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The Infinite Atonement

"Some things simply matter more than others," writes Robert L. Millet in his foreword to this landmark book. "Even some doctrines, though interesting and fun to discuss, must take a backseat to more fundamental and foundational doctrines. It is just so with the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The Atonement is the central act of human history, the pivotal point in all time, the ...more
Hardcover, 356 pages
Published March 28th 2000 by Deseret Book (first published 2000)

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Heather Christie In my opinion, Brad Wilcox does a great job with the overall concept of the atonement and grace as a personal experience. I think Tad R. Callister cov…moreIn my opinion, Brad Wilcox does a great job with the overall concept of the atonement and grace as a personal experience. I think Tad R. Callister covers more doctrine and that doctrine in more depth. I would recommend both, honestly. Starting with Brad Wilcox moving into Tad R. Callister.

Community Reviews

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Average rating 4.64  · 
 ·  5,803 ratings  ·  863 reviews


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Bonnie Blackburn
Is it allowed for a devout mormon to give a mormon book a low score? My bihsop recommended that I read this, and if it hadn't been for his recommendation, I wouldn't have been able to finish it. Callister uses SO MANY adjectives it is ridiculously distracting to the point where you can't even focus on what he is saying. Example: "It was a sacrifice that was so grand, so glorious, so grandiose, so big, so important and so vital to us." Wow. Really? You had to use ALL those adjectives to describe ...more
Jill
Mar 02, 2009 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: religious
This book taught me more about the doctrine of the Atonement than I've ever learned in my entire life. It is heavy reading that required me time to ponder and internalize it. I feel like what I really understand about the Atonement could fit in a thimble, or maybe a dropper. This has enlarged my understanding, deepened my appreciation, left me humbled and eternally grateful to my beloved Savior for his infinite love, compassion and supreme sacrifice. It is a book I will continue to read over and ...more
Paul Callister
Sep 12, 2007 rated it really liked it
Recommends it for: anyone wanting
Shelves: religion
Ok, so my uncle wrote it (and I watched him write it over 17 years)and I'm impartial, but the book is an excellent account of why we need Christ's atonement and how it relates to other religious concepts like Adam's fall, law, and sin. ...more
Emily
Jan 30, 2009 rated it it was amazing
This is the BEST gospel book I have ever read. It provides so much insight, clarity, and logic concerning the atonement and related topics. I could only read a little at a time because there is so much to take in and ponder. It is thoroughly researched, well organized, and beautifully written. I don't think anyone can read this book without growing intellectually and spiritually. This book changed me. This is the first time I have finshed a book and wanted to immediately start it again. Unfortun ...more
Trudy
May 10, 2010 rated it it was amazing
This book deserves 10 stars! Now that I've finished reading and marking it, I feel that I should start all over again. It's truly amazing! Here is one of the author's closing paragraphs:

"One does not speak lightly of the Atonement or casually express his appreciation. It is the most sacred and sublime event in eternity. It deserves our most intense thought, our most profound feelings, and our noblest deeds. One speaks of it in reverential tones; one contemplates it in awe; one learns of it in so
...more
Connor Boyack
Apr 05, 2008 rated it it was amazing
This book took me a while to get through, mainly because it would take me a while to digest each section I read. It's rich and thorough in its presentation of scripture to affirm each assertion, which makes for slower reading. But I know of no other work which so clearly sets forth the case for the Atonement and explains each facet of it. This is a must read for every child of God. ...more
Sara
Feb 26, 2014 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: favorites
Read this a few years ago and wanted to go back and review it again. Definitely the best book about the Atonement I've ever read! (Other books about the Atonement that I like are Stephen E. Robinson's Believing Christ and James Ferrell's The Peacekeeper.) ...more
Tanya Wadley
Mar 05, 2015 rated it it was amazing
I can't say enough good about this book... it's a spiritual feast. I will re-read this book many times.

