Infinity Dwindled to Infancy: A Catholic and Evangelical Christology

by Edward T. Oakes S.J.

Overview

At the heart of all ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Evangelicals is their fundamental agreement on Christology — and a common understanding and confession of the lordship of Jesus Christ as the unique Savior of the human race. Infinity Dwindled to Infancy provides a broad survey of doctrinal and historical issues at play in Christology.

Drawing from a wide range of sources — contemporary New Testament scholarship and patristic Christology, key medieval theologians, major Protestant voices, Catholic theologians, and recent magisterial statements from Vatican II — Edward T. Oakes presents two millennia of thinking on one of the great paradoxes at the heart of Christian faith: “an infinite God who is finite man . . . in short, Infinity dwindled to infancy.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802865557
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	07/01/2011
Pages:	472
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Edward T. Oakes (1948–2013), SJ, was a professor of systematic theology at the University of St. Mary of the Lake and Mundelein Seminary. During his career, he served as president of the Academy of Catholic Theology and participated in the ecumenical initiative Evangelicals and Catholics Together. He was renowned for his studies and translations of the work of Hans Urs von Balthasar.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements xi

1 Introduction: The Poets' Incarnation 1

2 The Surface Data 24

The Synchronic Approach 24

The Titles of Jesus 28

3 The History of the Data 63

The Diachronic Approach 63

Retrospective Narrative as Evangelization: The Structure of Oral Proclamation 67

New Testament Christology in Formation: Documentary History 76

The Historical Jesus and His Christology: Event History 93

4 Patristic Christology 111

Philosophy, the New Ally 111

Theology and Worship 115

The Two Axioms of Patristic Christology 116

Gnosticism and the Three Rules of Adjudication 120

Early Christological and Trinitarian Heresies 125

The Orthodox Synthesis: Nicea 131

Post-Nicene Christological Heresies 136

The Council of Chalcedon 149

Maximus the Confessor 153

Excursus: Monothelitism vs. Dyothelitism 161

5 Medieval Christology 169

The Medieval Context 169

Anselm 175

Bonaventure 184

Thomas Aquinas 191

Duns Scotus 205

Excursus: Thomas Aquinas and the Beatific Vision of Christ 210

6 Reformation Christology, Protestant and Catholic 222

Martin Luther 223

Ignatius of Loyola 233

John Calvin 245

Blaise Pascal 258

Excursus: The Extra Calvinisticum 265

7 Christologies of the Heart 271

German Pietism 272

John Wesley and Methodist Christology 283

Catholic Devotion to the Sacred Heart 290

8 German Idealism and Kenotic Christology 301

German Idealism 302

Kenotic Christology: Thomasius, Gess, Mackintosh 319

9 Christology and Pluralism: Protestant Theologians 331

Albrecht Ritschl 334

Adolf von Harnack 335

Ernst Troeltsch 337

Karl Barth 341

10 Christology and Pluralism: Catholic Theologians 349

Karl Rahner 350

Jon Sobrino 356

Hans Urs von Balthasar 362

Joseph Ratzinger 372

Excursus: Christ's Descent into Hell 382

11 Recent Magisterial Christology 394

Vatican II 396

Pope John Paul II 400

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 405

The Catechism of the Catholic Church 417

The International Theological Commission 420

The Pontifical Biblical Commission 425

12 Conclusion: The Victory of Christ 429

Appendix: The First Seven Ecumenical Councils 440

Glossary 446

Index 455

Editorial Reviews

Timothy George
— Beeson Divinity School, Samford University
"Edward T. Oakes, one of our best and most literate theologians, has given us in this volume a masterpiece of christological reflection. Evangelicals and Catholics share together a common faith in Jesus Christ the Lord, the one and only Savior of the world. The closer we are drawn to Jesus Christ, the closer we come to one another. This book helps us to do both."

Thomas G. Guarino
— Seton Hall University
"Oakes is an erudite cicerone who skillfully guides us through the history of theological reflection on Jesus of Nazareth. He ranges easily through the full spectrum of christological thought, beginning with the Scriptures and then discussing the work of eminent fathers, noxious heretics, illustrious councils, exacting scholastics, vigorous Reformers, fallacious Idealists, down to the Protestant and Catholic theologians of our own day. Throughout his ecumenically inspired volume Oakes offers clear thinking and lucid writing, making this book an essential vade mecum for students and, indeed, for all those interested in the church's understanding of Jesus Christ."

Theological Studies
“This is the best Christology text in English I have seen in years.”
 
Theology
“It is a lucid and thorough treatment of a difficult subject, and admirable as an introductory textbook.”
 
Commonweal
“This extraordinarily well-written book manages to compress a mountain of material into a compelling narrative.”
 
First Things
“Richly historical and rigorously conceptual study of the meaning and significance of Jesus Christ.”
 
Reviews in Religion and Theology
“This is a really good book. I’m glad I’ve read it; it is stretching and thought-provoking and informative.”
 
Horizons
“Oakes has written a genuinely theological work of exceptional range, clarity, and depth. . . . The best work in Christology currently available in English.”
 
Modern Theology
“This book introduces succinctly and clearly the elements characteristic of Christology at each period of the Church’s history.”
 

From the Publisher