THEOLOGY 102

LESSON 6: Christology in the Apologist

• Apologetic Christology refers to the branch of theology concerned with

defending or providing rational explanations for the identity and significance of
Jesus Christ, particularly in response to challenges, doubts, or criticisms from
outside sources.
• The term “apologetic” originates from the Greek word “apologia” which means
a defense or justification. In classical Greek, an “apologia” referred to a
speech or a written work defending oneself or one’s beliefs against
accusations or criticism.
• Celsus was an influential Greek philosopher and opponent of early Christianity
who lived in the 2nd century AD. He is best known for his work titled “The True
Word” (or “The True Doctrine”)
• Origen’s response to Celsus, “Against Celsus,” is one of the earliest surviving
Christian Apologetic works.
• Proslogion by Anselm of Canterbury
The central focus of the “Proslogion” is Anselm’s famous ontological argument
for the existence of God.
• Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas
The “Summa Theologiae” is structured as a comprehensive systematic
exposition of Christian theology, covering a wide range of topics related to faith,
God, ethics, and the Christian.
• The Triple Way by St. Bonaventure
Bonaventure was a Franciscan friar, theologian, and philosopher who made
significant contributions to medieval Christian thought. His writings, including
works like “The Soul’s Journey into God” and “The Triple Way,”
• Origin of Alexandria
Origen’s thirst for knowledge and commitment to his faith led him on travels
throughout the Roman Empire.
• Major Works
1. “On First Principles” (De Principiis): which he outlines his theological system
and addresses various theological topics such as the nature of god, the Trinity,
creation, free will, and eschatology.
2. Hexapla: Which was a critical edition of the Old Testament that included six
parallel versions of the Hebrew text, along with translations into Greek.
3. Contra Celsum: In this work, Origen responds to the criticisms of the pagan
philosopher
 • Eunomian subordinationism
Was a form of extreme arianism that denied not only the divinity of christ but also
the unity of the Trinity. Eunomius taught that the Son was of a different essence
(heteroousios) from the Father.
• Arianism, denied the full divinity of christ, teaching that Christ was a created
being and not co-eternal with the Father.
• Apollinarianism, associated with Apollinaris of Laodicea, taught that Christ had
a divine mind but a human body, denying the full humanity of Christ.
• The Confessions is a sort of Autobiography of the soul of Augustine from infancy
to death.
• Retractions this book was written near he time of his death as he reread his
works and made comments on them correcting him where he thinks he was
wrong in his earlier writings and simply reflecting on the works that he wrote.
• Nature of Christ
Christ is imitable because he is divinely human: ―he was human in such a way
that he was also God.
• Image of God
The image of God in each of us is restored when we turn to Christ,
• Love of God
God‘s love for us in Christ is the strongest possible invitation to love because the
one far greater than us has shown us how much he loves us.
• Redemption
Redemptive thought concerns a direct relationship between God and man—the
expiation of sins and reconciliation with God.
• Conclusion
Christological emphasis is on faith-seeking an understanding method that
clarifies certain nuances in the Christian thought.
PART II

• St. Cyril of Alexandria, was a prominent figure in early Christianity and a key
Leader of the Church in the 5th Century.
• Nestorian controversy one of the most notable controversies of his time.
• Hypostatic union the unity of the divine and human natures in the person of
Christ
• “kenosis”, meaning “emptying.”
• Mary is Christotokos – only the Mother of Christ, not the Mother of god.
 • Saint Anselm of Canterbury, He is often referred to as the “Father of
Scholasticism” and is considered one of the greatest Christian thinkers of the
Middle Ages.

Notable Writings:

•Monologion – restatements of different Theologians on the existence of God.

•Proslogion – his original proofs of his own and contemplation of God’s attributes.

• Athanasius of Alexandria alexander as the bishop of alexandria, despite being

relatively young.

LESSON 7: The Christological Heresies

• “Heresies” generally refer to beliefs or teachings that contradict or deviate from

