The Infinite Atonement

The Infinite Atonement is, hands down, the best book written on the atonement. It includes a compilation of quotes and teachings with extremely important insights regarding this important topic. This is a must read for anyone with a desire to learn more and understand better the doctrine of the atonement.

I rarely rate religious books this highly - mostly because I lose interest faster than I should. (I guess my loss of interest says more about me than the subject matter.) I took just under 6 months to read this book, ponder its meaning, and research scriptural and other sources to see if it is correct in its teachings. And after spending a lifetime as a follower and admirer of the carpenter from Nazareth who is the Son of God, I can only say that this book did more for my understanding of the doctrine of the Atonement than any other book short of scripture. The writing is clear and concise. The author has obviously distilled the study of a lifetime into this volume because it carries quotes from so many disparate sources that would have taken years to accumulate. From his background as a lawyer, the author is uniquely qualified to discuss justice, mercy and other related concepts. His main sources are scriptures - that is the Bible and also scriptures unique to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). C.S. Lewis and Joseph Smith are also two common sources. The 300 pages of this book contain chapters on why an atonement is needed, what is the nature of the atonement, what it means, and how it was accomplished. The atonement is the central doctrine of Christianity and is so comprehensive and overwhelming in its scope that a guide such as this one is extrememly useful. And besides the high intellectual content of this work, I found myself pondering over and over again the particularized question, "Considering what a failure I am, how is it possible that a Savior could care enough for me to suffer and die for me?" I recommend this book highly to anyone.

Mr. Callister gives us a thoughtful and lyrical view of the most important event in human history. The book is well-written and easy to understand. What I especially appreciate, however, is Mr. Callister's sensitive, obviously hard-won personal testimony of Jesus Christ. His conclusions come from years of perceptive living combined with a conscious effort to understand what it means to be redeemed. I highly recommend this book. It is one of the best efforts by any Latter-day Saint. Perhaps some of the doctrine is not familiar to people of different faiths. That does invalidate the thought and beautiful testimony of the writer.

This book was written to be an expression of the author's love. It clearly presents the topic of the atonement in a thorough manner. If you desire to comprehend the topic, purchasing it is an essential step in the right direction. There may be doctrinal issues that will perplex those not of the same faith as the author, but every college student will recognize that this has never stopped them from studying other men's ideas. The atonement is expressed as the answer to the demands of justice, insomuch as it draws power from the principle of mercy and agency; and, I think it explains the words of Socrates spoken in Crito, "that not life, but a good life, is to be chiefly valued."

This is by far the best book I have ever read regarding the Atonement. Tad Callister's fluid writing style reminds me a lot of Elder Maxwell's. If you don't own a copy of this book, get one now. It would make a wonderful Christmas gift. I hope to see some more books from this same author in the future.