Key Takeaways
1. Theology: Bridging Human Questions and Divine Revelation
At the level of mystery, life requires of us a certain openness represented by the pilgrim attitude of the wayfarer.
Humanity's deep questions. All human beings, regardless of culture or belief, grapple with "Great Questions" about life's ultimate meaning, purpose, and the nature of existence. These profound inquiries often arise from "extraordinary experiences" like birth, death, love, and evil, which disrupt our routine and reveal life's mysterious, open-ended quality. Theology, like philosophy and literature, engages with this "depth-dimension" of human experience, seeking to understand these mysteries.
Faith seeking understanding. Theology is not merely an abstract academic exercise but a disciplined reflection on Christian life and faith. Rooted in the tradition of "faith seeking understanding" (Anselm), it aims to articulate what believers hold true in the clearest, most coherent language possible (Macquarrie). This process involves both intellectual rigor and personal commitment, acknowledging that ultimate questions demand personal decisions, not just theoretical answers.
Contextual and praxis-oriented. Modern theology recognizes its inherent contextuality, mediating between a specific religion and its surrounding culture (Lonergan). It's also "praxis-oriented" (Gutierrez), meaning it's deeply connected to Christian living and action, especially in addressing suffering and injustice. Theology, therefore, is a dynamic, ongoing conversation that seeks to interpret and transform culture in light of Christ's message, rather than simply adapting to it.
2. Christian Revelation: God's Self-Communication in Christ
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe (Heb 1:1-2).
God's self-disclosure. Christian revelation is understood as God's definitive self-communication, primarily through Jesus Christ. It's not merely a transfer of information or a set of doctrines, but a deeply personal encounter where God makes Himself known. This "Christ-centered" nature means that Jesus is both the "mediator and the fullness of all revelation," providing the normative framework for all future Christian experience of God.
Unity of word and deed. God's revelation in Christ is a seamless "unity of word and deed." Jesus' words proclaim God's saving actions, while his actions (including his life, miracles, death, and resurrection) confirm and illuminate the meaning of his words. This holistic understanding emphasizes that God's self-disclosure is embodied in Jesus' entire being and ministry, not just in abstract pronouncements.
Apostolic and ongoing. While the "public revelation" in Christ concluded with the apostolic generation, God's self-manifestation continues as "revelation" (lower case) through the Holy Spirit. This "private revelation" is the ongoing, Spirit-led appropriation of Christ's foundational revelation within the lives of believers and the Church. It means that daily Christian experience is shaped by and integrated into the "Big Story" of salvation, allowing individuals to encounter God in their everyday lives.
3. The Bible: Inspired Scripture within Living Tradition
All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16).
God's inspired word. Christians believe the Bible is God's inspired word, "God-breathed" by the Holy Spirit, making it uniquely trustworthy for faith and life. This "inspiration" means God is, in a true sense, the author, yet human authors freely used their intellect and judgment. The Bible is thus "the word of God in the words of men," intended for instruction, correction, and hope within the Christian community.
A collection, not a single book. The Bible is a collection of diverse books (Old and New Testaments), written by many authors over centuries, reflecting the religious life of Israel and early Christian communities. Its "canon" (agreed-upon list of books) was formed through a complex, Spirit-led process within the Church, not as a direct, magical delivery from heaven. This historical reality means the New Testament, for instance, emerged from the Church's life and faith, not the other way around.
Interpreted through living tradition. Understanding the Bible requires interpreting it within the "living tradition of the whole Church." This involves three levels:
- Traditional: Reading from the shared "Christian common sense" shaped by centuries of worship, preaching, and communal life.
- Historical-literary: Using scholarly methods to understand the original meaning, historical context, and literary forms of the texts.
- Canonical: Interpreting individual texts in light of the "content and unity of the whole of scripture," recognizing that the canon itself is a theological statement.
This approach avoids both literalistic "strict inerrancy" and purely academic detachment, allowing the Bible to function as a living word for contemporary believers.
4. Classical Christology: Jesus, Truly God and Truly Human
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, one in Being with the Father.
Safeguarding salvation and worship. Classical Christology, articulated in creeds like Nicaea, Ephesus, and Chalcedon, defines Jesus as "truly God and truly human." This doctrine emerged from centuries of theological debate, driven by the fundamental Christian experiences of:
- Salvation: Only a truly divine being could transform human life and save from death.
