Creation and incarnation are understood as two phases of the one process of gods selfgiving and selfexpression rahner, in richard 1997. Stephen evans defends as religiously powerful and theologically legitimate, a kenotic theory of the incarnation, arguing that some kind of divine self. Mackinnon destabilized this claim by exposing the wide gulf between theory and practice in that church, especially in his own anglo. The relation between incarnation and kenosis before we can turn to consider the. Click download or read online button to get the kenotic trajectory of the church in donald mackinnon s theology book now. He believed that the unity of his person must be mathematical a. We use cookies to offer you a better experience, personalize content, tailor advertising, provide social media features, and better understand the use of our services. This translation was made by sister penelope lawson, of the anglican community of st. This is a problem for the kenotic view of christ since that in the kenotic view, according to erickson. This new view was called the kenosis theory, and the overall position it represented was called kenotic theology.
Christianity maintains that jesus did not empty himself of any of his divinity in the incarnation, although it is true that his divine attributes were veiled. The book also explores the implications of a kenotic view of the incarnation for philosophical theology in general and the doctrine of the trinity in particular, and it concludes with essays that examine the validity of the ideal of kenosis for women, and a challenge to traditional christology to take a kenotic theory seriously. The development of the doctrine of the person of christ in. What we do know is that, against those who would espouse a kenotic christology, the son did not give up any of the attributes that are essential to deity in the incarnation. Others have sought to understand kenosis predominantly from a philosophical approach, with the two natures of christ as a starting point. The emptying of christ is the heart of the incarnation, speaks to the subject of the dual nature of christ, and is the contribution of the kenosis to christology. This is standardly called the kenotic theory of the incarnation, after the greek word kenosis, which means to empty. The orthodox doctrine of the incarnation affirms that christ is both truly divine and truly human. Athanasius resolves the paradox of the incarnate by relying heavily on both scripture and the teachings of the early church. In the nineteenth century, the rise of new scientific theories, including the biological theory of evolution as well as the rapid development of biblical criticism, contributed to the formation of. Unfortunately, in the application of this valid principle, men failed to keep their eyes steadfastly upon the historic person. For instance, some say that all things are self originated and, so to speak, haphazard. Philippian christians, that sublime and voluntary act of incarnation wherein the word.
Incarnation, jesus emptied himself of these qualities. This would imply a doing away with what jesus became in the incarnation after his ascension and glorification. The purpose of this paper is to compare two rival accounts of the christian doctrine of the incarnation, the classical and the kenotic, defending the latter. Finally there is the problem of how it was possible for jesus to be the same person as the preincarnate word. Public users can however freely search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter. In this interpretation, paul was not primarily putting forth a theory about god in this passage, rather he was using gods humility exhibited in the incarnation event as a call for christians to be similarly subservient to others.
Towards a distinctly christian theory of leadership phd dissertation, regent university, 2006. This book did much to popularize the concept of the divine kenosis. The incarnation of the son of god ligonier ministries. Kierkegaards kenotic christology oxford scholarship. I have developed this theory in incarnational leadership. Pdf god s possibilities download full pdf book download. To these two writers at least, it is plainly the case that a full.
When the kenosis theory concludes that jesus is or was less than god as has been the case in the past, it is regarded as heresy. Instead, he manifested the form of god in the likeness of humanity. The word kenotic is derived form the greek word kenoo which means to empty, richard muller define kenotic christology as, emptying. Hall theology collection contains halls 10volume dogmatic theology, his 3volume theological outlines, and his writings on the history of the episcopal church, kenotic theory, and the relationship between original sin and the theory of evolution. The selflimitation of god father, son, and holy spirit. Jesus is both god and man, just not at the same time. The kenotic theory, considered with particular reference. Brad jersak writes, think in terms of jesus binding himself to us, to humanity, to you. My solutions to these problems constitute my defence of a strict kenotic account of the incarnation. Download this ebook in pdf format from church father athanasius, on the incarnation of the word. What we celebrate at christmas ligonier ministries.
Kenotic theologians address this problem by arguing that christ emptied himself of his divine attributes or prerogatives in order. This was the era of the modern kenotic theories, during which, as might be expected. This term has been applied to the incarnation, mainly, in christian history. The volumes found in this collection address the theological, philosophical, and scientific advances of the nineteenth century. Athanasius defends the incarnation of christ against the derision of 4th century nonbelievers. One might object, though, that this view doesnt solve our problem, but rather just gives it a name. According to kenotic theory, christ abandoned aspects of his omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence in order to humble himself and become a human being. Some have postulated a kenotic theory on a biblical basis. The incarnation is a soaring picture of kenotic love. A biblical and theological answer to the false doctrine of kenosis introduction an increasingly prevalent teaching in evangelical circles, particularly in charismatic circles, is the doctrine of kenosis.
