Lecture Notes: Christian Theology and Understanding of Jesus Christ

Overview

• Speaker: Alister McGrath
• Focus: Significance of Jesus Christ
• Textbook: Christian Theology and Introduction
• Chapters discussed:
  • Chapter 10: Identity of Christ (Christology)
  • Chapter 11: Work of Christ

Chapter 11: Work of Christ

Key Questions

1. How is salvation linked to the death and resurrection of Christ?
2. What is salvation?

Relationship between Identity and Function of Jesus

• Christ is both human and divine (Two Natures of Christ)
• Functional vs. Ontological Christology:
  • How Christ's identity relates to his function
  • Christ's ability to reveal God and redeem humanity

Theories of Atonement

• Purpose: Understanding how Christ’s death changes the human situation
• Divinity of Christ: Ground of salvation ability
• Humanity of Christ: Means of bringing God’s power to fallen humanity
• Key Approaches:
  1. Cross as Sacrifice
     • Christ as sinless high priest and perfect sacrificial offering
     • Removes barrier preventing humanity from approaching God
  2. Cross as Victory (Christus Victor)
     • Victory over sin, death, and Satan
     • Popular in medieval times (e.g., Herring of Hell)
  3. Cross as Satisfaction
     • Payment for sin’s penalty, forgiveness possible
     • Developed during Middle Ages (e.g., Anselm of Canterbury)
  4. Cross as Demonstration of Love
     • Incarnation and atonement as God's love for humanity
     • Emphasized by writers like Peter Abelard

Understanding Salvation

• Past, present, and future dimensions
• Not just future hope or past achievement
• Transformation of the human situation

Christian Interpretations of the Death of Christ

• Theories of Atonement (Sacrifice, Victory, Satisfaction, Love)
• Violence: Theological significance
• Universal Significance: How one person's death can have universal impact

Nature of Salvation

• Images of salvation (e.g., Paul's letters)
• Important approaches:
  1. Deification
  2. Righteousness
  3. Personal Holiness
  4. Authentic Human Existence
  5. Political Liberation
  6. Spiritual Freedom

Appropriation of Salvation

• How individuals connect with salvation benefits
• Role of faith (individual vs. church)
• Four approaches:
  1. Church as means of salvation
  2. Christ as representative
  3. Participation in Christ
  4. Christ as substitute

Scope of Salvation

• Universalism: All will be saved
• Belief-based: Only believers saved
• Particularism: Only the elect saved

Conclusion

• Encouragement to explore personal theological positions
• Next topic: Theology of the Holy Spirit (Chapter 12)