- Worship: Christians worshipped Jesus, implying he was truly God, not merely a creature.
To deny either his divinity (Arianism) or his humanity (monophysitism/docetism) would undermine these core experiences.
The Trinity's foundation. The affirmation of Jesus as "one in being" (homoousios) with the Father at Nicaea profoundly shaped the Christian understanding of God as the Holy Trinity. This trinitarian monotheism (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is rooted in the Church's liturgical life and prayer, where God is addressed in these three distinct yet unified "persons." The doctrine is a secondary reflection on this primary experience of God.
One person, two natures. The Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) provided the definitive formula: Jesus Christ is "one Person and one subsistence [hypostasis]" existing "in two natures," divine and human. These natures are united "without confusion, without change, without division, without separation." This language clarifies how Jesus could simultaneously weep for a friend (human) and raise him from the dead (divine), ensuring that his full humanity and full divinity are preserved in his single person.
5. Modernity's Challenge: The Quest for the Historical Jesus
The critical ideal of the age of reason is eloquently expressed in Immanuel Kant’s (1724-1804) essay “What Is Enlightenment?” with its motto “dare to think.”
Skepticism toward tradition. The Enlightenment (1650-1800) ushered in a "critical spirit" characterized by radical doubt and a demand for independent reason, challenging traditional authorities, including religious ones. This era, marked by scientific revolutions (Copernicus, Galileo, Newton) and philosophical shifts (Descartes' methodic doubt, Hume's empiricism), fostered a deep suspicion of anything not verifiable by "natural laws."
Deism and natural religion. In this climate, "revealed religions" with their particular historical claims and miracles were often rejected in favor of "natural religion" or deism. Deists like Voltaire conceived of God as a "watchmaker" who set the universe in motion but did not intervene in its affairs. Miracles, defined by Hume as "violations of the laws of nature," were deemed impossible to reasonably believe, creating a deep chasm between faith and reason.
The "historical Jesus" emerges. This critical spirit extended to the New Testament, which was scrutinized as a historical source. Scholars sought to strip away the "supernatural" or "mythological" elements attributed to Jesus by the early Church, aiming to reconstruct the "real" or "natural" Jesus. Figures like Reimarus, Strauss, and Jefferson attempted to portray Jesus as a purely ethical teacher, distinct from the "Christ of faith," leading to the "quest for the historical Jesus" that dominated 19th-century scholarship.
6. Gospel Criticism: Navigating History and Faith
It is impossible to use electric light and the wireless and to avail ourselves of modern medical and surgical discoveries, and at the same time to believe in the New Testament world of spirits and miracles.
Skeptical vs. moderate approaches. Twentieth-century gospel criticism developed a spectrum of positions regarding the historical Jesus. Skeptical critics like Rudolf Bultmann, deeply influenced by the Enlightenment worldview, argued that historical-critical methods could not reliably penetrate beyond the early Church's proclamation to the historical Jesus. Bultmann famously advocated "demythologizing" the New Testament, reinterpreting its "mythological" claims (like the resurrection) as existential statements about new life in Christ, rather than historical events.
Reclaiming historical faithfulness. Moderate historical critics, such as Joachim Jeremias and Raymond E. Brown, challenged Bultmann's radical skepticism. They sought to "disengage historical-critical methods from enlightenment assumptions," arguing for the basic faithfulness of the gospels to Jesus' message and life. Scholars like Jeremias used linguistic analysis (e.g., Aramaic "Abba") to demonstrate that the written gospels preserve authentic words and teachings of Jesus, reaching back to his ministry.
Catholic Church's evolving stance. Initially suspicious of historical-critical methods, the Catholic Church, through encyclicals like Divino Afflante Spiritu (1943) and Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (1965), embraced a moderate approach. This official position encourages the use of historical methods while cautioning against "rationalistic prejudices" that deny the possibility of divine revelation. It affirms the gospels' historical fidelity to Jesus' deeds and teachings, recognizing the three stages of tradition (Jesus' ministry, apostolic preaching, gospel composition) that shaped their transmission.
7. Jesus' Core: The "Abba Experience" and Radical Love
I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. (Mt 11:25-26)
Intimate communion with the Father. At the heart of Jesus' life and ministry was his unique "Abba experience"—an intimate, trusting relationship with God, whom he addressed as "Daddy" or "dear Father." This profound communion shaped his prayers, parables, and teachings, revealing a God who is compassionate, inclusive, and actively involved in creation. This personal relationship with God is a distinctive feature of Jesus, even within the diverse Judaism of his time.
