CHRISTOLOGICAL REFLECTION FROM ASIA
Raja Ram Mohan Roy
The Person of Jesus
Jesus was a messenger
of God. This message was teacher he use the term Guru. Jesus was a moral
teacher but not a divine son of God. The title son basically shows the creative
nature of Jesus and natural impurity with the Father. The power that Jesus
manifested was really not his power but it was delegated by God the father.
Jesus relationship
between Father was not one on identical but only in term of will. Jesus carried the will of the Father.
The miracles of Jesus
He accepted all the
miracles of including virgin birth and resurrection. This miracle are not
unique in Indian context. Because Indians have seen lots of miracle performed
by many GURU in the very beginning. The miracle of do not apple to Indians.
Jesus’s teaching can
attract the Indians.
The Work of Jesus
He rejected
vicarious sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Christian believes that we are
saved by the death of Jesus Christ.
saved and saves
people through his teaching not through his sacrificial death.
If we follow the
teaching of we will be saved. (Humanity will be saved).
The teaching of
encouraged the repentance.
How do we get
salvation? According to raja ram, Salvation not through the blood of but
through the following the precepts of Jesus Christ.
Jesus death is the
supreme example of his teaching.
How do we get the
forgiveness of sin?
According to raja ram, the forgiveness of sin and divine grace is to
follow the teaching of Jesus Christ. Forgiveness is received through repentance
not through atonement death of Jesus Christ.
For Raja Ram, Jesus
is simple a GURU who has the pinnacle of spiritual realization and thus are
capable of directly transmitting that state to others through grace
Book: Precepts of
Guide to peace and happiness
Brahmabandhab
Upadhayaya
He develops Christology reflection within the frame work of vedantic philosophy. In other
word, He attempt to interpret Christ within the frame work of vedantic
philosophy. It is based on Upanishads.
The Nature of Jesus
Christ
Two natures are
united in Christ. Jesus was Nara (Human) and Hari (God). was
union of both Man and God. As the Nara Hari Jesus was both infinite and finite.
Jesus was both saguna (personal) and nirguna (impersonal). As an
infinite he was God as the finite he was human being.
Trinitarian
Christology
Interpreted in line
with trinity. And he interpreted with in the Upanishdic attribution to the
existence of brahama that is satchitananda.
Sat- truth- Father; Chit-
intelligence- Son; Ananda- Bliss- Holy Spirit.
Jesus is the Chit of
satchitananda. Other words, was the intelligent or consciousness of Brahman.
Other word, is the divine intelligence/ consciousness.
Understanding about
the Person of Christ
He rejected the
historical Jesus. Why because is Jesus cannot be limited within the history is
beyond history. But he emphasis the
Meta-physical Jesus. Because of Jesus’s primarily existence as divine being.
Who is Jesus for
him? is the image of Brahman. For him, Para-Brahman became incarnate in Jesus
Christ. Jesus incarnation was unique incarnation. Why because? Jesus
incarnation was the only incarnation of Brahman.
The work of Christ
became the
sacrifices for human salvation. was both
victim and priest. For him, destroyed the power of Sin by taking the cup of
human sin.
Incarnation and
Avatar
was not an Avatar.
If we say is Avatar, It is theological error.
Christ and Krishna:
According to him, Krishna belongs to realm of Maya. But Christ is beyond Maya.
And Krishna is the avatars of person Vishnu. But whereas Christ is God himself.
P. Chenchiah
Christological
reflection
Person of Christ: is permanently
human being. He was not like any other avatars who took of the human nature for
temporary purpose. And Jesus as a son of man Jesus had permanent humanity. For
him this Jesus was not absolute God as we believe but God standing in relation
to human being.
Jesus was God man
not God-man because God-man separates Jesus from God.
God man means Jesus
is the product of both God and man. And this product he called new creation.
Why Jesus is son of
God?
Because the spirit of God entered him. In other words, is the product of work
of Spirit
Why Jesus is Son of
man? Because
Jesus was born out of mother.
