Jesus's death is not required for atonement; it is unwanted yet unavoidable because of his testimony to God's righteousness. Not his death as such but his life and death together prove that he was faithful to God. God considers Jesus to be the place of reconciliation because of his faithfulness. Jesus--not his sacrifice--is the locus of reconciliation that humans must come to participate in his faithfulness. The radical concept of atonement requires human participation in Jesus's life and death.
For more about this idea of atonement theology, see my book:
