Nice! Thank you for bringing up these theories and comparing them side-by-side. Indeed, the scapegoat theory makes the most sense to a modern non-fundamentalist Christian.

I question the premise that humanity needs atonement. I believe that Jesus was A son of God, not THE Son of God. I believe his central message was trust in God and recognition of our own divinity. If we need saving from anything, it’s our own delusions of separation from God and each other.

That can be a difficult theory to accept and I think Jesus knew that. So he fed baby food to babies. Perhaps this was the “deeper mystery” that Jesus taught, which some claim that he did. And in the 300 years between his death (and resurrection?) and the Council of Nicaea, I believe that message was either lost or purposefully stamped out. We can’t have liberated human beings knowing and practicing their own divine powers, not in the Roman Empire! What if they refuse to pay taxes, or fight, or work, claiming their personal authority as God-wrought?

I know that last bit above is a bunch of speculation. But it makes sense to me 🤷‍♂️