JESUS CHRIST is Adi-Purasha of New creation: In creation Jesus mounts
a step higher. It is not the preexistence of Jesus but his entry as the new form or
human being is the beauty of uniqueness of Jesus incarnation.
The word son basically shows the
measures of unity between God and Jesus.
In Aham Brahmasmi-
I am Brahman – that become reality. Jesus says “I and my Father are one”.
P. Chenchiah rejected
Jesus as Avatars.
When we say we are
Brahman we experience Moksha
Raw Fact of Christ:
For Chenchiah the
central fact of Christian life is direct experience with Christ. For Chenchiah
calls that raw fact of Christ is direct experience of Christ. For him in order
to have the direct the experience of Christ or Raw fact of Christ one must have
Anubhava of living Christ. In
Christ what is the fact of Christ: the basic fact of Christ is the birth of new
order in creation. The emergence of new life for humanity. Emergence of new
life not tainted or spoiled by sin. In
Jesus Christ, God translated an idea of new man into the fact of history.
Salvation: Salvation is the
process of reproducing the image of Christ of becoming Christ. Redemption is
effected not by the death of Jesus Christ. But the larger life of Jesus. For
him salvation is not just sinlessness but life in its fullness. Life fullness
nothing but reproducing Jesus Christ. According to him “Christianity is not primarily a doctrine of salvation but
the announcement of the advent of new creative order in Jesus Christ.”
The work of Christ
The work of Christ
consist in what he is in then what he did. His argument is based on
understanding of salvation. Salvation is
basically union with the Christ. In other word the believer is completely union
with the in all his life. Sayujya- State of being fully united with God.
“In union with Christ we are not
identifying with Christ in essence but we become a Christ” Paul says “I no longer but Christ lives in
me”. Gal: 2:20
New meaning of
salvation: We need to believe in JESUS CHRIST at the same time we have to live according to
Jesus Christ.
Understanding of the
kingdom of God
In order to establish
kingdom of god one had to reproduce Jesus. In other word, Reproducing will
establish kingdom of God.
What is evangelism-
Evangelism is reproducing Jesus Christ.
Two Aspect:
1. One becomes new
creation (Evangelist must become new creation)
2. We facilitates
other to become new creation
Understanding of
Cross:
Cross is the reserve
of Love. The powers of the world grappled with the reserve of love. The result,
the love won over the powers of this world. Like political, economic social,
etc.
Understanding of
Resurrection:
Resurrection is the
triumph of spirit over flesh
The triumph new
order or present order
The triumph of
Satyagraha over the passion of warriors and rulers.
V Chakkarai:
Jesus the Avatars.
Jesus Avatars was
once for all and Onetime events.
1. Jesus incarnation
was onetime events. But in Hinduism Avatars is a repeated event.
2. Jesus incarnation
was historical. Hindu is not historical and it is illusion
3. The nature of
Jesus incarnation is human form but in Hindu some are animal form, Samir,
human.
4. The purpose of
Jesus came to save both righteous and unrighteous. Hindu the Avatars came to
save only righteous people.
5. Jesus as an
Avatars maintains his identity that is Logos identity. Hindu Avatars normally
merged with the Vishnu. Once the Avatars work is done they will go back.
6. Jesus as an
Avatars is dynamic still lives and work through spirit. But Hindu Avatars is
not working.
7. Jesus work as the
mediators between God and human being.
Jesus as Avatars not
conceptually but linguistically.
What happened in
incarnation: In incarnation both God and human being entered into new face of
life. God adopted himself due to the needs of people.
Person of Christ
Jesus beings Rupa
to God. Means form to God. God can be seen on the face of Jesus. God is
un-manifested but Jesus is the manifested. Jesus is the manifestation of God
the un-manifestation. In Gods immanence takes special form. Jesus is Antaryamin means
indwellers in the hearts of the Bhaktas. Jesus is Sub-purusha- Jesus is
true man. Jesus is the original pattern after which we have been passion/
created. He was not tainted by sin. Why he was sinless person? Because he is
the true man. Sinlessness was Jesus’ free choice but not choice of God. Jesus is Mula-purusha- Jesus
is foundation of entire creation.