Parables: Challenging perspectives. Jesus' parables, like "The Laborers in the Vineyard" and "The Prodigal Son," were teaching devices designed to surprise and challenge his listeners. They consistently portray God (the landowner, the father) as extravagantly merciful and inclusive, often defying conventional human notions of fairness and justice. These stories invite disciples to adopt God's perspective, seeing the world and others through eyes of boundless compassion.
Radical interpretation of Torah. Jesus did not abolish the Mosaic Law but offered a radical interpretation, particularly of its love commands. He urged his disciples to "surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees" (Mt 5:20) by extending love even to enemies, mirroring the Father's indiscriminate love for all. This inclusive love, rooted in his Abba experience, formed the basis of his ministry to outcasts and sinners, and became the hallmark of his discipleship, inviting followers to a transformative, grace-filled life.
8. Miracles: Signs of God's Presence in Creation
Whoever affirms Jesus’ thought [his belief in miracles] accepts also the paradox that an event which from the observer’s viewpoint must be regarded as a natural occurrence, as part of the world process determined by law, is in reality something different, that is, a direct act of God.
Wondrous deeds, not violations. Jesus performed "wondrous or startling deeds"—healings and exorcisms—which are attested at the earliest strata of gospel traditions. While modern thought, influenced by Hume's definition of miracles as "violations of the laws of nature," struggles to accept such events, a theological perspective understands them differently. They are not God "tinkering" with a closed system, but rather "signs from God" or "manifestations" of the Creator's constant presence and power within creation.
Opening Hume's closed world. Hume's critique of miracles assumes a "closed naturalism," a mechanical universe where all events have predictable "natural" explanations. However, this worldview struggles to account for human freedom and the unpredictable. By viewing the world as "creation" rather than merely "nature," we open ourselves to the possibility of God's unique and unpredictable actions. Miracles, in this context, are not impossible but are extraordinary occurrences that, when interpreted within a religious framework, point to God's active presence.
Context of Jesus' mission. Jesus' miracles are not sensational displays for aggrandizement but are intimately linked to his person and mission as the Father's Son-Servant-Wisdom. They are "microcosms of the kingdom," dramatizing his proclamation of God's reign and restoring creation to wholeness. These signs summon people to conversion and faith, confirming Jesus' identity and mission. While not coercing belief, they offer a plausible basis for faith, inviting believers to recognize God's healing touch in the world, even in contemporary times.
9. Resurrection: God's Vindication and Eschatological Hope
And if Christ has not been raised, then empty [too] is our preaching; empty, too, your faith (1 Cor 15:14).
The riddle of Christian origins. Jesus' execution by the Romans is a historical certainty. The profound riddle of Christian origins is how a crucified prophet, whose disciples were in disarray, became the posthumous center of a world-transforming religious movement. Naturalistic explanations (fraud, hallucination, mythologizing) struggle to fully account for the explosive emergence and enduring vitality of Christianity. The early Christians' answer was simple: "God raised him up."
Jewish eschatological context. The proclamation that Jesus was "raised" (1 Cor 15:3-8) is rooted in Jewish eschatological hope for the "resurrection of the dead," particularly the vindication of martyrs who suffered unjustly (Daniel, 2 Maccabees). This "raising" signifies a transformative event, not mere resuscitation, where Jesus transitions from earthly existence to a new, glorified mode of being. It is God's act of vindicating His righteous Son-Servant-Wisdom, confirming Jesus' life and mission.
Hope for now and the future. Jesus' resurrection is interpreted as the beginning of the "last days," the fulfillment of his preaching about the Kingdom of God. It anticipates a general resurrection and invites believers to a profound, transformative hope that extends beyond individual salvation. This "resurrection hope" challenges modern individualistic hopes to become more:
- Communal: Embracing human solidarity.
- Justice-oriented: Sharing God's concern for victims of injustice.
- Creation-inclusive: Envisioning the renewal of the entire earth.
Christians can experience "foretastes of resurrection" in daily life through moments of grace, reconciliation, and struggles for liberation, recognizing God's active presence in the world through the Father, Son, and Spirit.
Last updated:
