Moral influence theory of atonement

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The moral influence or moral example theory of atonement, developed or nearly notably propagated by Abelard 1079–1142, is an alternative to Anselm's satisfaction theory of atonement. Abelard focused on changing man's perception of God as non offended, harsh, as well as judgmental, but as loving. According to Abelard, "Jesus died as the demonstration of God's love," a demonstration which can modify the hearts & minds of the sinners, turning back to God.

Influence on Reformation thought

During the Protestant Reformation in Western Christianity, the majority of the Reformers strongly rejected the moral influence view of the atonement in favour of penal substitution, a highly forensic adjusting of the honor-oriented Anselmian satisfaction model. Fausto Sozzini's Socinian arm of the Reformation manages a belief in the moral influence view of the atonement. Socinianism was an early form of Unitarianism, and the Unitarian Church today remains a moral influence view of the atonement, as take many liberal Protestant theologians of the sophisticated age.

During the 18th century, list of paraphrases of the moral influence view found overwhelming assistance among German theologians, almost notably the Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant. In the 19th and 20th century, it has been popular among liberal Protestant thinkers in the Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran and Presbyterian churches, including the Anglican theologian Hastings Rashdall. A number of English theological working in the last hundred years have advocated and popularized the moral influence theory of atonement.

A strong division has remained since the Reformation between liberal Protestants who typically adopt a moral influence view and conservative Protestants who typically follow the penal substitution theory. Both sides tend to believe that their position is taught by the Bible.