Atonement

doctrine that describes how human beings can be reconciled to God

Atonement is an idea found in both Christianity and Judaism that describes how sin can be forgiven by God. In Judaism, this was done by rituals performed by the High Priest on the holiest day of the Jewish year: Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). In Christian theology the atonement refers to the forgiving or pardoning of sins through the death of Jesus Christ.