What is the Orthodox Christian view on the atonement and is Penal Substitutionary Atonement Orthodox?

The patristic and biblical quotes in this collection reveal what Orthodox Christians actually teach about the atonement, debunking prevailing myths. The quotes show multiple biblical and patristic perspectives: Christ as 'ransom for all' (1 Tim 2:6), 'triumphing over' principalities and powers (Col 2:15), and the 'sweet exchange' where 'the iniquity of many should be concealed in One Righteous Man, and the righteousness of One should justify many that are iniquitous' (St. Athanasius). Rather than modern theories, the Church Fathers emphasize Christ taking 'upon Himself our sins' as 'a ransom for us, holy for lawless, guileless for evil, just for the unjust' (St. Athanasius). These truthful quotes help debunk misconceptions about what the Orthodox Church has historically taught about the atonement.

The quotes in this collection help debunk myths by showing the actual range of patristic and biblical teaching on atonement. Some emphasize Christ bearing our sins ('he made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin' - 2 Cor 5:21), others focus on propitiation ('he is propitiation for our sins' - 1 John 2:2), while others highlight Christ as a ransom or victory over death. By presenting both substitutionary language and themes of divine wrath directly from the sources, this collection helps readers distinguish between prevailing myths and what the Church Fathers actually teach.

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What a tremendous day that must have been when the eternal God, surrounded by all His holy angels, sent out the word: Who will go down and redeem My lost crea tion? In our imagination we can picture them coming for- ward, all the great ones of heaven, the archangels of God. First there was Uriel, the angel of light: 'Father, I will go down. I will show man the light of a perfect example. how he should walk to find favor with Thee; he will follow that light, and so he shall come back to Thee.' But the Father said: Beautiful indeed is thy light, Uriel, but man now loves darkness more than he loves light, and he will not follow. Thy light is mighty indeed, O Uriel, but not mighty enough to save.' And then, perhaps, spoke up Raphael, the of the mind: 'Father, I will go down, and I will reason with man. I will say to him: It does not make sense that you should hate your Creator and be forever lost; and, convinced by his own mind, man will come back to Thee.' But the Father said: 'In vain, Raphael, wilt thou reason with man, for man's mind, his understanding, is now darkened: His eye is blind, his ear is sluggish, his heart is cold. Thou art mighty to reason, O Raphael, but thou art not mighty enough to save.' Then came forward Michael, the angel of the sword, with his great two-edged blade flashing and turning every way: 'Father, I will go down. I will flash before man's eyes my terrible swift sword. I will roll over the world the thunders of the holy Law. Man will tremble in fright and repent and return to Thee.' But the Father said: 'To no avail, Michael, will be the flashings of thy sword, for man's heart is hardened. and he will not be frightened into faith and love toward Me. Thou art mighty with thy sword, O Michael, but not mighty enough to save.' Next came forward Gabriel, the angel of holy song, and he said: 'Father, I will go down. I will flood the earth with all the songs and melodies of heaven, and hearing that music of the other world, man will want to turn and come back to Thee.' But again the Father said: 'Sweet indeed is the music and melody of heaven, Gabriel, but sweeter still to the heart of man is the music of sin and the melodies of earth. Thou art mighty to sing. O Gabriel, but not mighty enough to save.' And so one by one the great archangels came before the Lord, only to learn that what they had to offer was not enough to save sin-cursed mankind! Then finally came forward the Son of God Himself, whom all angels and saints honor and adore. He said, 'My Father, I will go down. I will lay aside the glory which I had with Thee before the foundation of the world. I will humble Myself and take upon Me their own form and flesh, and in their place become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. I will be disfigured, despised and rejected of men. spit upon, crowned with thorns, pierced with nails, thrust through with a spear. I shall live as man should have lived. I shall die as man deserved to die; and thus, by My living and by My dying. I will redeem mankind.' And now the halls of heaven rang with shouts of the angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim: 'Eternal Son, go down! go down! go down! Thou alone canst be their substitute! Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace. God will to men!' That is the blessed mystery of Calvary: God's own Son becoming the sin-bearing Substitute for all mankind!

Fr. Anthony Coniaris (+2020), Orthodoxy: A Creed for Today

Twentieth Century