Class note on Christology

CHRISTOLOGY

·         Jesus’ titles speak about his identity.

·         Faith and reason are combined

·         The one who proclaimed became the proclaimed.

Christology = The study of the identity and saving functions of Jesus Christ for the World.

There is new interest in Christology – Did Jesus really live?  Fascination for experience, reason, interest in human person, reaffirming the world, human body as beautiful – incarnation, sense of history, sensitivity to evil, religious pluralism, uniqueness of Christ, Ecological crisis, global Christ. 

Why Christology? – Faith is necessary.  

·         Personal enrichment – meaning and destiny of life found in Christ.

·         A model of relationship – God and others – Help to the community – All the 16 documents of Vatican II speak of Christology.  It is necessary for inter – religious dialogue.

·         Christ is the second person – Nicene Creed. 

·         Personal identity and saving function = Christ as he is in himself.  Christ in relationship to the Father, myself, world, others, in the past, present and the future.

Sources of Study – Scriptures and Tradition.

What is Christology? – Theology = Faith seeking understanding.

                                      -  Christology = Faith in Christ seeking understanding.

Etymology – kristos = the anointed (Heb Messiah, Aramaic Masiha)

                                      - Logos = Word or study, knowledge, science. 

Literally it is the study or knowledge of Christ (Ph 3:8)

The anointed ones are only the kings and the prophets for specific reasons in the Old Testament (Lev 4:16, 1 Kings 19:6, Is 61:1, 1 Sam 24:6.

Jesus = Name of a historical person and Christ = the function of Jesus.

Jesus as Christ was of a later identification (Acts 2:36).  Jesus Christ is both a historical person and object of Faith.

Jesusology = the study of the historical Jesus as the person of Nazareth with no reference to the Christian Faith (Mt 1:24-25, Lk 1:31).  Yesua = God saves (Jos 1:1, 2:1, Num 27:18-23)

Christology = the study of historical person of Nazareth as the Christ. 

Divine Revelation = Self-revelation of God in human history for the salvation of mankind.

Faith = a personal response to a personal revealing God.

Definition of Christology:  Christology is the theological reflection of the mystery of Jesus Christ; and interpretation of the Christ’s event by human mind and heart in the light of Faith, revelation and reason.  It is the scientific understanding and systematic reflection on our faith in Jesus Christ and his saving functions for the world.  It is Christian faith seeking understanding.  It is the science and art of knowing, living, loving and witnessing Christ. 

·         The centrality of Christology grows from the centrality of Christ. 

·         There are many types of Christology – Christology from above and below, Functional Christology, Ontological Christology, Rightist and Leftist Christology, Centrist Christology, Spirit Christology, Indian, or Tribal Christology etc. 

Saving Death – We begin from experience – based ourselves on experience of the Apostles – NT writings = Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the World.  Their experience deepens ours. 

Death – Historical setting – 14 or 15 of Nizan.  Two calendars – one is sacred = begins with Nizan and the other is secular = it is the seventh month of the year. 

For John 14^th of Nizan is theological.  It is to show that Jesus is the Paschal Lamb (Jn 19:14, 36) – not one bone will be broken.  Death was recorded by historians like Flavius and Josephus.  There was a trial by the Sanhedrin.

Sanhedrin – It is the highest Jewish Court of Justice (Supreme Court).  It has 71 members.  It has three groups (i) the retired and current High priests, (ii) The Elders – laypersons from leading families and (iii) the Scribes (Pharisees and Sadducees).

Jewish Society composed of Clergy, lay nobility, the Scribes, the Common man, the slaves and the widows. 

There was setting for the trial – deep, underlying real reasons.  The accusations were the outer reasons given. 

Conviction – religious reason twisted and turned to become political.  Pilate had no reasons to convict him (Lk 23:13-17, Jn 19:4,6-8).  The real reason is INRI = Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaorum (Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews).  This is the only written word about Jesus of Nazareth. 

