisis of rationalism as his starting point, Gunton explores both the Christian doctrine of Atonement and the nature and working of theological language. He then considers the nature of metaphor, and argues that far from being an abuse of language, it is crucial to rational engagement with the world.
