Good, Modern Books on the Atonement

[Sam Jer]

Hello,
What are your best book recommendations on the atonement?

Some of the chief things I'd want a book to address (hence why the book needs to be modern and fully Calvinistic):

- Penal Substitution contra the Eastern Heteredox and Liberals (if possible, in that order)
- Limited vs General Atonement
- How much truth there is in various atonement "theories"
- The Atonement in the Old Testament
- Historicity of PSA and Limited Atonement

 

[John Nyberg]

Have you read “The Cross of Christ” by John Stott?

 

[Sam Jer]

Have you read “The Cross of Christ” by John Stott?

I haven't read any longer book on the subject so far as I can recollect. I take it that you recommend that book?

 

[John Nyberg]

I haven't read any longer book on the subject so far as I can recollect. I take it that you recommend that book?

Yes Sir. It provides a pretty thorough treatment of the atonement. It has been several years since I read it though

 

[Sam Jer]

Yes Sir. It provides a pretty thorough treatment of the atonement. It has been several years since I read it though

How deep does it go into objections? It dosen't have to be the main point of the book but I would want a book that seriously tackles objections to PSA.

Also, I see Stott was an Anglican. Was he a five-pointer? The book I choose does not necessarily need to defend particular atonement but it'd be neat if it did.

 

[John Nyberg]

John Stott is a staunch defender of PSA. He does go into other theories and objections in this work.

 

[Sam Jer]

Anybody else?

 

[arapahoepark]

Simon Gathercole's Defending Substitution if I recall correctly.
William Lane Craig also defends the notion.
Christ Crucified by Donald Macleod
God the Peacemaker by Cole
Oliver Crisp seems to hold to substitution as well.

 

[erickinho1bra]

To Save Sinners by my former pastor and professor at the Master's Seminary, Dr. Michael Riccardi

This book was his doctoral dissertation and is an amazing piece of scholarship (from my very unqualified, humble opinion)

 

[Stephen L Smith]

The Atonement: In Its Relations to the Covenant, the Priesthood, the Intercession of Our Lord by Hugh Martin.

One unique aspect of this book is that he demonstrates, as the title suggests, how the doctrine of the Covenant relates to the Atonement

 

[Pictet]

'Pierced for our Transgressions' shouldn't be forgotten if you want a book focused entirely on the defence of penal substitution.

 

[alexanderjames]

I had a longer list but given your requirements I’m down to one!.. For an in-depth treatment of “limited atonement” see ‘From Heaven He came and sought her’.

 

[Sam Jer]

I had a longer list but given your requirements I’m down to one!.. For an in-depth treatment of “limited atonement” see ‘From Heaven He came and sought her’.

You can name books that partially match the requirements too, this is oroving harder than expected

 

[No Other Name]

I know it seems basic and cliche, but the reason Owen's "Death of Death in the Death of Christ" is so ubiquitous a recommendation on the Atonement is that frankly I am not sure if anyone on the other side ever answered him adequately.

 

[alexanderjames]

You can name books that partially match the requirements too, this is oroving harder than expected

Others included older works - Owen as above, George Smeaton, and Hugh Martin as mentioned already.
Newer - Sproul's Truth of the Cross, which is shorter and more accessible than Stott, being less stuck 20th century debate.
Also, on my to read list is Fleming Rutledge on the Crucifixion which is quite scholarly and highly praised but should not be recommended without caution.

 

[timfost]

I don’t have any book recommendations, but I would recommend becoming thoroughly familiar with the historically reformed positions, sometimes called 1) strict particularism, 2. sufficient-efficient, 3. English hypothetical universalism (and its cousin, French Amyraldianism).

in my opinion, sometimes modern reformed people don’t understand the debates that happened in their own circles, leading them to believe that anything that is not strict particularism is not reformed.

 

[Sam Jer]

I don’t have any book recommendations, but I would recommend becoming thoroughly familiar with the historically reformed positions, sometimes called 1) strict particularism, 2. sufficient-efficient, 3. English hypothetical universalism (and its cousin, French Amyraldianism).

Would you care to give a brief explenation? Quick google searches don't go far with the terms you provided

 

[Sam Jer]

Hello,
What are your best book recommendations on the atonement?

Some of the chief things I'd want a book to address (hence why the book needs to be modern and fully Calvinistic):

- Penal Substitution contra the Eastern Heteredox and Liberals (if possible, in that order)
- Limited vs General Atonement
- How much truth there is in various atonement "theories"
- The Atonement in the Old Testament
- Historicity of PSA and Limited Atonement

I have decided to skip the modern stuff - almost every author seems to have all kinds of issues that maybe mean I shouldn't begin by reading them before having read something better - and read John Owen instead. I think I'll get volume 10 of the works of John Owen by Banner of Truth if I can get it as an ebook, and read either the whole thing, or skip "a Display of Arminianism" and read "Death of Death" onward. If I can't get it as an ebook I'll get Monergism's edition of Death of Death or sonething. By the time I get towards thd end I'll decide whether to supplament by reading Gathercole's "Defending Substitution" - I couldn't find major issues, but his book is only a bit over 100 pages and I was hoping for around 300 and am now probably going even higher.

 

[Sam Jer]

I think I'll get volume 10 of the works of John Owen by Banner of Truth if I can get it as an ebook, and read either the whole thing, or skip "a Display of Arminianism" and read "Death of Death" onward.

I got it from Logos.
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But hey, if anyone here is the kind of person who writes theological books, I think this thread shows there is a want here. Maybe cobsider writing on this?

 

[timfost]

Would you care to give a brief explenation? Quick google searches don't go far with the terms you provided

In short, strict particularism teaches that Christ died for the elect alone, period (think John Owen). Sufficient-efficient says that in one sense Christ died for every person (sufficient) and in another sense only for the elect (efficient). C. Hodge represents this well. Dort leans this way.

Both schools of thought use this terminology (sufficient and efficient), but the first would never say that Christ died sufficiently for all as would the second group.

John Davenant is probably the best source on English hypothetical universalism, which I believe to be distinct from Amyraldianism, though there is definitely some overlap. The lapsarian debate is relevant in these distinctions as well. I don’t have the time to expound on the distinctions (I’d have to brush up a little anyway), but hopefully these broad brush strokes help a little.