Crucifixion – For non-citizens, Cross = instrument of torture.  The custom was taken from Chartage. 

·         Jesus died for Salvation of humanity – by his way of life, actions, Jesus knew about his forth-coming violent death.  As God he knew but as man gradually (Lk 4:40).

·         No total willingness it seems but predictions proved that he accepted his death (Mk 8:31, 9:30-32, Lk 9:21-22, 43-45, Mt 17:22-23, 16:21) – death was a proof.  In his death he recognizes his Father’s will.  Therefore, he accepted.

Death as Salvation (Mt 26:26-28, Lk 22:17-20, 1 Cor 11:23-26)

1. Jesus is kingdom of God.   Jesus knew his death would bring salvation. 
2. Establishment by unique sacrifice of New Covenant – blood sacrifice.
3. Ebed Yahweh – Mission completed with Death and once and for all.  Death is universal (because he is God–man) in character.  The blood he shed he shed it once and for all for you and for all. 

Necessity of his death – (i) Self-communication culminated in Christ. (ii) No better communication than self-giving – Love tested in suffering (iii) It is the hardest way possible (Jn 3:16).

Kairos = The appointed time, apt time, time of redemption.  

Death as expiation (reconciliation) – (2 Cor 5:18-19, Rom 5:6-11, 3:25)

Jesus is saviour from death, the consequent of sin (Rom 8:24, 1:32, 6:7, 1 Cor 15:45-46, Act 2:24, Rev 6:8, 1 Cor 15:26).

Jesus is liberator from law (Mt 5:17-18, Rom 3:31)

Jesus is victor over evil ----

His death is linked with kingdom which is anticipated (Mk 14:17-25, 1 Cor 11: 23-25. 

Soteriology = study of Salvation

Resurrection – Resurrection proves the Gospels, the Gospels are witness to the resurrection.  Resurrection is real as given in the Gospels – Great men return to life (Mt 11:13-14, Jn 1:21, Lk 1:17, Mal 4:5)

Empty tomb – (Mk 16:1-8, Lk 24:1-12, Mt 28:1:7, Jn 20:1:13) – there are discrepancies (the writers were not concerned about it). 

It is not that the tomb is empty, hence resurrection but Resurrection, hence tomb is empty.  He appeared – writers used language of the senses though stressed is on the element of Faith.  There was a competition for witnessing – the historical Jesus became the Christ of Faith after the resurrection. 

Resurrection is an event – a historical event, a divine act, there are witness, gift of the Spirit – a transhistorical or metaphysical act.

There are three counter arguments but the empty tomb, the appearances and the witness of disciples are the three hinges of Resurrection. 

It can be theologically explained.  An act of God, redemptive event, sign of New Life, new age, manifestation to his disciples, his Lordship, restoration in Christ, Hope of our resurrection, new meaning to death, cross, life and eschatological aspects. 

Death, Resurrection and Ascension complete the life of Jesus on earth.  They are distinct but not separated – the story of Jesus does not end. 

Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world.  Saviour is the identity of Jesus.  In Greek soter (noun) and Sozein (verb). The word used is soteria = salvation.  In Latin Salvator = Saviour, and in Hebrew Yesua = God saves.

Jesus is the saviour of the Cosmos.  Salvation in the modern view means liberation, reconciliation, healing, self –emptying, saving love, transforming love and covenanted love.  It means to rescue, to save.  In the traditional view = Atonement, substitution, vicarious sacrifice, representation, cleansing.  There are other concepts of Salvation in other faiths too.  They are like moksha in Hinduism, Nirvana in Buddhism and Najat (Islam). 

In Exodus - God saves, in NT Jesus saves.  He saves from sin and death (Rom 6:23, 6:7).   The human condition calls for salvation. 

Sin ₌ breaking of relationship, alienation from God – Jesus interested in the sinner and not sin.  He saves from Satan (all that is opposed to God), from the burden of Law (Gal 3:13)

Human beings have the sense of sinfulness, limitedness, woundedness, helplessness and soiled.  Sin = heartlessness, Godlessness, humanlessness. 

