The Funny Risen Jesus. Elias Christology Now!: The Funny Risen Jesus. Elias Christology Now!

By Elias Rinaldo Gamboriko AJ. Ph.D

The 21st Century Church is in crisis. Throughout various Christian denominations humanity is lost on its definition about the Messiah and how they personally relate to him at individual level. Compared to other complement religious faiths, Christianity can be said to have lost its actual interpretation about the suffering, death and resurrection of the Son of Man. Christians are also responsible for wondering away from the true faith given the rebellious nature of man and love for the creation rather than the Creator Himself. As a result, many people have found comfort in things that do not satisfy and largely deviate from the teaching of our Lord about seeking his Kingdom first and the rest to follow.

In Christology, change is almost the source of uncertainty and a measure of fear and anxiety. For many, this fear is difficult to manage, and it causes various reactions. Some negative reactions to accept Christ include denial, ignorance, isolation, anger, resistance and resentment. These reactions can cause serious effects on the environment in which the change is taking place. The results can be oppression, suppression, violence, and lack of self-control.

A personal brief Christological study will reveal such reactions when humanity lacks a clear definition and relation with Christ. The drastic transition taking place in social structures and the shifting of the long held beliefs is destroying the defining lines between Christ and Humanity. The impact of these confusing ideas has been always negative where humanity no longer upholds to the teachings of the church. Many people suffer violence and murder, children have become victims of resentment and Christianity bears the scars of deterioration. This book addresses answers to these critical occurrences from the perspective of modern Christology. The purpose, the relationship and role of human experience is explored, presented and supported by biblical concepts in line with the original concept of creation and why Christ had to be presented as the Son of Man; in human flesh.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 4, 2012
• ISBN: 9781475930085

Elias Rinaldo Gamboriko AJ. Ph.D

Elias Rinaldo Gamboriko,AJ. Ph.D . Is a member of the Missionary congregation of the Apostles of Jesus for African and the world (AJ), was ordained in June 20th,1999. Ph. D ( EDD) in Pastoral Community Counseling Psychology School: Argosy University—USA—2012 Ph.D. Philosophy & Theology. Aberdeen University—Idaho USA—2007 M.A—Masters in Spirituality and counseling Psychology. School: Creighton Jesuit University Omaha—Nebraska. USA—2006 Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) completed 2006. USA A certified Chaplain: Certified by The National Association of Catholic Chaplains USA Attended both the Apostles of Jesus Theologicum in Nairobi Kenya and Urbaniana Pontific University receiving ( B.A) Bachelor degrees in Theology and Philosophy. 1999. Assignments : Chaplain Kakuma Refugees Camp Kenya—Africa—1999 Vice—Rector St.Jsephine Bakhita Formation Center/ Seminary Kitale—Kenya 1999-2002. Rector St.Josephine Bakhita Formation Center/ Seminary Kitale—Kenya 2003 St.Josephine Bakhita Catholic Parish Sioux Falls—USA Pastor and Assisting in St Joseph Cathedral—Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls—SD. USA 2004-2012 Chaplain Avera McKennan Hospital Sioux Falls—SD. USA. 2004-2011 On call Chaplain Veteran Association (VA) Hospital Sioux Falls—SD. USA. 2004-2012 On call Chaplain Avera Behavioral Hospital Sioux Falls—SD .USA. 2004-2012 St. Lombard Catholic School—Advisor & teacher Sioux Falls—SD. USA. 2008-2012 Books written: 1) The Psychological Trauma and PTSD / Soldiers (Child). 2) The Psychological effects of Multiple Roles in Priesthood and Religious Life.

Book preview

PART 1

CONTINGENCY AND THE QUESTION OF TRUTH IN CHRISTOLOGY

CHAPTER 1

Christology And The Truth Today

The growing need to understand historical eventuality of all human beliefs and concepts poses a big challenge to Theology in general, and Christology to be precise. Through my studies, I have observed that the postmodern rebellion against the domination of Cartesianism, with its denial of universal truth, springs out of a historicist mentality that gives value to biased concepts by verifying contrary Christian faith. Consequentially, such believe negatively affects Christology on account that Christ is inseparable from the truth. Therefore, to speak of Christ as lacking complete truth, while He is the one that God has manifested himself to man, and through whom the world has achieved salvation, will be like turning the human destiny into a fuss while making Christ’s death on the cross in vain (Clifford & Godzieba, 2003).

