Defining Penal Substitution and Christus Victor

It is often argued that the early church did not teach penal substitutionary atonement, but rather taught Christus Victor. Dean Taylor argues that penal substitutionary atonement thinking was present in the texts of early Christian writers such as Origen, Eusebius, and Chrysostom alongside Christus Victor teachings. Dean believes that Anabaptists have misunderstood the early church position on the atonement. He makes a case that the early church taught penal substitutionary atonement.

Christus Victor by Gustaf Aulén:

The Nonviolent Atonement by J. Denny Weaver:

Origen: Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Books 1-5: ****

Commentary on Isaiah by Eusebius of Caesarea

This is the 277th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.

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The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.