9.Christology - Rayan Lobo,SJ

8/18/2019 9.Christology - Rayan Lobo,SJ

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/9christology-rayan-lobosj 1/7

9.Christology – Rayan Lobo, SJ

THESIS 9 - CHRISTOLOGY

The Christian encounter with God is in and through the person of Jesus Christ. Christianity claims to

possess the fullness the fullness of divine revelation (DV 2, 7) in Jesus Christ, the Word become

flesh (Cf. Jn 1, 14). It confesses and proclaims that Jesus Christ is “truly God and truly man” (ND

614-15) and in him is salvation as he is the only mediator and saviour of humankind (Mk 16,16;

Acts 4, 12; 1 Tim 2,5; ND 646) through his life, death and resurrection. How do you meaningfully

understand the historical development of these faith affirmations? In the Indian religious context

would it be appropriate to speak of Jesus as an avatar?

1.

The Christian encounter with God is in and through the person of Jesus Christ.

We cannot understand the mystery of God unless god takes initiative to reveal himself.

God reveals himself differently in different cultures and religions in various times and

context.

For us Christian God has revealed himself in and through the person of Jesus. Therefore

whatever we know or speak of God is revealed by Jesus.

Early Church after his resurrection experienced him as – Lord and God.

Later the church as a witnessing community, wanting to affirm this experience in new

historical context or setting emerged with the Dogmas. These are a few faith affirmations

in a particular historical context.

Jesus Christ is the fullness the divine revelation (DV 2, 7)

Jesus Christ is truly god and truly human(ND 614-615)

Jesus is the (unique) only mediator and saviour of humankind(Mk 16,16; Acts

4,12: 1 Tim 2,5, ND 646)

2.

Jesus Christ is the fullness the divine revelation (DV 2, 7) Revelation: means a “removing of the veil” or “disclosure”

DV4 and Heb 1:1-2 will say after God had spoken many times and in various

ways(creation, theophanies, oracles, dreams, prophesies, laws, events etc.) through the

prophets, in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son.




Eph 1,19: It pleaed God , in his goodness and wisdom to reveal the mystery of his will

through Jesus Christ.

Through DV 2&7 - Church claims the Jesus Christ is the sum total of revelation.

Revelation is not quantitative but experiential. This doesn’t mean Jesus exhausts the

mystery of God.

Whatever God wanted to reveal to humankind has revealed full in Jesus Christ. Yet

process of revelation has not ended in Jesus Christ.

God Continues to reveal even today but all other revelations have to be measured or

weighed against Jesus Christ.

Therefore in Jesus Christ god has revealed himself – definitely, totally and

entirely(Fullness of revelation).

3. Jn 1,14 : In Jesus Christ, the word became flesh.

Christian experience of fullness in John – logos(word)

In Gk – Hellenistic understanding – principle of order of universe

In Stoic Philosophy : Mind of God – controlling- guiding- directing the universe.

Hebrew – Dabar YHWH – dynamic and creative power.

Widom literature – hokmah – wisdom.

When applied to Jesus Christ – the eternal pre-existent word, principle of order, creative power,

life giving reality, the wisdom which was present in the – creation – in the life of patriarchs,

Israelites, prophets etc has become personified in Christ. Therefore Christ is the presence of the

embodiment of God in human history.

Note:

Sarx = sinful nature of humanity( 1 Cor5,5)

Physical matter or substance

human nature.Here it is – Jesus is haring our human nature – in its weakness and frailty.

Why did the Word become flesh? (CCC 456-560)

To save us by reconciling us with God (1 Jn 4, 10; 4, 14; 3, 5)

So that me might know God’s love (1 Jn 4, 9; Jn 3, 16)




To be our model of holiness (Jn 15, 12)

To make us partners of the divine nature (2 Pet 1, 4)

4. Jesus truly God and truly man(ND 614-615)

The apostles encountered Jesus the human like any of them - having struggles and temptations,

showing human emotions, etc.

There was something different about Jesus: He spoke with authority, He forgave sins, He called

God 'Abba', yet he was not conscious that he was God.

He was conscious of his mission that in and through him the Kingdom of God will be brought

about.

This means he was intimately, uniquely, personally related to God.

After the Resurrection they experienced Jesus as Lord and God. The early church proclaimed

therefore that Jesus is both God and man.

When they tried to articulate their experience heresies came about: They either denied the

humanity or the divinity of Jesus.

Heresies - ADEGA

1. Adoptionism: Jesus was adopted as son at baptism.

2. Docetism: Jesus is truly divine. God only appeared to be human.(Denied divinity)

3.

Ebionism : Denied the divinity of Christ and virginal birth. – Jesus only a normal hb.

4. Gnosticism: Denied humanity of Jesus.jesus appears to be human to reveal the secrets

of salvation.

5. Arianism: Jesus is an intermediary being. he was created by god before everything.(a

creature- supreme creature).

Study of Jesuss’ person gave rise to 2 models:

1. Antichian school: stressed the humanity of Christ.(Theodore of Mopusuestic)

2. Alexandrian : Stresed on divinity of Chritst.(Athanasius , Cyril of Alexandria).

These confusions were resolved to certain extent by the the councils.

1. Council of Nycea ( 325)

Condemned Arianism.




