The doctrine of penal substitution states that God gave Himself in the person of His Son to suffer instead of us the death, punishment, and curse due to fallen humanity as the penalty for sin. This understanding of the cross of Christ stands at the very heart of the gospel. It is this that first draws believers to the Lord Jesus Christ. With the doctrine of penal substitution increasingly under attack, these authors articulate a series of responses to specific theological and cultural criticisms. They make the case not only that the doctrine is clearly taught in scripture, but that it has a central place in Christian theology, and that its neglect has serious consequences. The authors analyze over twenty specific objections that have been brought against penal substitution and firmly offer a defining declaration of the doctrine of the cross for any concerned reader.