established religious doctrines, especially within Christianity.
• The Christological Heresies are the errors concerning the real identity of Jesus
Christ
• Apollinarianism
◦The mistake was initiated by Apollinaris, Bishop of Laodicea (310-390 AD).
◦Believe that the Human nature of Jesus was incomplete, consisting of a body
without a rational soul.
• Arianism denied the full divinity of Jesus Christ. Arius taught that Jesus, as the
Son of God, was a created being and not co-eternal or co-equal with God the
Father.
• Docetism whose name comes from the Greek verb “dokein” meaning “to seem”
denied the human nature of Jesus.
• Ebionism
◦This Jewish-Christian sect founded in Jerusalem during the 1st century, denied
the divine nature of Jesus, rejected the virgin birth, and regarded Jesus as a man
normally born of Joseph and Mary.
• Eutychianism denies the distinction of the human and divine nature of Christ.
• Gnosticism was a diverse religious and philosophical movement that emerged
in the late first century AD and flourished during the early centuries of christianity.
• Monophysitism was a theological controversy within early christianity,
particularly prominent in the 5th century AD.
• Monothelitism proposed that Jesus Christ while having two distinct natures
(divine and human), had only one will.
• Nestorianism centered on the nature of Christ and his relationship between his
divine and human natures.
LESSON 8: The Christological Council of the church
 • First Council of Nicaea (325)
Which denied the full Divinity of Jesus Christ. The council affirmed the divinity of
Jesus as “of one substance with the Father” and produced the Nicene Creed.
• First Council of Constantinople (381)
Confirmed and expanded upon the Nicene Creed, addressing further
controversies concerning the Holy spirit and clarifying the divinity of all three
persons of the Trinity.
• Council of Ephesus (431)
Which questioned whether Jesus existed as one person with two separate
natures (divine and human) or as two separate persons. The council affirmed the
hypostatic union, teaching that Jesus is one person with both divine and human
natures.

• Council of Chalcedon (451)

Further defined the nature of Christ, rejecting both Nestorianism and
Monophysitism (the belief that Christ had only one nature, either divine or a
fusion of divine and human). The council affirmed the concept of the hypostatic
union and declared that Christ is “acknowledged in two natures.”
• Second Council of Constantinople (553)
Addressed controversies related to the teachings of Nestorius and Origen. It
condemned several theological propositions associated with these figures.
• Third Council of Constantinople (680–681)
Condemned Monothelitism, a belief that Christ had only one will, and affirmed
that Christ had both a human and a divine will.
• Second Council of Nicaea (787)
Addressed the use of icons in worship, affirming their legitimacy and condemning
iconoclasm, which opposed their use.
LESSON 9: Jesus Christ in the Asian context
• Asian context, the figure of Jesus Christ is often interpreted and understood
within the framework of diverse cultural, religious, and historical contexts.
• Missiological Christology means it attempts to be biblical and missionary as it
seeks to discover the meaning and content of Christology for the agenda of
mission in different contexts.
• The four teams of Missiological Christology
1. The identity of Jesus of Nazareth,
2. The marks of Jesus’ mission,
3. The meaning of the gospel,
4. And evangelization from the marginalized or the Periphery.
• The kundiman is a sad Filipino song about wounded love.
• “Jesus Nazareno”, Filipinos also identify in the suffering of Mary and venerate
hers as both “Mater Dolorosa” (Sorrowful Mother) and the “Mother of Perpetual
help”.
LESSON 10: Jesus Christ in the Filipino perspective
• Family- Orientedness
They are baptized positive: it provides the basic disciples of Jesus Christ.
• Meal-Orientedness
They find meaning in positive: it showcases our sharing in an ecclesial fiesta-
loving attitude and fellowship with one hospitality.
• Bayani-Orientedness
They commit themselves to the positive: it advocates self- Risen lord and his
mission sacrifice, commitment, through the gift of faith, leadership, initiatives, and
celebrated in great hope in the helpfulness Sacraments.
• The Spanish Christ
1. Tragedy / Malungkot na Sakuna
2. Death / Kamatayan (Takot sila)
3. Wounds & Agony of Christ / mga sugat at paghingalo ni kristo
• Two prominent images of Christ :
1. Santo Niño
2. Nazareno (Suffering Chirst)
• The Santo Niño de Cebu is a one-foot- long wooden image of a baby Jesus
standing, portrayed as a child-king.
• The tig sinulog are women in red skirts and yellow blouses who sell candles and
dance the traditional sinulog as a form of prayer and worship to the Godchild.
• Sinulog is a dance ritual in honor of he miraculous image of the Santo Niño.
• According to Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio (former Rector of the Minor Basilica
of the Black Nazarene popularly known as Quiapo Church) “Traslacion” means
the transfer of the Image of Black Nazarene.

• Using therefore this frame of thinking we begin to understand the other

rituals associated with the devotion to the black nazarene, which includes:
1. Pahalik (kissing of the statues)
2. Pasindi (lighting of multi-coloured candles outside of the Church)
3. Padasal (from the Mandarasals or the Priests)
4. Pabihis (the changing of the garments of the Black Nazarene)
5. Pabendision (sprinkling of Holy Water after masses or the kissing of the hands of
the priests)
6. Pahawak (touching of the statues or the garments of the Black Nazarene)
7. Pamisa (Mass Offerings)
8. Pagnonobena (Novena prayers or masses)
9. Pagpasan (Carrying of the wood of the carroza or the rope attached to it)
10. Pagyayapak (walking barefoot during processions)
11. Paglalakad ng Paluhod (processing to the altar on bended knees)

• The Greek rendering of the Hebrew word for “strength” in Matthew 22:35 is
“mind,” and it means literally “deep thought or understanding.”