Miracles of is
miracles of sinlessness. Miracles tells us what kind of person he was.
Christ and spirit
Holy Spirit is the
at work in us. It is Jesus who works through the spirit. Holy Spirit is Christ
himself. The Spirit Christology. For him Holy Spirit is living Christ/ resurrected
Christ. 2 Corinthians 3: 17- Now the Lord is the Spirit. Jesus incarnation is
the act of experience of Holy Spirit. For chakkarai is not Holy Spirit but it
is Christ Himself.
Cross of Christ:
Cross is the symbol
and sign of Jesus’ sinlessness. On the cross you see Jesus’ egoless life. Cross opens the challenges by which divine
Shakti/ Energy/ Power flows in the history of humanity. The healing energy of moral and spiritual
restoration flows from the cross. On the
cross Jesus acted as a parama-vaidya (great physician) of the human soul. Sin
is basically deciesis, that the reason taking all the punishment himself. Shakti of redemptive sacrifices of is the
“Kriya” Shakti (Active energy) of the new order on this earth. Jesus ‘Death: Yajna means sacrifice. When we
eat Jesus’ body and drink Jesus’ blood and Shakti emerged in the Eucharist
elements. Cross is two Niskamya karma
means selfless work. This cross is the reconciliation of Law and love,
reconciliation of karma and Jnana.
Jesus’ of history
and Jesus of experience
What is the
relationship between Jesus’ of history and Jesus of experience? Jesus’ of
history refers to knowledge about Christ. Christ of experience refers to
experience in Jesus
Kenosis of Jesus of
history is the Christ of faith/experience emerges.
Jesus + Christ
combination is the new thing which connected God and Human being.
His famous
Christological statement is 'Jesus as the Avatara'.
For V. Chakkarai
Incarnation Avatara
1. Once for all/ One
time event. 1. Related phenomena
2. It is
historical.
2. Not historical but illusions
3. It was human
form. 3. Not consistent,
some are semi human, animals or humans
4. Purpose-came to
save both the righteous and non righteous. 4. Only for righteous from non
righteous
5. Maintains his
identity (Logos). 5. Normally merged
with Vishnu
6. Jesus incarnation
is dynamic schools works through Spirit. 6. Not working
He calls Jesus as
incarnation in terms of Conceptually but linguistically.
Both God and humans
enter into the new phase of life. God adapted himself into a needs of the
people. Christ translated the idea of new man into the fact of this Jesus
(history)
M.M Thomas
Person and work of
Jesus
Jesus is true man
God-for-Man. He also used Sanskrit terms Adipurasa and New Adam. He argues
Jesus has a divine humanity which he refers as a foundations of the humanism.
Jesus humanism is expressed in his self emptying and self sacrificing love.
Jesus maintained the unity of the divine will and divine consciousness also
Divine Communion. Jesus maintained this unity through his obedience and
righteousness. In Jesus God acted historically to established the Kingdom of
God. Jesus is God or savior and the body of the Church.
Incarnation, Death
and Resurrection
According to
M.M.Thomas God actions in human history. Jesus death is God's creative Love.
Cross basically exposed the adversaries of this world and misdirection of
humanity. The crucified Christ tells us the prototype of the humanity and the
source of humanization. Resurrection is gurantee of the humanhood will be
reinstated or restore incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus portrayed
what means to be a human person.
