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“Who do men say I am?”. The modern debate on Christology. Finding the “Historical Jesus”. Hermann Reimarus 1694-1768 Assumption that divine claims were a later development “A moralist and religious reformer crucified for thinking ahead of his time”
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“Who do men say I am?” The modern debate on Christology
Finding the “Historical Jesus” • Hermann Reimarus 1694-1768 • Assumption that divine claims were a later development • “A moralist and religious reformer crucified for thinking ahead of his time” • Albert Schweitzer: “An apocalyptic prophet” The Modern Christology Debate 1
Statement of the Orthodox view • H.P.Liddon 1866 • “The Divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” And a reaction… • W.Bousset 1900 • “Kyrios Christi”: A developing Christology The Modern Christology Debate 1
The two views • Christology “from above” (docetism?) • Christology “from below” (adoptionism?) • Is there a third way? The Modern Christology Debate 1
The myth of Jesus of Nazareth • Rudolf Bultmann (1884-1976) • “Myth” cannot be treated as historical fact but as symbolical truth • The importance of existential decision The Modern Christology Debate 1
Three Alternate views • 1. A quasi-orthodox view: P.T.Forsyth, D.M.Baillie (c1920) • “The evidence we have for the historical Jesus adds up to credible proof for his divinity” • 2. Oscar Cullmann (1902-1999), Ferdinand Hahn stressed the christological titles which the NT applies to Jesus. • “The gospel writers were using mythical concepts to describe historical facts” • 3. Martin Hengel, Wolfhart Pannenberg reasserted the historicity of the gospels The Modern Christology Debate 1
Hahn: From Jesus to Paul The Modern Christology Debate 1
The titles of Jesus The Modern Christology Debate 1
R.H.Fuller • Foundations of NT Christology (1965) • What did Jesus think about himself? • Early Church Christology: • 1.Earthly life of Jesus and his parousia • 2.Earthly ministry/ heavenly reign • 3.Pre-existence/ incarnate life/ heavenly reign The Modern Christology Debate 1