personification of Gods intelligence or wisdom

1
personify
treat a symbol as a person literary context
Wisdom
in Proverbs 8
personification of Gods intelligence or wisdom
as a pre-existent person or agent of God
I, wisdom, live with prudence, and I attain
knowledge and discretion. (Prov 812)
2
make an idea or concept into a real person or
entity
hypostatize
hypostasis person
In Christological thinking
becomes
a figure of speech
a real being
Wisdom
Jesus Christ
Logos
3
GOD
Jesus relationship
with
How to express the divinity of Christ
preserve monotheism
and
Resolution
1. Jesus divinity is considered within the
framework of the inner life of 1 transcendent God
The Father has a Son
The Father of all has a Son, who, as the
First-born Word of God, is also God (Justin 1
Apol 63)

• Inspired by Johns Prologue

• Reflects common thinking of the patristic period

4
2. Differentiation sought within the life of God
The Father generates a Son
Father and Son are distinct persons
Scripture
differentiation
suggested a living God with internal
movement
Philosophy
It is the Son who becomes human in the person of
Jesus of Nazareth
5
3. Subordination in keeping with NT language
Jesus is of lesser rank than the Father - this
follows the language of the New Testament
No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father
who sent me and I will raise that person up on
the last day. (Jn 644)
whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me
(Lk 1016)
6
NICAEA
325
Called to address the crisis of
Arianism
The Son is a creature
There was when he was not
The Son, begotten timelessly by the Father and
created before all ages and established, was not
before he was begottenHe is neither eternal nor
co-eternal nor co-unbegotten with the Father, nor
does he have his being together with the Father.
(Confession of the Arians)
seen as simple, indivisible
God
If the Son were formed out of the substance of
the Father there would be 2 gods
Arianism
strives to preserve simplicity and oneness of God
7
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen
and unseen.  We believe in one Lord, Jesus
Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten
of the Father, God from God, light from light,
true God from true God, begotten, not made, of
one Being with the Father through him all
things were made. For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the
Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly
human.
8
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius
Pilate he suffered death and was buried. On
the third day he rose again in accordance with
the Scriptures he ascended into heaven and is
seated at the right hand of the Father. He will
come again in glory to judge the living and the
dead, and his kingdom will have no end.  We
believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver
of life, who proceeds from the Father and the
Son, who with the Father and the Son is
worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through
the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic
and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the
resurrection of the dead, and the life of the
world to come. Amen.
9
Nicene Creed
counters the Arian position
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of
God begotten from the Father, only begotten, that
is, from the substance of the Father, God from
God, light from light, true God from true God,
begotten not made, of one substance with the
Father
saves, so the Son incarnate has to be divine or
there would be no salvation
God
10
Critique of Nicaea
Based on Johannine descending christology
Overrides themes in Synoptic christology that
show Jesus as a
Human Being
Jesus of Nicene formula and doctrine
Clash
Jesus of current historical Jesus research
New Testament christology from below
Shift
to
2nd century christology from above
11
Caveat
We should avoid interpreting Nicaea exclusively
in terms of Johannine language
1

• The plurality of NT christologies prevents
  exclusive use of Logos language

2
We cannot interpret Nicaea without accepting
historical changes in concepts of faith and
revelation
Logos should be understood on the foundational
level of a symbol of the human experience of God
3
12
4
New Testament christologies from below need to be
considered in the interpretation of Nicaea
5
Nicaea sees God encountered in Jesus so Jesus is
regarded as divine. Nicaeas starting point is
that Jesus is divine.
13
Council of Chalcedon
451
We affirm the Creed of the three hundred and
eighteen Fathers at Nicea "We believe in one
God," reciting the Creed of Nicea. And we
hold the Creed of the one hundred and fifty holy
Fathers who were assembled at Constantinople
reciting the Creed of Constantinople.
14
Chalcedon
451
Human nature of Christ absorbed by divine nature
Called to counter
Monophysite heresy
Sought to balance
Antioch
Alexandria
2 nature christology
One divine subject christology
1. Oneness of Jesus Christ lies in the eternal
divine Son, Logos.

• Jesus Christ is, therefore, a divine person

• Jesus human nature is the human nature of a
  divine person or hypostasis

15
2. The integrity of the two natures is preserved
Monophysitism is rejected human nature of
Christ is not absorbed by the divine nature
3. Jesus Christ the same perfect in Godhead and
the same perfect in manhood
Mary is mother of God as regards his manhood
Chalcedonian decree
compromise acceptable to both Alexandrian and
Antiochene schools
16
Critique of Chalcedon
Exclusively Johannine perspective Outmoded
argument from Scripture
Hypostatization of biblical symbols
Descending christology from above
1. Deals with Jesus in abstract metaphysical
categories of nature, person, substance, being

• Abandons Synoptic portrait of Jesus

2. Jesus is a divine person who possesses an
integral human nature

• Human nature of Christ - no hypostasis of its
  own

17
4th and 5th Century Christology
Alexandria
Antioch
Logos-Sarx Christology
Logos-Anthropos Christology
Theodore of Mopsuestia, Nestorius
Athanasius, Apollinaris, Cyril

• descends

divinity
Preserves duality of
Logos (Son)

• takes on human flesh

humanity

• rises

• ascends to heaven

Full and model human being
Pre-existence
Jesus
Logos
Earthly existence
Shows us the way to God
Glorified existence
Jesus
not seen as integral human being
18
Modern point of departure
Jesus of Nazareth
The Historical Jesus
not
Eternal Logos
mode of thinking
Historical
not
Metaphysical