Atonement

In Christianity, reconciliation between God and humanity, achieved through the life and death of Jesus Christ.

This concept is rooted in Jewish thought, where atonement was closely linked with animal sacrifice and later with righteous living and martyrdom

There is no formal doctrine of the atonement within Christianity, and interpretations have varied throughout Christian history.

The idea of Christ's death as a sacrifice, delivering mankind from sin, is found in the New Testament and has remained a predominant theme in both Roman Catholic and Reformation Churches.

Another understanding of the atonement based on scripture stresses the triumph of Christ's life and death over the forces of evil, or, in some contemporary interpretations, the overcoming of alienation.

Other interpretations focus on the exemplary nature of Christ's life and death, or on the powers of God's love revealed in him to transform believers.