Original sin – A state of being – reality of limitedness, powerlessness etc. 

Answers to challenges – objective and subjective salvation, freedom, already and not yet, struggle, saving significance.

Unique and Universal Saviour – Identity of Jesus, salvation for all (whole cosmos)

Story of Jesus – Virginal conception and birth, God’s intervention, human co-operation, incarnation = self- revelation of God – Assuming human nature, Jesus is more Levitical than Davidic from the mother’s side.  His brothers and sisters in Jewish understanding can mean many things.  He is the carpenter, charismatic itinerant preacher.  He had his mission from the heart of God.  He is mission – Mission Manifesto (Lk 4:18-19, Is 61: 1-4).

He experience baptism and temptations.  Jesus sided with the poor.  His ministry is in three phases.  (i) Galilean Ministry – Multiplication of loaves, (ii) In Jerusalem – both preaching and teaching. Whom? – Not educated ones. How? – With authority, in word and deed, in parables (Mk 4:10-11, Mk 13:10-11) and (ii) Judean Ministry. 

Parable = Greek parabola = Heb mashal = wise sayings.  The summary of Jesus’ teaching is in Mk 1:14-15). 

Good news that Jesus preaches, Good News that he is, Good News that Apostles preach and Good News that is written.

Kingdom of God – Greek Basileia tou thou Heb = Malkuth Yahweh.  It has little to do with territory – based on historical context, revealer and the revealed is the same – it is more of reconciliation, relationship – kingdom not only worldly but also spiritually.  Kingdom is a gift.  Kingdom demands metanoia = conversion of heart, already and not yet.  Miracles reveal it.  Resurrection is the miracle of miracles.  His message is universal.

New Testament Christologies – We know Jesus from the Gospels – edited work.  Gospel = evangelion = good news. 

Matthew -  (9:9, 10:3) – Jewish outlook – titles like Son of God, Son of David.  – Birth, Baptism, transfiguration and death.  Also ecclesiastical importance (16:18, 18:17). New Covenant – new Moses. 

Mark – Written for persecuted Jews outside Palestine (Nero died in 68 AD) – made use of Christological titles like Son of God, Son of Man, Suffering Servant, Lord etc.  Half of it devoted to miracles.  Messianic secret Because it was premature – they would make him king – political times and they would misunderstand his mission (8:10, 9:9, 1:34, 3:32, 5:43, 7:36)

Luke - Gentile audience – sit im leven – Gospel of mercy, poor, women – the lost son parable, lost coin, Samaritan etc (Lk 15).  He continues his description in Acts.

John – It is highly theological in content – Made use of dualism.  There are four movements – Pre-existence, incarnation, Glorification and faith.  Also famous for his Ego eimi sayings.

Paul – Soteriological in character, the word Gospel used for the first time, Christ = mystery.  Kerygma and Confession or witness were important.  The proclaimer becomes the proclaimed. 

HISTORICAL JESUS AND THE CHRIST OF FAITH

Historical Jesus is the object of Historical Critical Method (HCM).  The Christ of Faith is what we know about Jesus is through faith experience, faith witness, based on historical facts but interpreted in the light of faith. 

Gospels are not biographies or eyewitness but a testimony of a faith living community.  The real Jesus cannot be known, cannot be proved but interpreted.  He is much more. 

