Nicole considers seven theories of atonement and evaluates each. Included are: 1) ransom, 2) Christus victor, 3) moral exemplar, 4) satisfaction (Anselm), 5) penal substitution, 6) governmental (Hugo Grotius), and 7) communal substitution (Joshua Thurow). At the end he suggests his own theory, drawing mainly on (5), (6), and (7).