1
Who do men say I am?

• The modern debate on Christology

2
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

3
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

4
The two views

• Christology from above (docetism?)
• Christology from below (adoptionism?)
• Is there a third way?

5
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

6
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

7
Hahn From Jesus to Paul
8
The titles of Jesus
9
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