Jesus is – True God from true God – light from light - begotten, not made –

consubstantial with the father.

2. Council of Ephesus (351)

Condemned Nestorius

Defended the divinity of Christ.

3.

Council of Chalcedon ( 451)

Most important Christological council, where problem between - Antiochians or

Alexandrians was solved.

Jesus Christ is one person (One hypostasiss) and 2 natures – human and divine –

without division or separation, without confusion or change. this union is called

hypotatic union.

4.

Jesus is the only mediator and saviour of Human kind:Mk 6,16;Acts 4,12;1 Tim 2,5,ND

646)

Salvation in Christ:

Salvation about the “wholeness” of human society.

Wholesness is harmony with oneself, other, world and cosmos.

Salvation is inaugurated by Christ(through PDR).

It’s objectively available and it can be subjectively appropriated through faith in jesus Christ.

5. Jesus Christ only mediator & Unique saviour:

Mk 16, 16: The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not

believe will be condemned.

Acts 4, 12: There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given

among mortals by which we must be saved.

1 Tim 2, 5: There is one God; there is also one mediator between God and mankind, Christ

Jesus, himself human ND 646: (Council of Florence): She firmly believes, professes and preaches that no one ever

conceived from man and woman has been freed from the dominion of the devil, except through

faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, the mediator between God and human beings…

NB:




The context of these texts are not doctrinal but mere faith statements.

Conditioned by a specific cultural background.

They do not have a multi religious context like India.

Therefore universal application of texts is unwarranted.

4 theories concerning salvation in Jesus Christ

1. Christo-centric- and ecclesiocentric soteriology : Belief in Christ and being member of church

– No salvation outside the church.

2. Christo-centric and non ecclesio-centric: Belief in Christ and not necessary to be part of

church. – Anonymus Christians.

3. Theocentric normative Christology: Belief in God. God is centre and norm of belief is Xt.

4. Theo-centric Non normative: Pluralistic postion.

belief in god – There are many mediators and saviours – Jesus is one among them(Jn Hick)

We can’t hold this because everything is a manifestation of Christ

Finally I would say for me as Christian, Christ is unique and it’s an intimate

truth of my faith experience.

He is my saviour. But God may save others in ways known to him

alone(GS22). Thus I need not impose my conviction on others.

6.

How do you meaningfully understand the historical development of these faiths?

Christianity came to existence due to the living and dynamic experience of Risen Lord.

Faith affirmations and expressions have their context – are culturally bound – against the

challenges confronted by the community,

We need to be prudent while applying them to our context.

We need to make a hermeneutical reading of the same.

7.

In the Indian Context: Jesus and Avatara?

Similarities:

Free entry into the world. God’s initiative.

In both God’s divinity and transcendence remain unaffected.




Aim similar – to establish dharma(reconcile)

Response – Loving devotion and total surrender.

Dissimilarieties:

Avatara is mythical and incarnation is historical.

In avatara lacks humanity where as incarnation includes total humanity.

Avatara is repeated whereas incarnation is – once and for all.

Avatara could be detructive andtriumphant but incarnation involves suffering.

Conclusion:

From above discussion we know these two concepts are from two different world

views.

Each concept makes sense only in a particular religious and cultural context.

Each should be viewed as evoking a particular faith response.

Therefore it is not proper to say Christ is one of the Avatara and Krishna is an

incarnation of god.

Extra:

Dogmas are detailed explanations about – what the scripture says and the deepest and

most profound statements of Christian Faith.

Christological Heresies: Categorised into three groups

a. Views that challenge or diminish Jesus’ full humanity

Gnosticism said that there is a radical dualism between spirit and matter, and matter is evil.Hence God can not assume a human body.

Docetism: Christ is divine; he only appears to be human. (Idea similar to the advitic

understanding of avatara)

Apollinarianism: Christ is human, but does not have a human soul.




Monophysitism: Before the Incarnation there were two natures, divine and human; but after the

Incarnation there remains only divine nature since the human nature is absorbed into the divine

nature.

Monotheletism: Christ has only one, divine, will; he has no human will.

Monenergism: There is only one, divine, action in Christ; he has no human operation.

Nestorianism: It is an extreme position of the Antiochean school of thought which defended the

humanity of Jesus. Jesus is real human person. He is human with body and soul. Logos indwells in

him. Logos united (accidental union) with human being by Jesus. This union is conjecture.

Nestorius makes distinction between the divine and human qualities. Both these qualities remain

separate in the person of Jesus. Mary is called not as ‘Theotokos’ meaning mother of God, but

‘Christotokos’ meaning mother of Christ.

b. Doctrines that deny the divinity of Christ:

Ebionism: Christ did not previously exist and is not divine.

Arianism: Christ has a human dignity superior to all others, but he still remains a creature,

subordinate to the divine.

c. Understandings that do not maintain the hypostatic union:

Adoptionism: By nature Jesus was only human, but at his baptism he was adopted as God’s Son.

Hence the human nature of Christ does not have its foundation in the second person of the Trinity.

The Habitus view: The Word assumed human form as a garment.

The assumptus-homo doctrine: The Word assumed a complete human nature and therefore a

human person as well.

9.Christology - Rayan Lobo,SJ

Documents

Transcript of 9.Christology - Rayan Lobo,SJ