What does it mean to be saved, and how can we make sense of theChristian claim that Christ died for our sins? That is the work of soteriology, the classic discipline of theology thatinquires into the "saving work" of Christ and asks the what, why, andhow of redemption as understood by Christians. In this careful surveyand insightful analysis of two thousand years of Christian refl ectionon salvation, theologian David Brondos lays bare the rich, diverse, andeven competing understandings of salvation, their social context anddevelopment, and their strengths and weaknesses. Concentrating onthirteen of the most important fi gures in that long arc – from its biblical roots to its most controverted contemporary expressions – Brondosunfolds the thought of each theologian as articulating a distinctive storyof salvation or atonement. An excellent learning tool, Brondos's succinct and helpful text is augmentedwith a helpful time line, illustrations, glossary, suggestions forfurther reading, and questions for discussion and refl ection. His workillumines how Christians through the ages have understood Jesus,salvation, and human reconciliation with God. The thirteen figures include Isaiah, Luke, Paul, Irenaeus, Gregory of Nyssa, Anselm, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Albrecht Ritschl, Karl Barth, Rudolf Bultmann, Jon Sobrino, and Rosemary Radford Ruether.