If you love Jesus and want to learn more about the most important event in all time, the Atonement, then read this book. This is a must read for any Christian, and even though it may be tailored to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it would bless anyone who wants to know and love Jesus better. There is no way we can fully comprehend the Atonement with the limits of mor
...more
Angela
Jun 04, 2021 rated it it was amazing
This book was uplifting in ways no other book could be, except perhaps scripture if interpreted correctly. The book gave me opportunity to have focused contemplation on specific points regarding Christ’s Atonement. The richness with which the author delved into and clarified particular doctrines enabled me to not only increase in knowledge, but to have a greater desire to apply the power of the Atonement in my life. I found nothing to discourage or confuse. There were things explained in the boo ...more
Rob
Feb 17, 2008 rated it liked it
Recommends it for: All Christians
This book provided an excellent review of the atonement and it was very comprehensive in the sense that it related the atonement to quite a variety of other gospel principles. There is definitely a niche for this book, as I don't know of many other books that focus solely on the subject of Christ's suffering in Gethsemene and Golgotha. The book is full of great quotes and scriptural references. However, I did not have the same enthusiasm for this book while I was reading it as others who reccome ...more
Garrett Burnett
Jan 04, 2009 rated it really liked it
Shelves: religion
I wondered how Callister could fill an entire book on such a narrow subject. I assumed he would provide a description of the atonement of Jesus Christ with scriptural backing. There aren't really that many scriptures about the event—certainly not an entire book's worth. Callister, however, took a broader view. He described the importance of the atonement as it spanned and affected all facets of religion, spirituality, and life. It turns out, it's a pretty broad topic after all.

Callister tries to
...more
Natalie
Jan 08, 2016 rated it it was ok
I think I need an "Atonement for Dummies" book rather than a book like this. I think the book itself was well-researched for sure and there were a lot of quotes - scriptural and otherwise - but I just have a hard time reading "textbooks" and do better with stories. There were a few stories throughout that made concepts relate-able and those were times when I was engaged and got something out of the book.

The first few chapters held my interest and were thought-provoking, but it took me so long to
...more
Ryan Hatch
Aug 28, 2018 rated it it was amazing
9.5/10

Other than "Jesus the Christ," this book is the closest thing to scripture I've read besides actual scripture. Often in modern Latter Day Saint writing, I find that the author can get repetitive or perhaps meander a bit. Callister knows what he's writing about and clearly has a specific unique idea to each chapter. He slowly winds his way through obvious truths and then seamlessly ends up at some moving and testimony growing realizations. I would be amazed to find a book that is more of a
...more
Bskidmore
Aug 05, 2013 rated it it was amazing
I won't even pretend to be able to adequately express my feelings about this book. It's definitely one I'll be reading over and over, as it really helped to explain one of the most fundamental truths and acts ever completed in history, in a way that was much easier to follow and apply than other things I've read about the Atonement...... And there were still plenty of things over my head! ...more
Melanie
Feb 27, 2018 rated it really liked it
Shelves: 2018, lds
This has been my Sunday book over the past eight months or so. It's a deep dive into doctrine related to Christ's mission, life, death, atonement. This is a book to come back and read over and over, since the subject of the Atonement is both easy to grasp but also very complex. ...more
Krisette Spangler
Aug 11, 2019 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: religion
Every word of this book is a pearl of wisdom. It really gives you a deeper understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I will read this many times throughout my life.
Sara
Aug 04, 2019 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: audio, religious
A stunning, thought provoking tome on the greatest event in Christian theology. Callister digs deep and examines every facet of the Atonement and how it applies to daily life.
Matthew
Apr 18, 2022 rated it it was amazing
Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand Jesus Christ. I have read about the Atonement my entire life, but it took a book like this to really synthesize some of the deeper spiritual aspects of it. Very much like being able to identify the constellations in an ocean of stars.

