Lamb of the Free: Dr. Andrew Rillera | Understanding Levitical Sacrifice and Atonement Theory episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 29, 2025 · 1H 12M

Lamb of the Free: Dr. Andrew Rillera | Understanding Levitical Sacrifice and Atonement Theory

from TheologyU · host Will Bennink

Dr. Andrew Remington Rillera (PhD, Duke University) is assistant professor of Biblical studies and Theology at the King’s University in Edmonton, Alberta. Dr. Rillera is the author of a very influential book which came out last year called “Lamb of the Free: Recovering the Varied Sacrificial Understandings of Jesus’s Death.” It’s generated significant buzz, particularly after John Mark Comer recently called it a final biblical exegetical knockout blow to penal substitutionary atonement. Penal substitutionary atonement is the idea that Jesus bore the penalty of our sins when he died on the cross as a substitute, or in our place. Dr. Rillera argues against this atonement theory and argues it lacks solid Biblical evidence. Penal substitution remains a popular atonement theory, endorsed by Dr. Gavin Ortlund @TruthUnites , William Lane Craig, and many others. TheologyU, hosted by Will Bennink (BA, Wheaton College, Mdiv, Harvard University), hosts conversations with Christian academics and authors to discuss their work for a general audience. How does sacrifice in the Old Testament work? How does Jesus relate to the Levitical system? Is Passover a sacrifice?Is Penal Substitution a helpful atonement theory?

Dr. Andrew Remington Rillera (PhD, Duke University) is assistant professor of Biblical studies and Theology at the King’s University in Edmonton, Alberta. Dr. Rillera is the author of a very influential book which came out last year called “Lamb of the Free: Recovering the Varied Sacrificial Understandings of Jesus’s Death.” It’s generated significant buzz, particularly after John Mark Comer recently called it a final biblical exegetical knockout blow to penal substitutionary atonement. Penal substitutionary atonement is the idea that Jesus bore the penalty of our sins when he died on the cross as a substitute, or in our place. Dr. Rillera argues against this atonement theory and argues it lacks solid Biblical evidence. Penal substitution remains a popular atonement theory, endorsed by Dr. Gavin Ortlund @TruthUnites , William Lane Craig, and many others. TheologyU, hosted by Will Bennink (BA, Wheaton College, Mdiv, Harvard University), hosts conversations with Christian academics and authors to discuss their work for a general audience. How does sacrifice in the Old Testament work? How does Jesus relate to the Levitical system? Is Passover a sacrifice?Is Penal Substitution a helpful atonement theory?

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Lamb of the Free: Dr. Andrew Rillera | Understanding Levitical Sacrifice and Atonement Theory

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Dr. Andrew Remington Rillera (PhD, Duke University) is assistant professor of Biblical studies and Theology at the King’s University in Edmonton, Alberta. Dr. Rillera is the author of a very influential book which came out last year called “Lamb of...

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