Clarendon Paperbacks Responsibility and Atonement

This is an account of how moral concepts such as forgiveness, praise, guilt and punishment apply to human interaction and behaviour. The author attempts to reach conclusions about which versions of traditional Christian doctrines utilizing such notions are morally acceptable. This study is based on the Edward Cadbury Lectures given by the author at the University of Birmingham in 1987. It is an account of how moral concepts such as forgiveness, praise, mercy, guilt and punishment and reward apply to human interaction and behaviour. The author attempts to reach conclusions about which versions of traditional Christian doctrines utilizing such notions are morally acceptable. He considers the doctrines of original sin, redemption, sanctification, heaven and hell.