My testimony and knowledge of the Atonement (which is a huge and overwhelming subject) have increased and deepened as a result of this book. I feel greater love and gratitude for my Savior and an increased desire to follow Him as a result. So glad I read this- it has changed me!

A must-read for every Latter Day Saint. This book brought me so much peace and understanding and hope.

If you're having a hard time getting through this book, try the audio version. The audiobook really helped me to be able to absorb the weighty concepts better.

This may be my favorite new church book. It is written for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who want to have a deeper conversation about the doctrine of Christ (the Plan of Salvation, Fall, many infinite aspects of the Atonement, conditions of grace, etc.) I’m so impressed with how Tad Callister explores so many questions, so thoroughly, using scriptures from various books and quotes from modern religions leaders to provide credible citations for potential answers to those tough questions. Not to mention (and this might be one of my favorite parts about this research) words from Gandhi, Byron, Robert Frost, CS Lewis, among other poets, authors, prominent thought leaders and moral figures outside of our religious affiliation.

This is a book that will be marked up and loved in my home resource library.

2012 Review

I felt very humbled as I felt some small increase in my understanding of the meaning of the atonement. Although it really wasn't, it seemed like wall-to-wall scripture citations, and I feel peace when reading it.

In the middle of the book there was something about eternity comparing it to peeling away curtains I found that very interesting and want to find that statement again. The atonement applies not just to sins but also to our weaknesses and our mistakes.

I especially liked Chapter 15:Infinite in Love. I also quite liked Chapter 26.


To give a picture of the breadth of the book, here are the chapter titles.

Chapter 1: What Is the Significance of the Atonement?
Chapter 2: Why Study the Atonement?
Chapter 3: Can We Fully Comprehend the Atonement?
Chapter 4: What Are the Purposes of the Atonement?
Chapter 5: The Fall of Adam
Chapter 6: The Relationship between the Fall and the Atonement
Chapter 7: The Consequences If There Had Been No Atonement
Chapter 8:The Infinite Nature of the Atonement
Chapter 9: Infinite In Divineness of the Chosen One
Chapter 10: Infinite in Power
Chapter 11: Infinite in Time
Chapter 12: Infinite in Coverage
Chapter 13: Infinite in Depth
Chapter 14: Infinite in Suffering
Chapter 15: Infinite in Love
Chapter 16: The Blessing Of the Resurrection
Chapter 17: The Blessing of Repentance
Chapter 18: The Blessing of Peace of Mind
Chapter 19: The Blessing of Succor
Chapter 20: The Blessing of Motivation
Chapter 21: The Blessing of Exaltation
Chapter 22 The Blessing of Freedom
Chapter 23: The Blessing of Grace
Chapter 24: How Do the Ordinances Relates to the Atonement?
Chapter 25: How Do Justice and Mercy Relate to the Atonement?
Chapter 26: Was the Atonement Necessary or Was There Another Way?
Chapter 27: Appreciation for the Atonement
Bibliography
Index

From the Foreword:
“Truth, glorious truth, proclaims there is such a Mediator. …Through Him mercy can be fully extended to each of us without offending the eternal law of justice.” “This truth is the very root of Christian doctrine. You may know much about the gospel as it branches out from there, but if you only know the branches and those branches do not touch that root, if they have been cut free from that truth, there will be no life nor substance nor redemption in them.” (Conference Report, April 1977, Page 80).

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2021 Review

Chapter 4:
    “Elder Neal A. Maxwell suggests that the prime reason the Savior personally acts as the gatekeeper of the celestial kingdom is not to exclude people, but to personally welcome and embrace those who have made it back home.”

Chapter 8: The Infinite Nature of the Atonement
1. It is infinite in the divineness of the one sacrificed.
2. It is infinite in power.
3. It is infinite in time.
4. It is infinite in Coverage.
5. It is infinite in Depth.
6. It is infinite in Degree of suffering.
7. It is infinite in Love.
8. It is infinite in The blessings it bestows.

Chapter 9:
t“In but thirty-three years he left a streaming trail of godhood that none but a spiritual corpse could deny. Sermon after sermon, miracle after miracle, kindness after kindness testified of his divine origin.”

Chapter 21: Note 13
“The word perfect as used in this scripture comes from the Greek word telios. Some have suggested this might be translated as "finished" or "completed," resulting in a connotation other than moral perfection—perhaps meaning a complete or mature saint. While this might be one interpretation, the scripture does not preclude a reference to moral perfection. In fact, when read in context, this passage seems to require moral perfection. It specifically delineates the type of completeness or perfection to which it is referring when it makes the comparison, "even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect" (emphasis added). God is not perfect like a mature saint or in a relative sense. He is absolutely perfect. Furthermore, the corollary passage to Matthew 5:48 as found in the Book of Mormon was not originally in Greek, but rather reformed Egyptian, yet the key word is still translated "perfect." If Joseph had felt inspired to change the word or meaning, he could have easily done so. This is particularly true, since he must have focused on such verse as evidenced by the changing of a few words, to read: "even as I or your Father who is in heaven is perfect" (3 Nephi 12:48). Again, the standard of perfection was God the Father and, in addition, His glorified Son. It was not man or any mortal attribute. This Book of Mormon passage only strengthens the argument that God was inviting us to partake of godly perfection, not some mortal or diluted substitute.” (For a further discussion of this point, see Welch, Sermon at the Temple and the Sermon on the Mount, 57-62.)