Salvation and
Humanization
Humanization means
human inherent in the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the
foundation of Humanization and the model of Humanization. Jesus is the source of the
reveal of entire creation, every community and nation. "Acknowledge
Christ" (Jesus and Secular movement) Jesus was behind Indian Renaissance
through his life, teaching and selfless sacrifice for humanity. So, they
acknowledge Christ. M.M.Thomas interpret Jesus as the struggles of secular
movement for freedom. He argues that Jesus works in the movement which stands
for human freedom and dignity. Jesus is the savior of humanity, so he is behind
every desire for human freedom. The Christ who awaken the Western culture also awaken
and priests Indian culture for the gospel. Jesus was acknowledge by Indian
reformers and Jesus did works for the secular Indian which stands for the right
and freedom of the people.
S. J. Samartha
Samartha developed
his Christology from pluralistic context. He edify from his experienced and
witnessing from the multi faith condition.
Person of Christ
Jesus is darsana
(vision) of God and this Jesus lead us to New Dharma (way of life) and he
continue that humanity is not 'maya' of illusionary fact but Jesus is
real and genuine. He said Jesus of history and Christ of faith basically refers
to one person and would not be compartmentalized.
KINGDOM OF GOD
This is the central
message of God. The content of the message is not Jesus himself but God is the main
content. Jesus life and work indicates three main characteristics-
1. Comprehensiveness
(inclusiveness) it includes everyone comprehensively.
2. It is the
communitarian in nature (not individualistic)
3. Power relations.
Sharing is the rationale behind the power of the Kingdom of God.
Jesus as renouncer
Jesus renouncer his
home, person, position in order to free to do God's will and invite people
for/into the Kingdom of God.
Jesus become Jeevanmukta
a liberated human being while living on this earth. He said Jesus was like
Tyaga (renouncing everything), this Tyaga is 'kenosis'. Jesus kenosis is
renouncing everything according to S.J.Samartha. Jesus had the quality of Aparigraha
(non attachment to the things of the world). This quality brings Jesus closers
to Buddha and Gandhi and Asian leaders and made Asian figure. Renouncers
influence the people of Asians because the people respect who renounce
everything. Only the renouncer can bring the bearer of the Gospels to the poor
and even to the rich.
Cross-Resurrection
event
One has to speaks
cross-resurrection as a single event. Cross basically points to resurrection
and resurrection validate the cross. Jesus is a crucified-and-risen One. Which
empowered the disciples to preach the Gospels. This cross-Resurrection tells:
1. Evil forces can
be resisted in non violent way.
2. Cross-
Resurrection event reminded the sufferings of millions of people around the
world.
3. It is worth to
fight the evil forces and injustice even if our fight ends in failure.
4. Cross exposes the
power and the principalities of this world.
5. Cross can stand
without resurrection but resurrection does not have any values(can not stand)
without cross. Every resurrection has a cross but not every cross has a
resurrection at the end of death. Resurrection basically means God's indication
of Jesus life, ministry and death.
6. Christ is not the
possession of Christian alone, Christian interpretation of Christ cannot be
imposed. One Jesus has many Christologies
Christologies from
above (rejection)
1. Christologies
from above does not do justice to the humanity of Jesus of Nazareth.
2. It underestimate
the significance of historical experiences.
3. It promotes that
only in Jesus God had revealed. This concept is a Stumbling blocks to our
neighbour.
4. It is against the
monotheistic faith, God is the ultimate reality and the source of salvation.
Theo centric
Christology
Helicopter
Christologies and Bullock Cart Christology
Helicopter
Christology refers to Christology from above whereas Bullock Cart refers to
Christology from below.
Helicopter
Christology makes lots of missiological noise it keeps up too much theological
dust that prevent people from hearing the voice and the seeing of vision of
descending divinity. Helicopter Christology is often unintelligible. This
Christological points to Western Christology.
Bullock Cart
Christology. It's being always touching the unpaved roads of Asia. It carries
the suffering, agony and the ground reality of the Asian context with different
dimensions.
Dalit Christology
It is emerges out of
Dalit experiences which is the hermeneutical tools for developing dalit
theology. Dalit theology interpret in the light of Dalit experience and issues.
