Peter Abelard (1079–1142) reacts sharply against Anselm’s Satisfaction theory: the idea that God required the death of his Son as a payment for sin makes God look like a barbaric feudal lord demanding blood. For Abelard, the atonement works not by satisfying divine justice but by demonstrating the depth of God’s love and thereby moving us to repentance and love in return. Christ’s death is the supreme example and demonstration of divine love — seeing it transforms us morally and spiritually. ‘Our redemption through Christ’s suffering is that deeper affection in us which not only frees us from slavery to sin, but also wins for us the true liberty of sons of God, so that we do all things out of love rather than fear.’ Abelard’s theory is often accused of reducing the atonement to mere example or moral influence without addressing the real problem of sin and guilt. In its modern forms — Horace Bushnell’s ‘moral influence’ theology, various liberal Protestant atonement views — it emphasizes the exemplary and inspirational rather than substitutionary dimensions of Christ’s death.