History of Christology – The NT Christology is of Apostolic and post apostolic origin – flashback Christology.  There were many Christological heresies during patristic fathers (2-7 cent AD)

Heresies

1. Docetism – Gk Dokein = to seem, to appear – prevalent during the 1^st century. Teachings – It affirms that Jesus is not a human being but he appears to be.  Ignatius of Antioch defended the church against Docetism and affirmed the true humanity of Jesus.
2. Adoptionism – (Paul of Samosatta) – Jesus is adopted son of God, not a natural son.
3. Sabellianism (Sabellus) – The Son and Spirit are only models or modes of appearance of the Father.
4. Arianism – (Arius – Alexandrian priest) – he denied the humanity of Jesus.  Jesus is a creature.  Therefore, subordinated to the Father.  It was condemned by the First council of Niceae (325).  Jesus is defined as homousious i.e., of the same substance with the Father.  Now the term used is consubstantial with the Father.
5. Appolinarism (Appolinarius of Laodiceae) – Jesus has only one soul i.e., divine Soul.  He assumed human body at incarnation but it does not have a human soul.  He tried to defend the Nicean Creed but end up in denial of the humanity of Jesus.  Without human soul he cannot be a human being.  Constantinople I (381) condemned it. It affirmed that Jesus has a human soul as well.
6. Nestorianism (Nestorius of Constantinople) – It affirms the duality of persons in Jesus Christ.  Mary is only Christotokos = bearer of Christ, she is not theotokos = bearer or carrier of God.  The Council of Ephesus condemned it.  Mary is rightly called theotokos as well.
7. Monophysitism (Eutyches) – mono = one, and physis = nature, Physeis = natures.  The humanity of Jesus was absorbed into the divinity making him of one nature.  Human nature was swallowed up when he assumed humanity.  The Council of Chalcedon (451) condemned it.  It affirmed the two natures in Christ.  Also the Constantinople II (553) reaffirmed the full divinity and humanity in Jesus through hypostatic union that preserved the two natures in one person. 
8. Monothelitism (Sergius of Constantinople) – Theles = Will – There is only one will in Jesus i.e., divine will.  Human will is denied. Therefore he is not a human being because he has no will.
9. Monoenergism – one action in Christ.  Christ has only one action i.e., divine action. The council of Constantinople III (680) condemned monothelitism and monoenergism.  It affirmed that Jesus has two wills and two actions. 

All these heresies were caused by the confusion of terms.  Physis = nature, ousia = Substance, Hypostasia = individual, Prosopon = person.  They were used interchangeably.  This was put an end by the Council of Chalcedon by defining that there are two natures (physis) in one person (prosopon) of the subsistence (hypostasis) of Jesus. 

Subsistence = unique to each person of the Trinity.

Substance = common to all persons of the Trinity. 

Prosopon = (personal in Latin) means a mask used in stage. 

The Alexandrian school of theologians stressed on the Divinity of Jesus – Cyril and Origin (Christology from above).

Antioch School stressed on Humanity of Jesus – Nestorius, Theodore (Ascending Christology i.e., anthropos logos).

Alexandrian find support in John’s Gospel – St. Thomas, Karl Barth

Antioch finds support in the Synoptics – Panenberge, Karl Rahner, Schillebeekx.

Middle Ages – St. Thomas and Bonaventure – philosophical view – stressed on divinity. 

St. Anselm – why did God become man? Cur Deus homo? – Ransom to devil.

Reformation – Luther rejected speculative, metaphysical and Thomistic.  He stressed on return to the Scripture and Tradition of St. Augustine.  They reduced Christology to soteriology = Who is Jesus for us.

Calvin – He followed Luther.  He stressed on mediatorship or redeemer.

Modern Liberal Protestant Theologians – they were influenced by enlightenment, Philosophy, existentialism of Martin Heideger, Spinoza and others. Soteriology = Christology. 

Modern times – influenced by Science, technology, electronic revolution, mass media, industrial revolution, Changes in cultural, political economical aspects, psychology, Marxism and evolutionism of Charles Darwin.  Mysteries discussed and debated.  Shift from Divinity to humanity centered Christology. 

Contemporary – Karl Rahner, Hans Kung and John Suprimano speak more on the humanity of Jesus especially his ministry.  They healed the split between soteriology and Christology by constructing on the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Christology ever old, ever new, open to change

There are also liberation, tribal, dalit, feminist and cosmological (Teilhard De Chardin) christologies. 

