Why did God have to murder his only son to pay our debts? What kind of vengeful, violent God can only be satisfied by vicarious blood atonement? In Executing God, theologian Sharon Baker presents a biblically based and theologically sound critique of popular theories of the atonement. Concerned about the number of acts of violence performed in the name of God, Baker challenges cultural assumptions about the death of Jesus and its meaning to Christians. She ultimately offers a constructive alternate view of atonement based on God’s forgiveness that opens up salvation to a wider group of people.
Sharon L. Baker is an associate professor of theology and religion and the author of Razing Hell: Rethinking Everything You’ve Been Taught about God’s Wrath and Judgment, as well as numerous articles on hell and non-violent atonement.