Unlike other religions that base their eternal destinies on dogmatic theories, intensively, the Christian faith has been built on the death and resurrection of Christ. On account of this, Christology verifies this fact as being universally true, and its word to be alive. Yet, these ancient Christian thoughts are strongly questioned and its validity put into test by the postmodern age. Moreover, other religions consider it to be scandalous and have connected it to rhetoric that there is no such a concept as universal truth in the world. Therefore, in our modern world, Christology has found itself entangled and enveloped in an intellectual climate, where perceptual plurality, instead of metanarrative unity, commands authority (Flinn, 1989).

Given such facts, theologians must articulate Christian norms about Christ as the truth. The entire work in this study discusses a number of issues on why Christology matters and also presents various conflicts on why humanity has shunned the concepts of Christology. It seeks personal and modern questions beyond mere historical facts that have been stated and re-stated over time. By centering on the actual personality of Christ, I form the backdrop of my ideas.

As such, I find it necessary that Biblical based understanding about Jesus Christ is crucial to our salvation. Many cults and world religions claim to believe in Jesus Christ. The problem is that they do not believe in the Jesus Christ presented in the Bible. That is why Christology is so important. It helps us to understand the significance of the deity of Christ. It demonstrates why Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Christology teaches us that Jesus had to be man so that He could die—and had to be God so that His death would pay for our sins. It is perhaps the most important area of theology. Without a proper understanding of who Christ is and what He accomplished, all other areas of theology will be errant as well (Matera, 1999).

An in-depth study of Christology has incredible personal impact on the believer’s daily life. As we explore into the heart of Jesus, we begin to grasp the amazing concept that He, being fully Man and fully God, loves each of us with a never-ending love the extent of which is hard for us to imagine. The various titles and names of Christ in the Scriptures give insight into who He is and how He relates to us. He is our Shepherd, leading, protecting and caring for us as one of His own (John 10:11; 14); He is the Light of the world, illuminating our pathway through a sometimes dark and uncertain world (John 8:12); He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), bringing tranquility into our tumultuous lives; and He is our Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4), the immovable and secure base who we can trust to keep us safe and secure in Him (Loewe, 1999).

Some works discussed focus on descriptions of the antique Jesus: Christ as counter cultural divine, as precluded advocate of Jew’s restoration. The deliverer of the worthless, savior of women, description is interrupted by critical valuation as to how reliable the theologians’ opinions are in light of the definite condition of Christ within first century Judaism practice (Spence, 2009).

CHAPTER 2

Approach To Christology

It is the objective of this study to have a clear approach in the study on Christology because it is hermeneutically sensitive and takes into account the temporal and historical knowledge and acceptance. Through it, the study examines Christology beyond the primary concepts that have been initially presented through history and relativism of total conceptuality. As such, it has clearly taken a form of historical and post modernism framework that is ground in a concept of divine revelation about the resurrected Jesus Christ (Luttenberger, 1998).

God’s redemption and preparatory process to liberate humanity from the chains of sin, form the fundamental backbone in all ideas necessary to understand the works of his messenger, Christ. This signifies that Christology is historically mediated as evident in the Old Testament, Christ as a Rock, and as well as transcendentally referential to fulfillment of his work in the New Testament as the Savior and Redeemer. By using such an approach, it will be clear to argue two contractive models that are closely interrelated; Christology from above and Christology from below. In God’s likeness, Christology from above indicates Christ as Second in the Trinity, while Christology from below shows that just like humanity, Christ is in flesh who had to undergo suffering, death and resurrection in order to scour the fallen human race (Pohle, 2009).

Yet, together in the context of Christological argument, the two tends to embrace extemporal and hierarchical metaphorical study which outlines that first Christ had to descend and become like a slave and a sheep till death, then upon his resurrection he would be exalted to stand at the Right hand of the Father in Glory and Honor. Therefore, Elias Christology Today which inculcates historical contingency and yet retains its true universality should be done from a personal level within individual relation with Christ, and focus on the reality of second and final coming of Exalted King and Righteous Judge; Jesus Christ (Kärkkäinen, 2003).

A Biblical understanding of Jesus Christ is crucial to our salvation. Many cults and world religions claim to believe in Jesus Christ. The problem is that they do not believe in the Jesus Christ presented in the Bible. That is why Christology is so important. It helps us to understand the significance of the deity of Christ. It demonstrates why Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Christology teaches us that Jesus had to be man so that He could die—and had to be God so that His death would pay for our sins. It is perhaps the most important area of theology. Without a proper understanding of who Jesus Christ is and what He accomplished, all other areas of theology will be errant as well (Brown, 1994).