They tried to interpret in dialogue with dalit World and Biblical World.
A.P.Nirmal argues
that Christ as Dalit in the light of Dalit experience. The experience of Jesus
is the prototype of Dalit experienced, Jesus also share the experience of
Dalit. As a Dalit Jesus underwent rejection, mockery, suffering, contempt,
death. Jesus as Dalitness symbolise by the experienced on the cross. Jesus
cross is his Dalitness. On the cross Jesus cried " My Lord why are you
forsaken me" echoed the cried of the Dalit in the same home. Nazareth
manifesto is the manifesto for the Dalit.
Jesus as approaches
to sinners, tax collector and Samritan shows concern and care for Dalit. Jesus
is the oppressed and the liberator. Jesus life gives hope for the oppressed and
hope for one day a day of liberation.
V.Deva Shahayam
Dalit are the historical
continuation of the suffering son of man, the crucified one, whom the sinful
caste system does off their humanhood.
M.E.Prabakar
Dalit think of
Christ in relation to their marginalised situation or existence but see how in
Jesus Christ.
James Massey
Jesus missions was
mission of Solidarity. God expression is in solidarity of Jesus to human. The
culmination of Solidarity can be seen in Jesus life.
Tribal Christology
Tribal Christology
is interpretating Christ in relation to tribal life, culture, traditions,
customs, values, issues, identity and experienced all these helps for the
hermeneutical tools to shape their theology. It also function as a sources of
theologizing.
Renthy Keitzer argues that in
order to make Jesus becomes meaningful to Nagas, Jesus must be a Nagas. Jesus
must be presented as Naga, Jesus must be interpreted in terms of Nagas life.
For him, Jesus is not a foreign but does Nagas life and speak Naga language.
Inato Aye says Alhou was one
who the Sema tribes worship as Logos and
goddess for sacrifice is none other than Alhou, the logos.
Yangkahao Vashum in his book Christology
in context. Jesus, the rooster, Jesus death and sacrifice of rooster have
same significance in the life of Nagas.
1. The purification
of the community
2. To heal the sick
person
3. Rooster sacrifice
had redemptive values as the rooster had in the past.
Jesus died on the cross for the sin which is
connected with the community sin and cleanse from the rooster sacrification.
Jesus is like a rooster but not exactly not connected with Jesus death on the
cross.
Jesus the ancestor
For The tribal
ancestor play a meditating role between a spiritual world and the world of
living. Jesus play the role of ancestor as Jesus works as mediator between the
Father and the people. Jesus as ancestor represents the mystery of the
invisible God.
K.Thanzauva, In his book Theology
of community interpreted Jesus as liberator.
1. Tribal are culturally alienated
2. Tribal are politically powerless.
3. Tribal are economically exploited.
4. Tribal are socially discriminated. We should be proud of our
identity as a tribal.
Wati Longchar, in his book'tribal
theology' he argues that Jesus liberate tribal from economic oppression and
social discrimination.
Adivasi Theology
Vanavasi, Gandhi
called them Gurijan the sons of mountain. But they claimed themselves as
Adivasi
They tried to
interpreted in the light of Adivasi life realities, traditions, culture, oral
traditions and myths, issues and identity.
1. Jesus as
displaced Adivasi
A.S. Hemrom argues that Jesus
was displaced Adivasi. Displaced life realities of Adivasi. Because of
developmental project in Adivasi places and Forest, Adivasi are displaced from one place to
another. From CNI writers, Nirmal Minz argues that Jesus incarnation
itself is displacement of God. God was displaced from the cry of people
especially the Adivasi. He says that in Jesus we meet a displaced God. gone
through the experience of displacement right from his birth.
Jesus as suffering
servant. From the experience of Munda Ashur Kahani ( traditional story) tribe.
Munda suffer under the money lenders, by the suffering boy who was thrown to a
fire furnace but alive and liberate many Adivasi. This suffering boy is
regarded as Jesus Christ. They used their myths or community story interpret.