Karl Rahner – He used the transcendental method – Christ is the key to interpret human.  Human being by himself cannot transcend.  Incarnation and resurrection are centered of Christology. 

W. Panenberg - Historical approach to an event to solve the enigma (problem) of human life.  Historical consummation anticipated in Christ. 

E. Schillebeekx - Reconstruction of the ministry of Jesus centering on kerygmatic aspect of kingdom of God.  Christ is the point of encounter.  He is the divine way of being human and the human way of being divine.

Hans Kung – emphasis on human Jesus.  Human = Jesus.  Prototype of humanity.

Gerard O’collins – centers on resurrection – traditionalistic approach to humanity.

JESUS ON GOD

Jn 20:28, 1:1, 1:18, Heb 1:3, 8-9, Rom 9:5, Phil 2:6, Tit 2:13, 2Pet 1:1, 1Jn 5:20, Col 1:19, 2:9.  Ego emi sayings are reflection of Ex 3:14 – self-definition of Jesus.  Jesus as Lord (Kyrios) or in Hebrew Adonai only after the resurrection (1 Cor 16:22, Rev 22:20).  Jesus as the Son of God – not so much title but a relationship to his Father – unique relationship.  He is the natural descendant (huios) – the Son/ the Beloved (Mk 13:35-36, Mt 11:27, 28:19, Jn 3:16-18). Pais, paidos = children,  and Tekna = sons.  Sons of God can be many things, can be heroes, emperors of Egypt were called sons of God (Gen 6:2, Deut 32:8, Job 2:1-6, Ps 29:1, 89:6, Ex 4:22, Jer 31:9). 

Abba consciousness – Mk 14:36, Mt 26:39, Lk 22:42 – the context is in agony – intimacy.  Abh = Father.  Abba = O Father (vocative case).

Logos Christology – Jn 1:1-18.  Logos = being or function, or knowledge or wisdom, understanding, reason, mind etc.  Philo of Alexandria used it – background was Hellenistic – pre- Jewish literature.  He was a Jewish theologian – combined Jewish theology with stoic philosophical idea of divine reason which is Logos and immanent spirit that pervades the universe.  He combined Platonic world of ideas (intermediary beings) with Jewish monotheism.  Therefore logos of Philo is a real being (personal agent) distinct from God who acts as an intermediary between God and man. 

Wisdom – Sophia (in Gk), and sapientia (in Latin) = logos as agent of creation (Wis 9:1-1-9, Prov 8:23-30).  John took this idea from Philo.  Jesus = God’s Word, communication, self-expression, mediator, revealer, Word spoken.  Word = inculturated term (Om in Hinduism).  Logos understood by both Jews and Greeks.  Logos theology is a descended theology – John’s – Logos = personal identity i.e., Jesus Christ.  Through incarnation we know Jesus as a human being.  Incarnation = enfleshment.  (caro = flesh).  In Greek it is Sarx.

In Hebrew, Flesh = whole person (1 Jn 4:2-3), the whole human form.  Incarnation is the history of God becoming man (Jn 1:14).  Faith in incarnation is fundamental to Christianity.  God becoming man is the basic statement in Christology as says by Karl Rahner.  It is timelessness entering time.  Becoming man without ceasing to be God (Col 1:15-17).  Humanity was added to Him.

Avatara = to appear, to become embodied.  Incarnation is reality. 

Convergents – Both show God closeness to human beings, putting on forms, human need divine encounter, Initiative by divine. 

Divergents – (i) Avatara are many while Incarnation is only one. (ii) Avatara is only manifestations while Incarnation is not mere manifestation but real God.  (iii) Avatars are repeated while Incarnation is not repeated but once and for all.  (iv) No Avatar dies for human salvation or universal salvation.  Therefore, there is no parallelism, they are two different realities. 

