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Comments? I'm not sure samiam was saying that. I wouldn't have thought that the act of God that accomplished the Immaculaate Conception was that only thing God did for Mary. Certainly, in all the ins and outs of merit and grace there is always the grace of God operating at every step. On the flip side, "The wages of sin is death."

Catholics do not believe in the sacrificial atonement of Christ; Christ paying our penalty for sin. Instead, "new" teaching, teaches that Christ was an example for all.

It was by this inward sacrifice of obedience unto death, by this perfect love with which He laid down his life for His friends, that Christ paid the debt to justice, and taught us by His example, -NewAdvent on Atonement

Mary didn't need to be saved from sin especially if she had no sin. However, what was the salvation of Mary? She needed someone to paid a debt (not her debt) and to show us the way through love. Instead of a blood atonement (that was taught by the Church for over 1500 years), new teaching tells us that Christ's act was simply an act of love showing us the way we should love others.

Catholics have abandoned the traditional doctrine of the Atonement for something more modern.

I was kind of hoping that people would say what they believe, not what others believe and then disparaged it. Silly me.

And, for the record, I don't think what you say adds up. You're claiming that Catholics say Christ did not pay the penalty for sin and then you quote:

It was by this inward sacrifice of obedience unto death, by this perfect love with which He laid down his life for His friends, that Christ paid the debt to justice, and taught us by His example,

Part of our estrangement from God is not knowing who Hs is or what He wants (at least no in sufficient detail). Consequentlypart of atonement will be exemplary

" Catholics do not believe in the sacrificial atonement of Christ; Christ paying our penalty for sin. Instead, "new" teaching, teaches that Christ was an example for all."

I think you are misreading Latin theology on the Sacrifice of the Cross.

"It was by this inward sacrifice of obedience unto death, by this perfect love with which He laid down his life for His friends, that Christ paid the debt to justice, and taught us by His example, -NewAdvent on Atonement"

Why do you think this is a new teaching? It looks like very "orthodox" Church theology to me. I'm afraid you've lost me on this one, HD.

Catholics have abandoned the traditional doctrine of the Atonement for something more modern

That was discussed at length on the Erasmus thread, with the most enlightened participation of Jo Kus.

Your statement is, of course, very inaccurate. We hold that all three atonement theories have complementary merits. They are: (1) atonement as ransom paid the Devil; (2) atonement as pedagogical lesson of love; (3) atonement as delivery of satisfaction ot God for the offense of Adam.

The Orthodox strongly prefer (1) and have sympathy with (2). (3) is the latest, developed post-Eastern Schism by St. Anselm, and that the Protestants inherited from us.