I agree more with the Ransom view of Christ's sacrifice, rather than Western Satisfaction theories. The ransom theory says that Christ redeemed us from the devil, sin, and death through his death on the cross. The satisfaction theory says that Christ had to die to appease a vengeful, wrathful God. He paid the penalty due our sins on the cross. The former seems more in line with the teaching of the ancient church, both East and West, both Latin and Greek; whereas the latter seems to be a later understanding by Anselm of Canterbury- although one cannot deny that it has some scriptural support.Nevertheless, God for me is no longer a wrathful god, but a loving one. I believe both the damned and the saved have the same experience in the after life, which is the love and presence of God. The damned experience it as torment, because they have not opened themselves to God's love within them. The saved experience it as paradise, because they have allowed themselves to be loved by God. This is a view expressed by Russian Orthodox lay theologian Vladimir Lossky and Greek Orthodox theologian and Bishop Kallistos (Timothy) Ware.
William Temple, who was an Archbishop of Canterbury, said that wrath was on man's part, not God's. I agree with that.
One of my best friends had a wonderful comment about this whole question recently:
"If God was truly as wrathful as Calvin and/or his followers believed, we'd all be dead right now. If God didn't love us, why would he put up with us? Precisely because we are sinners and are still alive to know it, is through God's merciful love. I don't care about theories and such but if God is not loving, then why believe? I know I'm a sinner but the hope to strive to do better is rooted in the belief that God loves us and that as we learn to love ourselves less we learn to love as God does."
Amen, brother!
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