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The Sacrifice: Religions and the Role of the Scapegoat

Many religious traditions have a story of sacrifice at the heart of their cultic practice. These articles explore the meaning of sacrifice seen through the words of the Bible and the Quran, through literature and pilgrimage and testimony. They reflect on key stories and practices, such as Abraham's offering of his son, the Leviticus rites of sacrifice and purity, the Hajj, and the death of Christ. Can a substitute be offered for punishment? What happens when an innocent victim — a scapegoat — takes on the suffering of another? Redemption or injustice? Or both?

Commentary From Our Blogging Community

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Featured Panelists

Did You Sacrifice Your Son Today?

We maintain faith in Allah's promise that sacrifice in...

"The Terrible Good:" The Inklings on Sacrifice and...

For Tolkien, Williams, and Lewis, all of life is meant to...

Scapegoating the Atonement

Throughout history, people have made sense of the...

Living Sacrifice as Theosis

We must not teach people to become victims of their acts...

Less Religion, More Violence?

We might ask if, lacking the ritualized violence of...

Letting Go and Actualizing Good

Ancient stories of sacrifice serve as instructive...

Sacrifice and Empathy

You can only truly grow to care for another when you give...

Hajj and the Role of Ritual Sacrifice

Abraham's journey and the story of sacrifice have become...

Sacrificing Sacrificial Death

Jesus' entire existence was lived as a sacrifice for...

Vocation of Forgiveness

Scapegoating, as we see it, is a way of escaping from our...

Scapegoats for Each Other

Editors' Note: This article is part of the Patheos...

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