Atonement and Sacrifice. Early Debates and Classical Theories

The notion of ‘sacrifice’ was both a central tenet in Christian theological debates and a comparative concept through which Christian observers interpreted non-Christian religious practices. Used as a comparative device to analyse other cultures, the notion of sacrifice played a relevant role in defining religion, but also in enhancing debates of a theo-political nature. The article is based on a working hypothesis that aims to provide a preliminary mapping of how notions of sacrifice were conceived and elaborated in the early modern period against the backdrop of intra-Christian theological strife and the discovery of new religions in the Americas. It also highlights perspectives from Jewish authors, whose voices became increasingly significant in the modern era. It suggests that some issues engendered by those debates were both discussed and challenged in the first ‘scientific theories’ of sacrifice, which appeared between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.