What we celebrate at christmas is not so much the birth of a baby, as important as that is, but whats so significant about the birth of that particular baby is that in this birth we have the incarnation of god himself. Fairbairn set forth the place of christ in modern theology. Kierkegaards kenotic christology 9780199698639 by david r. This introduces the trinity, and provides the framework for this book. For thomasius kenosis is divestment of divinity by the word.
We need a kenotic theory which makes kenosisoriginal to the being. The kenosis theory holds that christ gave up some of his divine. Kenosis systematic theology by wayne grudem clover. On the face it, the kenotic model, on which the son gave up some of the divine properties at the incarnation, cannot help to meet this challenge, since the suggestion that the son gave up. Kenotic theologians address this problem by arguing that christ emptied himself of his divine attributes or prerogatives in order to. On the incarnation of the word is a classic work of orthodox theology written by noted bishop of alexandria, st. The second problem is posed by the exaltation, namely the resumption by jesus of normal divine powers after his life on earth. Sister penelope lawson, of the anglican community of st. A brief history of the kenosis theory the heidelblog. In particular, the chapter defends recent work by stephen davis and ronald feenstra, who hold that jesus may be. Such selflimitation can provide a ready explanation for such old problems as the existence of evil. This created for them a novel way to resolve the incarnational paradox. This might suggest that my terminology is eccentric, so.
In this dissertation i will call this constellation of meaning the kenotic motif or principle. This, however, raises the question of how these two natures can coexist in the one, united person of christ without undermining the integrity of either nature. Subjects connected with the incarnation, in which, besides discussing the virginbirth and the relation of the idea of transubstantiation to the doctrine of the incarnation, he developed further his kenotic views with relation to the consciousness of our lord in his mortal life. Scottish kenoticists claimed the word retracted his divine attributes during the incarnation. The kenosis theory began to sound more and more like an. For gess, incarnation is the words becoming a human soul. I was pleased to find on the incarnation remarkably fresh and engaging, still fierce and still passionate too. The kenotic trajectory of the church in donald mackinnons. About the kenotic trajectory of the church in donald mackinnons theology.
In the 19th century these were often considered part of the kenoticists heretical innovations. It was originally published with a byline that reads only translated and edited by a religious of c. Davis incarnation and christology it is a central and essential dogma of christianity that jesus of nazareth, who was crucified in judea during the procuratorship ad 2636 of pontius pilate, and. Christology is an intriguing and vast subject in which kenotic theology is one study. Modern kenoticism was sparked by life of jesus research, and by strauss claim that one selfconsciousness cannot have two different personalities. One theory, which received widespread emphasis and acceptance in the late nineteenth century and whose influence is still felt today, is the socalled kenotic theory of the person of christ. These accounts agree that the second divine person, the word, remained divine at the incarnation.
The aim of kierkegaards christology is not to provide a rationally satisfying theory of the incarnation, but to highlight the existential challenge with which christ confronts each human being. The kenotic trajectory of the church in donald mackinnon s. God s possibilities available for download and read online in other formats. On the other hand, modern evangelicalism is justifiably sceptical of any metaphysical speculation concerning the process of incarnation and sees the use of kenotic language as almost always inviting such speculation. Pdf kenosis and the nature of the persons in the trinity. The preexistent christ, a separate divine person, is the being who becomes incarnate, and was made man. It is about the person who existed in gods form and emptied himself philippians 2.
Sturch, the metaphysics of the incarnation, vox evangelica 10 1977. The book explores those aspects of donald mackinnons theological writings which challenge the claim of the liberal catholic tradition in the church of england to have forged an ecclesiological consensus, namely that the church is the extension of the incarnation. The kenotic theory of christs incarnationdrawing from philippians 2articulates a doctrine of the incarnation in terms of christ emptying himself and becoming a servant. Drawing on the connection that vattimo makes between the dissolution of metaphysics in our time and the christian understanding of kenosis, the selfemptying of god in the incarnation of jesus christ, frascatilochhead examines contemporary feminist theology. When used of christ, the noun signifies the union of his two natures, the. In the incarnation god emptied godself of all power and privilege to become just like us. Such is rarely the case with works of theology, particularly when orthodoxy has robbed them even of the novelty of heresy, for dryasdust disquisitions on settled questions often. The incarnation of jesus christ uk essays ukessays. This false teaching is drawn from impure wells, it is dangerous because of the other false doctrines it leads to, and it flies in the face of the heart of christian teaching. Oakes, sj expounds balthasars theology of holy saturday, and sets balthasars contribution against the background of the.
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