Francis Minj Catholic father,
Jesus as Paramadivasi, para- supreme, adi- primorial, vasi- dweller. Adivasi
are original dwellers of this land, so can be interpreted as supreme primorial
dweller. Jesus was the image of invisible God the first born of all creation.
(Gal.1:45)
was the greatest
ancestor ( Colossians 1:15). But he differentiate with tribal ancestor who
encounter violent death. breaks the tribal taboo about the tribal ancestor.
Jesus as liberator
Jesus as high priest
(Pahan)
Jesus as healer
(deonra)
Kosuke Koyama
Japanese Protestant
theologian developed his own theology from his experienced and his context and
called it, Water buffalo theology.
Understanding Jesus
within the framework of missions. His perspective is to preach the gospel in
the context of the people. Three intentions-
1. Articulate Christ in their Buddhist context
2. In culturally and linguistically appropriate way.
3. To refine our reform the culture of that culture stands against
the message of Christ.
Salvation through
Dharma over salvation through Jesus Christ.
Buddhist society is
not familiar with the idea of salvation through blood. According to them
salvation is to achieved through Dharma or following the teaching of Buddha.
Kosuke says we need to introduce a solution with the sacrificing death of
Jesus. Jesus suffer and died to show us the way how to come out of Samsara.
Jesus as Arahant
Arahant is a
Buddhist term which simply means a perfected one, the one who completed the
path of enlightenment. Jesus is the personification of enlightenment. Jesus
life shows his values of Nirvamic mind (life of Nirvana).
Jesus as symbol of
perfect self denial
Self denial is the
highest virtue in Buddhism. Jesus shows life with simplest perfect self denial.
Cross is the mark of Jesus self denial. It is also a sign of Jesus denial. In
Buddhism self denial is practice as a part of duty and as a part of obedient to
elders. Jesus self denial is out of his life and freedom Jesus denial has
happen between God and humanity and Buddhist self denial happen between human.
Jesus as crucified
God
God involvement in
human history is manifested in and through Jesus incarnation. God participated
in history in and through Jesus is in order to change the world. How can we
know that? attempt to change the world by the idea or message of Jesus.
Crucified God is
critic of history- the critic of absolute religious and political power. Jesus
life was primarily a paradox of being crucified God. It is a paradox of loss
and found and dead and alive. That paradox is overcome in the cross.
Neighbourology (1Jn.4:29; Jn.
17:18)
Jesus is the
neighbour for all Asia
Our sense of the
presence of God will be distorted of we fall to see God's reality in terms of
our neighbour. Our sense of neighbour will be disfigured if we fall to
understand the neighbour reality in God realities.
a. Face his
neighbour and never run from them.
b. Accepted that
claims of neighbour
c. We need to
present message in neighbourological language.
Particular Orbit
Theology (phi. 4:8ff)
Every culture every
history, locality can give something which is honoured, pure, lovely. Therefore
Christology can be developed based on particular history, culture and locality.
Jesus must not centred around but Asia culture can be a centred of Orbit.
Cross, Resurrection
and Ascension
Jesus became a curse
for human sake. 2 Corinthian 8:9 Jesus became poor to save our humanity. The
death of Jesus poverty is manifested in the cross. Cross is the moment of God
supreme agape revelation. Resurrection is the proved of justification of sinful
humanity.
For him Ascension
does not mean temporary absence of human history but participation of the risen
Christ in God's rule over of human history.
Chickenelogy v/s
Theology
Unlike chicken, God
cannot be put on the table and observed. The logy of theology i.e. knowledge of
theology a special theology developed in our hearts, soul, mind Mt.22:37 when
you hope, repent, love, worthy of God.
Theology can only
stammer about Christ because the lord of agape is the subject of theology. The
theology should lead to the missiology.
C.S.Song (Chinese
Theologian)
Stories of poor and
oppression are the main sources of Christology for Asian context. Asian
experiences are the hermeneutical tool.