SON OF MAN

It occurred 70 times in the Synoptics and a dozen times in John.  Hebrew bar nasha = any person.  Jesus used it as self-designation. 

Context – Speaking about his human condition (Mt 8:20, Lk 9:5-8), when authority was questioned (Mk 2:10,28), regarding super human powers (Mt 9:6, Lk 5:24), Messianic mission (Lk 19:10), Passion and death (Mt 12:14, Mk 9:3, Lk 9:44), eschatological coming (Mk 14:62, Dan 7:13-14).  This is the Messianic Secret of the synoptics. 

Theandric nature (one person with two natures) – Theo = God, andropos = human being.  Theandric is an adjective.  Nature = intrinsic mode of being.  Being human is becoming human.  Humanity = being limited, wounded, helpless etc – particular aspect.  The universal aspect is rationality.

Jesus is fully human – homousius – experiences its fullness, limitations and ignorance (Mt 2:26, 13:32, 1 Sam 21:1-6 – the king was Abimelec not Abiathar.  Mk 12: 36 – Psalm 110 as David’s Psalm, which is not true – agony in the garden.  He is truly human – not in disguise but genuine.  He is uniquely human – divine person in human. He is the paradigm of human – the epitome of all that a human being is – truth, goodness, model, archetype of all that is human. 

Divinity of Jesus – Our concept of divine depends on our human situation i.e., God above – principle of order, beyond the law.  God within – core of one’s being.  God before – liberator and God in relationship – I and thou. 

Jesus the Divine – Divine = the beyond, more to God than we think, Karl Rahner speaks of openness to the Divine.  Jesus = revealer of God – unless he is a divine resider how can he reveal.  He leads to eternal life because he is eternal himself.  There is more to humanity that we articulate, more to God than we articulate.  Jesus bridged the gap – He is the point of encounter.

One two natures – Person – Boethius (6^th cent) = A person is the individual substance of a rational nature.  St. Thomas took it up = different from animal – thinking being capable to love.  Individual is one who is undivided in himself and divided from others.  Modern philosophers added freedom, self-identity, self-consciousness and autonomy. 

The person of Jesus Christ – He is an individual being having unique personhood.  Human nature is added.  Human being without human personhood? – we speak of levels of being – higher is the being, higher the identity, consciousness.  Divine is the highest.  Therefore, logos assumed human nature without human personhood.  Personhood is deeper than nature.  Human characteristics and individual qualities come under the level of nature.  In level of life, God is the highest.  The personal identity of Jesus is understood in relationship to his Father.

Jesus was an individual, a rational being who existed and acted in relationship to God, human being and who has a personal identity (Logos).

How are they united? – Through Hypostatic union.  It was defined by the Council of Chalcedon (two natures in one person of Christ)

Christ exists in two natures (divine and human) each of which retains its characteristics because Christ is one.  The divinity of Jesus is not replaced by his humanity neither is the humanity absorbed in the divinity.  What belongs to each of these natures is reserved, merging into one unique prosopon (person).

It is the union between full divinity and full humanity in the one person of Christ, which occurred at the moment of the incarnation.

In virtue of this union, Jesus is both God and man.  As God he is homouius with the Father and as man he is born of the same substance of his mother, therefore, one in substance with all human beings.  

Humanity of Jesus is not independent but subsists in the personhood of the logos.  This is called enhypostasia by Leontius of Byzantium. 

Divine human Jesus because he has two wills and two actions attributed to a person not nature.  All his actions are theandric. 

Exist = accident existing.  Subsists = existing in its own right.  His actions are divine and human but belonging to the one person of Christ.  There must be something in the human that is divine.  There is a huge ontological gulf between them but they are not opposed and exclusive to each other.  Day – night, light – darkness, south – north, left – right etc.  There are the two poles or dyads

Consequences of Incarnation – knowledge of Jesus – he has divine knowledge (in relationship to his Father) and human knowledge (experiential knowledge).  He has self-consciousness which is both divine and human.  He also has will which is both divine and human. 

