Abstract

The doctrine of atonement is one of the cornerstones of Christian belief. At the same time it has been heavily attacked by the Enlightenment. In this article, the status quaestionis is described in the Anglo-Saxon theology of atonement, two centuries after the Enlightenment made its claim for a more rational approach of Christian Doctrine, particularly regarding the metaphors used in the doctrine of atonement. In the second part of the article, recent contributions to this debate, such as books of Vernon White, Paul Fiddes, Mary Grey, Michael Winter, and especially Colin Gunton, are discussed. Their approaches attempt to rehabilitate atonement. Special attention is paid to the altered view of the metaphors in the doctrine of atonement, including victory, judgement, and sacrifice