Doing theology in
Third Eye.
The concept comes
from Zen Buddhism who beliefs that we need to open eye to see our original
nature. When ignorance opens disappears from us the third eye will be open.
Asians should do theology from the third eye because the theology of
Christology we recieved comes out from the product of one or two eye(s) from
Western thought and Western lifestyle.
According to
C.S.Song Third Eye means seeing Christ with the Asian cultural experienced.
Who is for him
is the supreme
expression of God pain love, the love that emerges out of God love. Pain love
is the entry point into the hearts of God. In God reveals himself as pain love
in human relation, society and in history. For C.S. Song salvation is an event
in which God pain love winning people back to him. Salvation is home coming of
human or people or humanity to the love of God.
The nature of Jesus
Christ
In Jesus Christ,
divine love and human love meet each other to create new person and that new
person is God humanity. This is the love of God- in- action and the love of action
became flesh in Jesus Christ. The love God in Jesus had power to accept,
empower, transform any action in human history. is the expression of intimate
community of God. This communion is the love of God between God and human.
Suffering God
According to C.S.
Song, God is the power that transform suffering into hope. It is in the
suffering that God as power of hope that manifested. In suffering we are
grasped by the power of hope. Only the power of hope can only redeem us because
it is rooted in love. Redeeming God is suffering God. Incarnation is all about
God who commit himself to the suffering of the world.
Understanding of
incarnation
According to C. S. Song,
incarnation tells us how God is acted upon and moved by human beings, the
prisoners of sin. It also talks about how God is capable of changes and
transformation for the sake of human salvation. The God of pain love is the God
of changes.
Jesus as crucified
people
On the cross God
identified with human through the suffering and dead. The suffering people the
heart of Jesus because Jesus identified human suffering. In the cross the
people touch the best of God and the suffering people only touch the heart.
Jesus represents the crucified people as Jesus embraced their suffering through
that they touch the heart of God.
Understanding of
cross
Cross is the symbol
of pain - love. The compassionated body was broken on the cross. Today, the
suffering people are the location of the cross. Cross does not explained why we
need to suffer but Cross reveal violent human nature. On the cross God does not
suffer for us but God suffers with us. On the cross we see a God who suffers
our suffering.
Jesus missions
For C.S.Song sin
makes us homeless and God lonely. Jesus mission is the mission of God lonely God
who continuously search for the homeless human beings. Jesus mission was a
mission of God's agape love that fills in every human beings.
Aloysius Pieresis,
Sri Lankan Theologian
There are two main
realities: Religiosity and Poverty. We need to interpret Jesus in our context
and Christology must developed in terms of Asian realities. Classical Western
christologies is not relevant because they do not address the challenges of
Asia.
Asian Jesus
Jesus is primarily
an Asian and he is not Western but eastern based on Mt.2:2-5. The arrival of
Jesus was first revealed to the Asian nations. It is from the sages of the East
that Jerusalem came to know about the birth of Jesus. That reflects the
relationship of Asian and Jesus. That Jesus is Asian Jesus.
Mt.2:2b what
satisfied their thirst is their experienced not their explanation, so
Christology should come out of our experienced. Mt.2:10-11 based on this in
Asian Jesus we can see Jesus on the hands of peasants women. We need to
developed the Asianess of Jesus.
Jesus life
Aloysius argues that
Jesus opted for traditions of prophetic asceticism. While being an ascetic he
raise a prophetic voice (against oppression, injustice, religious). Jesus life
was not limited to spiritual sphere but touch every aspect of human life. Jesus
identify as religiously poor of his time through his baptism. Jesus humble
himself to John the Baptist as a manifestation of his identification of his
religiously poor. Jesus baptism under John the baptism was a sign of starting
point of his preaching of the gospel to the poor. Jesus had a decisive
confrontation in three things wealth, power and prestige from Mt.4:1-11. As a
laborer (coolie) son knew the realities of common people. Jesus life was a
calculated strategy against Mammoth god of rivals.
