Gunton re-examines the doctrine of Atonement and the language in which it is expressed in the light of modern scholarly developments. Readers are invited to explore the Atonement through the diverse metaphors of victory, legal justice and sacrifice - as they all express something of the meaning of life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Colin E. Gunton challenges the rationalist approaches to doctrines of Atonement provided by Kant, Schleiermacher and Hegel, and explores the re-emergence of metaphor as an accepted component of philosophical and theological dialogue.

This Cornerstones edition includes a new introduction written by Kent Eilers, who considers how this work continues to influence the scholarly understanding of the doctrine of Atonement.