Study Guide on Christology

 1.  Be able to define the following terms and names:  Christology, hypostatic union, kenosis, soteriology, Christus Victor, atonement, substitutionary atonement, basileia, Arius (& Arianism), Rabbi Pinchas Lapide, inner history, outer history, See the glossary on Educator for additonal terms.

 2.  “What is the difference between the Jesus of history” and the “Christ of faith”?  According to Migliore, what are four challenges to doing Christology?  Be able to explain them.

 3.  What five principles does Migliore believe should be followed in developing a Christology?  Be able to explain them.

 4.  What are three classical affirmations about the person of Christ?

 5.  What are the four traditional views of the work of Christ discussed in class?  Be able to explain them and relate them to Doubting Thomas.

 6.  What are the four distinctive marks of Liberation Christology?  Be able to explain them.

 7.  Why does Migliore think that the cross condemns the use of violence by Christians?

 8.  Be prepared to explain in detail the five views of the “finality of Christ” discussed by Migliore (Exclusivist, Developmentalist, Transcendentalist, Dialogical, and Theocentric Core.  Which does Migliore agree with most?  Which do you agree with most and why?  Be able to relate these views to those of Thomas in Doubting Thomas.

 9.  In light of Migliore, where would you place Chaplain Levovsky in Doubting Thomas?  Why?

 10.  What did the Councils of Nicea and Chalcedon affirm about the person of Jesus?  Do you think a person. like Arius, could be a Christian even if they don’t follow these formulations?

 11.  What is the difference between saying that God is present in us versus present to us?  How does that difference affect the way we think about the Incarnation?

 12.  Thomas discovers three ways to think about Jesus as savior.  What are they? Be able to explain them.  Which do you lean towards and why?

 13.  We are told about Rabbi Pinchas Lapide, and orthodox Jew who believes that Jesus was raised from the dead.  Why does he believe that and why doesn’t he become a Christian?

 14.  What difference does Prof. MacDonald make between saying Jesus was God Incarnate versus the Incarnation of God?  Why does she think God’s presence in Jesus is different from God’s presence in other saintly people?

 15.  Doubting Thomas ends with Thomas concluding that to confess Jesus as Lord is not primarily about beliefs, but about discipleship.  What do you think of that view?