9.5/10

Other than "Jesus the Christ," this book is the closest thing to scripture I've read besides actual scripture. Often in modern Latter Day Saint writing, I find that the author can get repetitive or perhaps meander a bit. Callister knows what he's writing about and clearly has a specific unique idea to each chapter. He slowly winds his way through obvious truths and then seamlessly ends up at some moving and testimony growing realizations. I would be amazed to find a book that is more of a complete encapsulation of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

This book took me a while to get through, mainly because it would take me a while to digest each section I read. It's rich and thorough in its presentation of scripture to affirm each assertion, which makes for slower reading. But I know of no other work which so clearly sets forth the case for the Atonement and explains each facet of it. This is a must read for every child of God.

This has been my Sunday book over the past eight months or so. It's a deep dive into doctrine related to Christ's mission, life, death, atonement. This is a book to come back and read over and over, since the subject of the Atonement is both easy to grasp but also very complex.

I wondered how Callister could fill an entire book on such a narrow subject. I assumed he would provide a description of the atonement of Jesus Christ with scriptural backing. There aren't really that many scriptures about the event—certainly not an entire book's worth. Callister, however, took a broader view. He described the importance of the atonement as it spanned and affected all facets of religion, spirituality, and life. It turns out, it's a pretty broad topic after all.

Callister tries to write eloquently and as ornately as possible. I expect this is to show proper respect to the topic and to give his words an air of gravity. I had to get used to it. When I did, I appreciated Callister's insight.

Is it allowed for a devout mormon to give a mormon book a low score? My bihsop recommended that I read this, and if it hadn't been for his recommendation, I wouldn't have been able to finish it. Callister uses SO MANY adjectives it is ridiculously distracting to the point where you can't even focus on what he is saying. Example: "It was a sacrifice that was so grand, so glorious, so grandiose, so big, so important and so vital to us." Wow. Really? You had to use ALL those adjectives to describe it? "He did it out of his unconditional, endless, immutable, unchangeable, irreversible love for us." And so on and so on. It got so old so quick. Also, the other thing is that he writes 200+ pages on the atonement, when he could have got the point across in 80 pages. He repeats himself in various chapters, the organization is awful, and the book is constantly losing focus. It is an organizational nightmare. Callister does, however, know a lot about the atonement and there are some very insightful parts if you can dig through to get to them. I blame the editor, really.

Ok, so my uncle wrote it (and I watched him write it over 17 years)and I'm impartial, but the book is an excellent account of why we need Christ's atonement and how it relates to other religious concepts like Adam's fall, law, and sin.

This was a hard book to get through. It could be considered a strength, but, to me, the legalistic approach Callister took to his subject made for dull reading. He is a lawyer, and I could see his skill as a legal writer on display here. He carefully roadmapped what he was going to say, introduced each subject on his roadmap as he tackled it, covered it incredibly thoroughly with long quotes and careful end notes, and then concluded by reminding us at the end of each chapter what the point had been (no such reminder was needed in most cases). Even individual sentences throughout the book tended to use three synonyms to express a thought, where one would have sufficed (perhaps that style would work better in talks). Then again, this is a subject that probably deserves such painstakingly thorough coverage. Amidst the length are some real gems, many of them quotes from C.S. Lewis, who I'm now more inspired than ever to read. But I recommend reading it a chapter at a time over several months, rather than trying to get through it in a shorter period of time.

Very in depth and each chapter is filled with scriptures and modern stories

Read this a few years ago and wanted to go back and review it again. Definitely the best book about the Atonement I've ever read! (Other books about the Atonement that I like are Stephen E. Robinson's Believing Christ and James Ferrell's The Peacekeeper.)

I can't say enough good about this book... it's a spiritual feast. I will re-read this book many times.

If you love Jesus and want to learn more about the most important event in all time, the Atonement, then read this book. This is a must read for any Christian, and even though it may be tailored to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it would bless anyone who wants to know and love Jesus better. There is no way we can fully comprehend the Atonement with the limits of mortal understanding, but this book can definitely broaden and deepen our understanding of the Atonement. I am very thankful for my bishop's recommendation to read this book and wish everyone could read it... read it! Own it!

I recommend reading this book when you have time to savor it and contemplate it... in a quiet place... maybe just a few pages at a time. Reviewer Jill says exactly how I feel:

"This has enlarged my understanding, deepened my appreciation, left me humbled and eternally grateful to my beloved Savior for his infinite love, compassion and supreme sacrifice. It is a book I will continue to read over and over again because there is so very much to learn and understand. Anyone that wants to draw near to the Savior should read this book. You will never be the same after you finish it. "

And last of all what reviewer Emily says:
"This is the first time I have finshed a book and wanted to immediately start it again."

Thanks Tad Callister!

Every word of this book is a pearl of wisdom. It really gives you a deeper understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I will read this many times throughout my life.

Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand Jesus Christ. I have read about the Atonement my entire life, but it took a book like this to really synthesize some of the deeper spiritual aspects of it. Very much like being able to identify the constellations in an ocean of stars.

Jesus's mission was to save the sinner. We're all sinners and nothing is beyond His reach. I declare my love for Him and everything He stands for and experienced on my behalf.