Jesus mission
Jesus mission was
prophetic mission. The mission by the poor and for the poor. A mission
motivated by the life reality of poor people. A mission destined for the liberation and salvation of the poor.
Jesus mission started at Jordan and culminated at the cross.
According to
Aloysius, cross must be planted on Kalvari, wherein money is polluting
Religiosity of that time. Cross is the protesting against the money polluted
religion.
Jesus baptism
Jesus had two
baptism. Jesus at Jordan, Jesus was identified as the poor, religiously poor.
Baptism of the poor; price paid for the proclamation of the gospel. This
baptism of the cross is the basis of all through discipleship.
Jesus had to Baptist
in the Religiosity of poor and Poverty
of religious.
Kwok Puilan (Hong
Kong Theologian)
Dialogical
imagination
The dialogue between
the realities of people and the life realities and stories of the Bible.
Jesus as liberator
Jesus is the one who
strives for human dignity, respect and equality. For women, gives them a hope
of life in its fullness.
Jesus as priest of
Han/Shaman
Han is a Korean word
that express the deep feeling that arises out of the experience of injustice by
the women. According to Kwok, women are ridden with the Han, they seek for
Shaman. Through the powerful dances, rituals, the Shaman will exercise the
Hans. Restore the body of the women also restore them life and the health of
her. This Shaman reminds Jesus ministry.
Jesus as Sage
The image save is
more relevant to Chinese more than the images of Messiah, the image of priest
and suffering servant. Jesus as the redeemer who redeems people from some is
alien to Chinese people. In Chinese culture there is no concept of sin in
religious but they have the concept guilt and shame in social sense.
Confucianism teaches
us that human being can achieve moral perfection without external help. Human
moral faculties can help humanity to achieve moral perfection. Chinese
societies was also influence by Mahayana Buddhism-human beings can achieve buddhahood
or enlightenment nirvana.
In Chinese societies
influence by Confucianism, the son is the one who had to continue family line.
In that sense, the father who gave his son as sacrifice for the ransom is
unthinkable for the Chinese societies. Therefore Kwok says we need to portray
like a sage like Confucius who teach and leads people to perfect morality.
Jesus as a sacrificial lamb is not comprehensible so Jesus as to introduce like
a sage.
Jesus as wisdom
teacher
He says that is a
wisdom teacher, personification of Sophia. The Chinese value the wisdom of
people, so introducing Jesus as wisdom teacher is more relevant. Jesus nature
sayings in the gospel can be compare with Confucius who use nature as symbolic
to explain or teach his people. Images can be drown from plants, gardener,
seeds, birds, etc.
Organic model of Christology
1. Christ must be interpreted in terms of both make and female
metaphors or images. Both make and female can experienced divine in Jesus.
Meaning of divine in Jesus can be understood more clearly.
2. Non human metaphor can be used like bread of life, living water,
door, the way, etc. Recovering non human metaphor.
3. Jesus as the only way must be mystified. Jesus as the epiphany
of God but one of the manifestation or revelation of God. It help us to see
Jesus in other human beings in nature in whole entire creation.
Jesus/Christ as
hybrid concept
According to Kwok Puilam the message of Jesus in NT
had pluralistic and hybridized. These ideas are emerges of the intermingle of
the culture of Palestine, Hellenistic Jewish diaspora and wider Hellenistic
world. Most hybridized weird in NT is Jesus/Christ. The space between Jesus and
Christ is unsetting or fluid and this space is contact Zone between human and
divine. This is the contact Zone between the one and many. Also a contact zone
between historical and cosmological. Further between Jewish and Hellenistic.
Jesus question who do you say i am? is an invitation to fill the space with new
meaning, insight, new possibilities. The richness and vibrancy of faith
community will be reduced when the space between Jesus and Christ is fixed
1 comments:
Thnk you for this sweet paper
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