Jesus's mission was to save the sinner. We're all sinners and nothing is beyond His reach. I declare my love for Him and everything He stands for and experienced on my behalf.
...more
Emily
May 28, 2019 rated it it was amazing
Changed my testimony in profound, beautiful ways. A book to read many times in my life.
Christopher Black
Jun 03, 2018 rated it it was amazing
This book is scripture. The atonement is infinite in depth, scope, time, place, love and infinite other ways. I felt this book was complete but when I thought about it, an infinite subject cannot be contained to a finite book. In that case, this book is a perfect summary.
Jenny
Oct 21, 2018 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: lds
Wow! This is one of my new favorite books. I loved it so much and it had several ideas that I'd never considered.
Robert Millett in the introduction said, "Everything we do and everything we teach should somehow be anchored back to the atonement."
Some of the things I liked/learned:
*Satan's every move is to divert our attention and dilute our focus from the primary object of Christ's atoning sacrifice in hopes we will turn exclusively to doctrines of secondary and far less import.
*"With increased
...more
CarrieLyn
Mar 11, 2008 rated it liked it
Recommended to CarrieLyn by: Moraga Ward book group
This was a hard book to get through. It could be considered a strength, but, to me, the legalistic approach Callister took to his subject made for dull reading. He is a lawyer, and I could see his skill as a legal writer on display here. He carefully roadmapped what he was going to say, introduced each subject on his roadmap as he tackled it, covered it incredibly thoroughly with long quotes and careful end notes, and then concluded by reminding us at the end of each chapter what the point had b ...more
Annette
Jan 22, 2016 rated it it was amazing
This book by LDS author Tad R. Callister has touched my soul deeply. The author's understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ encourages the reader to study, ponder, and pray to come to realize more deeply why Christ needed to accomplish an Infinite Atonement in order for all of Heavenly Father's children to be able to return home to him. The doctrine of the Atonement is the central message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Tad R. Callister guides the reader through the many aspects of the Atonem
...more
Carrie Johnson
Oct 31, 2017 rated it it was amazing
The is such a noteworthy book in helping me understand and appreciate the atonement of Christ. I appreciate his many quotations from the scriptures, the prophets and General Authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I must also add that his quote from other individuals, such as Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Robert Browning, C. S. Lewis, Cecil B. De Mille, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and others, was also very inspiring.
Colleen
Apr 13, 2020 rated it it was amazing
This book was beautifully written, well-researched, and spiritually impactful. This is probably the best book I've read so far about the Atonement. The author provided amazing insights, supported by scripture and prophetic commentary about the breadth and depth of the atonement and the blessings and meaning for all mankind. It was a blessing to read this book during Holy Week to better prepare for the celebration of the resurrection. I highly recommend this book. ...more
Julie
Mar 07, 2011 rated it it was amazing
Recommends it for: Mom
Shelves: lds
5 stars. Because I can't give it any more. It's one of those that just needs to be read again every few years. ...more
Jackie Day
Jan 01, 2015 rated it it was amazing
Tremendous. "I stand All Amazed at the love Jesus offers me..." Learned much more than I was expecting and predict that this will be my favorite book of the year. ...more
Melody Warnick
Jun 24, 2019 rated it it was amazing
Deepened my understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in the right way at the right time.
Melissa
Mar 24, 2018 rated it really liked it
Shelves: 2018-reads
I have to admit that I was leaning toward giving this book three stars for much of it. Don't get me wrong. It is an interesting book and absolutely full of thought-provoking information. Tad R. Callister was by profession a lawyer, and you can totally tell this as he systematically lays out his information in an orderly and complete manner as he further examines the Atonement of Jesus Christ. There is sooooo much information in this book. So much. I felt like my head was going to explode with al ...more
Heather
Feb 26, 2013 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: religious
This is a wonderful book that focuses our attention on the importance of the Atonement - the single most important event and act of love in history. Joseph Smith teaches that the resurrection and the Atonement are the fundamental principles of our religion and everything else is simply an appendage (see page ix). This is a book that could be read again and again while studying the important aspects of our Savior's love and Atonement for us.

We all need to study and come to understand for ourselve
...more
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Goodreads Librari...: Please add pages 2 11 Mar 19, 2022 01:08PM  
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Tad R. Callister is an emeritus General Authority Seventy and was the 21st Sunday School General President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in the Presidency of the Seventy from 2011 until 2014 when he was called as Sunday School General President. Brother Callister received a BS in accounting from Brigham Young University, a JD from the University of California-Los An ...more

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