Christology: Christian Writings and the Reflections of Theologians

Christology can be defined as theological reflection on the person and mission of Jesus Christ. In the history of religions, there seems to be no other figure who has generated as much study and interest as Jesus of Nazareth. Certainly, the Buddha is worthy of inquiry, but for Buddhists, the person of the Buddha is not as important as the path to enlightenment that he taught. Muslims honor Muhammad as the final prophet and messenger of God, but the ultimate focus of Islam is not on the person of Muhammad but on the revelation of God contained in the Qur’an. Because of the Christian belief that Jesus is the Incarnate Word of God and the Savior of humanity, the focus is not only on the teachings of Jesus but the teachings about Jesus.

This special issue of Religions focuses on Christology, as expressed in Christian writings and the reflections of theologians. The thirteen articles in this collection cover the Scriptural foundations of Christology in the New Testament, the contributions of prominent theologians, and special themes related to Christology.

The essay by Brian Meldrum focuses on the identity of Jesus as contained in the three Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Each of these three Gospels addresses the question raised by Jesus: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matt 16:15; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20). As Meldrum shows, the three Gospels express particular themes but communicate a common understanding of the identity of Jesus.

Joseph S. O’Leary explores the importance of the Nicene Creed for the Christian understanding of Jesus. In opposition to what he calls “the deflationary approach to Nicaea and Athanasius,” O’Leary examines the layers of meaning in the Creed with special attention to its relation to themes expressed in the Johannine writings of the New Testament.

The essays by John C. Solheid, Daniel A. Keating, and Kevin M. Clarke examine the Christologies of three of the most prominent Church Fathers: Origen (c. 185–254), Cyril of Alexandria (c. 378–444), and Maximus the Confessor (580–662). Solheid shows how the Christology of Origen is expressed in a variety of polemical and literary contexts. He examines the Christology of Origen in light of the Trinitarian disputes of his time, and he highlights Origen’s understanding of the mystical body of Christ. Keating provides a profound analysis of the Christology of Cyril of Alexandria, especially with respect to Cyril’s appreciation of the two “active natures” of Christ as both human and God. He shows how the human activity of Christ provides a model for human imitation. In his essay on Maximus the Confessor, Kevin M. Clarke emphasizes the synthetic character of Maximus’s Christology, a Christology that draws upon prior theological reflections with significant developments. With careful attention to important works of Maximus, Clarke highlights the Christology of Maximus as patristic, Incarnational, composite, and cosmic.

The essays by Lance H. Gracy and Jared Isaac Goff examine the Christologies of two medieval Franciscan theologians: Bonaventure and John Duns Scotus. Gracy builds upon the traditional Trinitarian, historical, and epistemological dimensions of Bonaventure’s Christology to show an essential relation between creation and glorification. Jared Isaac Goff highlights the Christological contributions of John Duns Scotus, which are found in his perspectives on the predestination of the Incarnation, Christ’s human nature, and the dynamics of redemption.

Emery A. de Gaál explores the contributions of Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI (1927–2022) to Christology. He shows that Ratzinger believed divine revelation is ultimately to be found in the person of Jesus Christ, who is both human and divine. In response to postmodern threats of self-preoccupation and existentialist despair, Ratzinger points to the revelation of God in Christ, who embodies both truth and personal love. In his Jesus of Nazareth trilogy, Ratzinger takes seriously the critiques of Kant and others, but he believes they can be overcome by an attentive reading of the Gospels as faithful witnesses to the person of Christ.

The final five articles in this special issue explore Christological topics that have both historical and contemporary significance. In his essay on the Christology of the Church of the East, the prominent Oxford scholar Sebastian P. Brock examines the Syriac sources of the fifth through the seventh centuries that informed the Christology of this ecclesial tradition. Situated outside the Roman Empire during its formative period, the Church of the East developed its own Christological language to affirm the two natures of Christ. Brock notes how the Chalcedonian definition of the one hypostasis was rendered into Syriac by the ambiguous term qnoma, which was understood as “defining characteristic.” The definition of Chalcedon, therefore, was perceived in a different way by the Church of the East, and this contributed to the misleading Roman–Byzantine description of its Christology as “Nestorian.” The affirmation of the two “defining characteristics” of Christ was misconstrued as an affirmation of two persons in Christ instead of two natures. In the latter part of his essay, Brock shows how these historical misunderstandings have been addressed in recent ecumenical statements.

In his essay on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Christology, Robert Fastiggi begins by exploring the biblical significance of the heart. He then provides an overview of the development of Sacred Heart devotion in Catholic history, which becomes prominent in the seventeenth century and is eventually affirmed by papal teaching and liturgical expression. Fastiggi examines the Christological significance of this devotion under nine categories with special emphasis on the Sacred Heart as the expression of the infinite love of Jesus for humanity.

In her article entitled “Latin American Christology: A God Who Liberates,” Amanda Rachel Bolaños investigates the main characteristics of Latin American Christology as informed by liberation theology. Bolaños provides an overview of the development of Latin American Christology and its unique features. She analyzes some major representatives of Latin American Christology, especially Jon Sobrino and St. Óscar Romero. She argues that Latin American Christology cannot be understood apart from the culture and identity of Latin America, but she also notes its significance for all Christologies and theologies whether Catholic or Protestant.

In his essay, “Apologetic Evangelical Contextual Christology: A Pragmatic Approach in the Islamic Context (Pakistan),” Aftab Yunis Hakim investigates the history and challenges of doing Christology within a largely Muslim environment. He argues that it is necessary for Christians to find Christ’s presence in the midst of the socio-economic, political, and religious challenges of contemporary Pakistan. He likewise explores how Christians in Pakistan can best live out their evangelical call within an Islamic context.

In his essay “Christology and the Catholic Encounter with World Religions,” Francis V. Tiso explores the roots and objectives of interreligious dialogue and how these relate to Christology. He argues that dialogue should be “a living expression of the way of life of every faithful Catholic.” Catholics should strive to find Christ in all human experiences including encounters with those of other religions. Tiso draws upon Catholic sources, and he takes note of recent trends in Christology. In doing so, he seeks to correct the excesses of both progressive and traditionalist Catholic approaches to other religions.

The essays in this Special Issue underscore the importance and vitality of Christology in the religious world of today. The authors examine the Scriptural roots and Christological insights of major theologians. In addition, there are explorations into special Christological topics of both historical and contemporary significance. It is hoped that this Religions Special Issue on “Christology: Christian Writings and the Reflections of Theologians” will be appreciated as a contribution to both scholarship and religious inquiry.