1. High and Low Christology
Session 3C M308
IPM
Michael Pascual, M.A.

2. Goal of the section
Provide language for talking about our perspective and relationship with Jesus Christ.

3. Vocab
Christology
High Christology
Low Christology

4. Christology CHRIST- ology “Who do you say I am?” (Mk 8:27)
Or Study of Christ
“Who do you say I am?” (Mk 8:27)
WHO is JESUS?
An attempt to formally articulate/understand Jesus Christ’s mission and identity, his relationship to God, and his significance for humanity.

5. High Christology AKA “Christology from above.”
An emphasis of Jesus’ divinity.
Some High Titles:
Savior
Christ the King
The Messiah
Lord
Son of God
Example: Gospel of John

6. Low Christology AKA “Christology from below.”
An emphasis of the humanity of Jesus.
Some Low Titles:
The Suffering Jesus
The Messiah/Christ (Jewish understanding)
Teacher
Rabbi
(Lower-case S) son of God
Perfect example: Matthew, Mark, Luke

7. High or Low?
A low Christology may begin with the “experience” with the person of Jesus
Theologically, it will utilize the historical sciences in finding the “historical Jesus.” Allows our faith to be “reasonable.”
However, it may forget the divine implications of Jesus.
E.g. Jesus as a social revolutionary, a wise teacher (but not cosmic Savior).

8. High or Low?
A high Christology will recognize the “Christ of faith,” whom God has become flesh for the salvation of humankind.
But… is in danger of forgetting his humanity.
Some may see this as “unscientific”
or dogmatic

9. BOTH High AND Low The point is that we need BOTH, AND
“A healthy tension.”—Fr. Rausch
Maintains a balance view of the person of Jesus (FAITH and REASON)

10. Which do you start with?
Do you start with a Low Christology or a High Christology?
~Discussion

11. Concluding Reflections
“Our primary access to the mystery of Jesus the Christ, and hence the starting point for Christology, is the Church, through its Scriptures, its creeds, its faith experienced, proclaimed, and handed on through the centuries.”—Rausch 7

12. Concluding Reflections
“However, Christological faith cannot stand solely on the Scriptures and the teaching of the Church (a version of sola scriptura)… A Christology not grounded in historical reality could easily become an ideology or myth, a idolotrous divinization of the man Jesus…” This is not to suggest that reason establishes faith, but it can and should show that the act of faith is itself reasonable. (emphasis mine)

13. THEREFORE
Faith must take seriously the work of historical-critical scholarship… But we will (and must) remember that Christology is not a stand alone subject, but part of the faith and life of the Church. –cf. Rausch 8.

14. Quoted from
Rausch, Thomas. Who is Jesus? An Introduction to Christology (Liturgical Press: Collegeville, 2003).

15. Reflection Questions
What we pray is what we believe: What is your favorite prayer of Jesus? Does it reflect well the relationship that you have with him?
Theology has a sociology: How would you describe the Christology of your culture? How has it influenced your Christology?