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[German Version] I. History of Religion – II. Old Testament – III. Judaism – IV. New Testament – V. History of Theology – VI. Creation and Preservation – VII. Religious Education – VIII. Islam – IX. Science – X. Art History I. History of Religion 1. Fundamentals Life, nature, the environment, the passage of time – these are everyday experiences for any society. But reality also includes the danger that this world may be imperiled or perilous. Chaos and death are part …

1. OT and Judaism 1.1. Atonement is a central concept in biblical theology. Along with the traditional misunderstanding of appeasing an angry deity, the penal definition of making good an offense and the viewing of the cultus as a human work have impeded a more relevant approach. In the OT, atonement breaks the nexus of sin and its evil consequences by “channeling ¶ the baneful influence of the evil into an animal that died vicariously for the man (or for the cultic object). Expiation was thus not a penalty, but a saving event” (G. von Rad, 271). The basis of cultic atonement is blood as the bearer of life, which has been given by Yahweh (Lev. 17:11). Etymologically, Heb. kipper (expiate, make atonement) most likely derives from Akkadian, but two possibilities are open: Akkad. kuppuru and Arab. kaffara. We find various rites of atonement such as the killing of the heifer in Deut. 21:1–9 and the purification ceremony in Isa. 6:6–7. Note also the …