How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith

Atonement theory is a theological concept prominent within both Christianity and Judaism, positing that humans must atone for their sins against God. In Christianity, a key belief is that Jesus died for mankind’s sins and that the crucifixion of Jesus was God’s sacrifice to wash away the sins of humanity. Budde engages with atonement theory in Chapter 4 as she explores how people can learn to be brave in the face of unchangeable circumstances, especially circumstances that cause them pain. The idea that God requires atonement in the form of suffering is one that Budde calls an “appallingly cruel view of God” that is made “somewhat palatable” in the view of God being the atoning sacrifice through Jesus (89). Budde takes it further, writing, “In this light, Jesus’ sacrifice becomes an expression of how far God will go in love for us” (89). Budde’s theological analysis places atonement theory in her broader view of God as a loving creator and a source of faith, comfort, and courage.

Budde is critical of some views of atonement theory that view Jesus’ sacrifice as a complete and transactional act of redemptive suffering. She is not alone in her criticism, as Richard Rohr OFM, an Irish Catholic scholar, writes that the