The Holy as a Category of Value

David Clarkson, March 15, 2016, The Holy as a category of Value

"No religion has brought the mystery of the need for atonement or expiation to so complete, so profound, or so powerful expression as Christianity" (Otto 56). In this quote Otto is striving to reference the superiority of Christianity over other religions. All other religions explain or seek to try to explain what one has to do to achieve enlightenment, or how to do enough for a good afterlife. But, Christianity explains what has already been done for you through Christ. However, in order for us to understand Christ's atonement for us, we need to understand why we as humans needed any atonement in the first place. The need for atonement can be derived from the book of Romans where Paul explains to the Roman believers that nobody is righteous, not even one. Because of our shortcomings as human beings, there needs to be an appropriate atonement to pay for our sins. The ultimate sacrifice can be explained and experienced through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins on the cross, because he was the only being who was worthy to do so. The fact that Jesus died for us, despite the fact he didn't have to demonstrates his immense love for us as undeserving humans.