Unlimited atonement (sometimes called general atonement or universal atonement) is the majority doctrine in Protestant Christianity that is normally associated with Amyraldians and non-Calvinist Christians. It originated in the Bible in such passages as 1 John 2:2 and has been a protest against the supralapsarian doctrines formulated in the post-Calvin environment. The doctrine states that Jesus died as a propitiation for the benefit of mankind without exception. It is a doctrine distinct from other elements of the Calvinist acronym TULIP and is contrary to the Calvinist doctrine of limited atonement.
A doctrinal issue that divides Christians is the question of the extent of the atonement. Did Christ die with the intention to save only the elect or was His death in some way relevant to all human beings? Straightforward readings of scriptures such as 1 John 2:2; John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:6; 4:10 would seem to say that the Bible unequivocally teaches unlimited atonement. However, the argument can be made that it is equally possible to interpret those passages from the perspective of limited atonement.
Read more about Unlimited Atonement: Historical Background, The Doctrine, Objections To The Doctrine
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Always yield to the Hands-On Imperative!
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Mistrust authority—promote decentralization.
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—Steven Levy, U.S. writer. Hackers, ch. 2, “The Hacker Ethic,” pp. 27-33, Anchor Press, Doubleday (1984)
“What atonement is there for blood spilt upon the earth?”
—Aeschylus (525–456 B.C.)