An Introductory Christology

Jesus

in

Trinitarian

Perspective

Fred Sanders & Klaus Issler

Foreword by Gerald Bray

nashville, tennessee

Copyright © 2007

by Fred Sanders and Klaus Issler

All rights reserved

978-0-8054-4422-3

Published by B&H Publishing Group

Nashville, Tennessee

Dewey Decimal Classification: 232

Subject Heading: JESUS CHRIST \ DOCTRINAL THEOLOGY

Unless otherwise indicated Scripture is cited from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America, used by permission, all rights reserved. Citations marked NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

We dedicate this book to

John Landers

upon his retirement as Academic Acquisitions and Project Editor

For his commitment to the body of Christ through his ministry at Broadman & Holman Publishers (1992–2007)

and

For his gracious personal involvement in bringing this book to publication

Contents

Foreword—Gerald Bray

Chapter 1

Introduction to Christology

Chalcedonian Categories for the Gospel Narrative

Fred Sanders

Part 1

The Person of Christ

Chapter 2

The Eternal Son of God in the Social Trinity

J. Scott Horrell

Chapter 3

The One Person Who Is Jesus Christ

The Patristic Perspective

Donald Fairbairn

Chapter 4

One Person, Two Natures

Two Metaphysical Models of the Incarnation

Garrett J. DeWeese

Part 2

The Work of Christ

Chapter 5

Christ’s Atonement

A Work of the Trinity

Bruce A. Ware

Chapter 6

Jesus’ Example

Prototype of the Dependent, Spirit-Filled Life

Klaus Issler

Axioms for Christological Study

Abbreviations

Contributors

Name Index

Subject Index

Scripture Index

Foreword

No subject is more central to the Christian faith than the doctrine of Christ, which is set in the context of the doctrine of the Trinity. Whether these are two doctrines or one is hard to say; certainly, one could not exist without the other. In the early centuries of the Christian church, theologians and controversialists battled out the parameters required to express this teaching adequately. In the words of the Quicunque vult (Athanasian Creed): “For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the Catholic religion to say; There are three Gods or three Lords.” The “Christian verity” is the New Testament, which reveals the divinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The “Catholic religion” is the entire Bible, which insists that there is only one God. The result of this double affirmation is the doctrine of the Trinity, which reconciles the New Testament revelation with the whole of Scripture.

The Fathers of the church were never in any doubt about this. They borrowed the language of ancient philosophy and law in order to express their beliefs, but the Bible was always their guide. Formulations that proved inadequate to ...

Content not shown in limited preview…
JTP:IC

About Jesus in Trinitarian Perspective: An Introductory Christology

Jesus in Trinitarian Perspective features six highly respected scholars from schools such as Erskine Theological Seminary, Talbot School of Theology, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. These scholars address an issue that has a significant impact on the way Christians should approach everyday evangelism but is often ignored: the fundamental fact that the Savior who died on the cross and rose from the dead is the eternal second person of the Trinity.

The Christian church has confessed this truth since the early centuries, but many modern theologies have denied or ignored its implications. To clarify the complex issue, these writers approach “post-Chalcedonian” (451 AD) Christology from a variety of disciplines—historical, philosophical, systematic, and practical—thoroughly examining the importance of keeping Jesus Christ in Trinitarian perspective.

Major chapters include:

• “Introduction to Christology: Chalcedonian Categories for the Gospel Narrative”

• “The Eternal Son of God in the Social Trinity”

• “The One Person who is Jesus Christ: The Patristic Perspective”

• “Metaphysical Models of the Incarnation: Person, Nature, Mind, and Will”

• “The Atonement: A Work of the Trinity”

• “Jesus’ Example: Prototype of the Dependent, Spirit-Filled Life”

This introductory Christology book is written for advanced undergraduates and entry-level seminary students.

Support Info

jesustrintprsp

Table of Contents