An in-depth study of Christology has incredible personal impact on the believer’s daily life. As we delve into the heart of Jesus, we begin to grasp the amazing concept that He, being fully Man and fully God, loves each of us with a never-ending love the extent of which is hard for us to imagine. The various titles and names of Christ in the Scriptures give insight into who He is and how He relates to us. He is our Good Shepherd, leading, protecting and caring for us as one of His own (John 10:11; 14); He is the Light of the world, illuminating our pathway through a sometimes dark and uncertain world (John 8:12); He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), bringing tranquility into our tumultuous lives; and He is our Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4), the secure base who we can trust to keep us safe and secure in Him (Astley, 2009).

Some works debated focus on metaphors of the historical Christ. Jesus as multi-cultural divine being, and also as prohibited advocate of mankind’s renewal; as deliverer of the inadequate; as rescuer of women (Flinn, 1989), elucidation is punctuated by critical assessment as to how sincere the theologians’ sights are in light of the genuine state of Jesus within early Church (Astley, 2009). It also reviews studies that construe Christ comparative to the Jew’s outside the Christian society.

CHAPTER 3

Who Is Christ For Me Today?

Jesus is the Creator

In Hebrews 1:10, the writer of the Hebrew canon annotates the father as having said to the Son, You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. As evident, in the Gospel according to John 1:3, 10 Christ is presented as the creator of all things; . . . nothing was made without him. Verse 10 of John: 1 also notes that the world was made through him. Moreover Trinitarians have hugely supported an epistle by St. Paul to the Corinthians where he writes, and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came… (Cor. 8:6, NIV). To the Romans Paul convinced them that through Christ and for him, are all things (Rom.11:36, NAB) Colossians 1:16-18 also notes that all things in Heaven and on earth were created through Christ. From the Pseudepigrapha literature, these views also back Bauckham (1998) in his claims from the book of Ezra that; in the beginning he formed the Earth (4 Ezra 3:4-5, RSV)

Sustainer and Source of Life

In his letter to the Colossians St. Paul tells them that all things hold their existence in Christ (Col.1:17), because Christ is the radiance of God’s Glory (Heb. 1:3). Therefore, I believe that Christ is the sustainer of life. As a source of life, the Gospel of John argues that because the Father has life, He has also given the Son life (Jn. 5:26). This verse is in opposition to idols that have no life. In Banes’ notes on the Gospel, John 11:25, he categorically states that Christ is the life and the author of the resurrection, this is in addition to John 14:6 which notes that Christ is the way and the truth. In John 17:3 God acknowledges Christ, who gives the free gift of life (Rom. 6:23) (Walters, 2009).

The Son and Revealer of God

To begin with, to me Jesus is the son of God because the Gospel of Mark notes that he is the Son of God (Mark 1:1). In similar expression, Mark 9:7 notes that during Baptism by John the father acknowledges Him saying, This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!. This is the reason why, Christ as a revealer of God says in Matthew 11:27, all things have been committed to me. When the Angel Gabriel brings the message to Mary (Luke 1:35), the Angel proclaims that the one to be born will be called the Son of God. John the Baptist openly testifies that "I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God (John: 1: 34). Moreover, in their accusations blasphemous accusations against Jesus, Christ answer the Jews that in their Torah, God had proclaimed Him as his Son (John: 10:36). St. Johns (Jn. 1:18) states that it is only the Son that has seen the Father and through the Son, the Father is revealed. Lastly, in St. Paul’s greeting to the Roman’s, he notes that through the Spirit, Christ was appointed the Son of God (Rom. 1:4).

He is God and Second in the Trinity

St. Paul’s letter to Titus identifies Christ as God and savior (Tit. 2:13). For this reason, the Jews had earlier plotted to kill Jesus (John 5:18) citing that Christ had attempted to break the Sabbath and by equating Himself to God. The author of Hebrews has stated clearly that during God’s sermon to the Angels, He referred to the Son as his begotten son saying, Your Throne, O God, will last forever (Heb. 1:8). The Gospel of John 5:20 further emphasizes that since the father loves the Son deeply, he discloses everything that He, the Father, does to the Son. On Divinity, St Paul to the Colossians (Col. 1:19) writes that it has pleased God that all divine powers should