What hath Athens to do with Jerusalem?
Tertullian is oft’ remembered for his concern to safeguard Christian faith from the distortion of philosophy. This concern sees renewal in the modern era, especially in the realm of biblical Christology.
The suspicion is that, through the introduction of Greek philosophy, classical Trinitarian formulations (particularly of impassibility and simplicity) corrupt the biblical witness. Thus, modern Christology posits a more immanent God than the classical formulations (supposedly) suggest
This is not just a move by sceptical scholars advocating an evolutionary model of the Christology of the early church. Consider popular charismatic teaching emphasising Jesus in Luke as the spirit-empowered-man whose supernatural ministry we can emulate because he’s ‘just like us’.
Think of the pastorally minded evangelical coming alongside suffering individuals to reassure them that there is a sympathetic God who is near them in their pain because he has suffered ‘just like us’. God-in-Christ seems much more relatable in the Bible than he does in the cold philosophy of Nicaea…
With the same concern to see Christ truly as he is presented to us in the Bible, Duby vigorously defends ‘Classical Theism’. He begins by laying out the modern Christological challenges, responding to the methodological elements of these and commending the metaphysics of ‘Classical Theism’ as safeguarding (rather than distorting) biblical Christology. Each chapter therein addresses a specific aspect of the person and work of Christ, beginning with a biblical description, showing how classical formulations relate to that biblical picture, and addressing specific recent challenges.
At university my only exposure to ‘Classical Theism’ was in the negative portrayal that it receives in biblical studies and modern theology. Duby came to me as a revelation!
At 377 pages it is not a short book, nor is it an easy one to read. But it is so worth it! There is a reawakening to the depths and delights of 'Classical Theism’ occurring in western theology. For some of you, this might be the place to start.”