Jesus is sinless – Not only did not sin (de facto), he could not sin (de iure).  Sin and divinity are incompatible.  Was Jesus free? – He was most free.  He has freedom from and freedom for, Freedom in being (what you are), and Freedom with others.

Freedom = fullness of being.  Being = fullness of freedom.  Fullness of love and life.  Jesus enjoyed this freedom.  Jesus is the only singular person in the history that has combined both human and divine nature. 

CHRIST BEYOND CHRISTIANITY

Jesus as unique Saviour in the pluralistic world.  God is one, creation is one, humanity is one – our Christianity bears witness to this – one saviour Jesus Christ (1 Tim 2:3-6, Heb 8:6, 9:15, 12:24, Gal 3:19-20, Act 4:12, LG 17, Mk 16:16, Acts 2:38, 3:19-20).  Christ is the sum total of revelation (Heb 1:1-3 – Jesus is the final word of the Father. The OT promises realized by his earthly life, passion, death, resurrection and identity as the Son of God (Jn 6:40, 47).

The OT sacrifices, promises, covenant fulfilled in Christ.

He is the high priest, in line with Moses, mediator, sacrifice once and for all (eucharist) which has infinite value.

Creation through Christ (Col 1:15-17, 1 Cor 1:24, 8:6, Jn 1:1-4).

Incarnation – In God-man Jesus we see the face of every man (epitome).  In every man God has become man.  The impact of Incarnation reaches to all.  Its message is universal – love your enemies

His solidarity with human being – human face of divine.  Painful humanity on the cross.  Redemption – objective redemption – eschatological fulfiller. 

Cosmic Christ – Teilhard de Chardin and John Danney.  Christ is the center of evolution. 

R. Panikkar – Christ as the head/goal of the cosmos.  Christ as the alpha and the omega (Rev 1:8, 21:6, 1:17, 2:8, 22:13, Col 1: 16-17, 18, 20). 

Is it not Christian arrogance? – It should help us to respect.  All religions speak of divine-human, human-divine, human-human, human-cosmic in order to safeguard and defend the dignity of human person.  God is not confined to any particular religion. 

Theology of Inter-religious Dialogue – This is part of human life.  A pluralistic life.  It is God’s plan – all speak of God – no religion can absolutely claim to explain Go, or human being.  Christianity cannot claim to have fullness of Truth.  Fullness of humanity comes first than religion.  Religion is for humanity and not humanity for religion.  Christian claim goes against fundamental of religion?

Christology and Religious Pluralism – Mainly in the east.  – we need an open-minded Christology – it is the human attempt to understand human face.  Revised Christology = spiritual nourishing, pastoral helpful, inter religious dialogue encouraged, partners in seeking God.

Theocentric Christology – Christocentrism is only for Christians.  Theology is for all.  It will bring all other faiths.  Christ himself was theocentric (Jn 17:21) – I and the Father are one. 

Inter-religious Dialogue – it is not to distil down the doctrine for the sake of accommodating other faiths but for sharing, bearing witness, to enrich and to be enriched.  It is not for theological or ideological confrontation but heart to heart sharing – source of mutual enrichment and enlightenment.

We are all pilgrims, seakers.  All religions seek God.  Christianity’s mission is to continue this search.  No religion is perfect, all seek meaning of life.

If you are an authentic believer of your religion, it will take you to the very heart of other religions.  In relationship to other religions you understand your own religion.  In entering inter-religious dialogue, we can preach Christ more authentically.  The kingdom of God is bigger than the Church.

Historical – It is factual and real.  It happened in history.  It answers what, when, and where?  It deals with the past.  This is Jesus in or of history.

Historic – it is a famous event.  Jesus affects the course of history.  He takes human destiny with his destiny.  What has he done to humanity.  This is Jesus thro’ and for history. 

Definitive – means decisive, unconditional and final.