Christology: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Study of Jesus

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Christology: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Study of Jesus

Author	Gerald O'Collins
Language	English
Subject	Christology
Genre	Theology
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Publication date	9 July 2009 (2nd revised ed.)
Publication place	United Kingdom
Media type	Paperback, E-Book at Google Books
ISBN	978-0199557875
Dewey Decimal	232
LC Class	2009-926738
Preceded by	Jesus: A Portrait
Followed by	Rethinking Fundamental Theology

Christology: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Study of Jesus is a 2009 theological book by the Australian Jesuit priest and academic Gerald O'Collins. This work was originally published in 1995 with the title Christology: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Study of Jesus Christ, but the author thoroughly revised the whole text in 2009 to take account of the numerous biblical, historical, and systematic studies of Jesus that appeared following its first edition.^[1]

In this revised and updated second edition of his account of systematic Christology, O'Collins critically examines the more authoritative biblical and historical scholarship before confronting some key questions about orthodox faith and free will as applicable to Jesus in his person, being, and activity.^[2] In seeking to clarify the essential truths about him, the book investigates who Jesus was/is and what he did/does.

O'Collins attempts to answer some difficult questions: Was Jesus both human and divine? If so, how is that possible and not a blatant contradiction in terms? "Surely - he writes - we cannot attribute to one and the same subject the attributes of being simultaneously finite (as a human being) and infinite (as Son of God)?"^[3] The author proposes that one should envisage Jesus' revealing and redeeming 'work' as having an impact not only on all men and women of all times and places, but also on the whole created cosmos. Recognising the difficulty in describing or even minimally explaining Christ's salvific 'work', the book is built around the resurrection of the crucified Jesus, highlights love as the key to redemption, and proposes a synthesis of the divine presence through Jesus.^[4]

The second edition includes fresh material on current discussions in the study of Christology: the use of 'near-death' and bereavement experiences as analogies to the post-resurrection appearances of Christ; contemporary philosophical theology and the case for the theological coherence of the Incarnation; the universal redemptive activity of Christ; and the place and possibilities of 'presence' as an organising category in Christology.

Furthermore, the author covers specific theological approaches including Martin Luther's theology of the cross and liberation theology.

• Christian theology
• Jesuism
• Jews for Jesus
• List of books about Jesus
• List of founders of religious traditions
• List of people claimed to be Jesus
• List of people who have been considered deities
• Redeemer (Christianity)
• Unknown years of Jesus

• Review by RBL 2010^{[permanent dead link‍]}, Society of Biblical Literature.
• Christology on Goodreads. Retrieved 31 October 2012
• Encyclopædia Britannica, Christology - full access article
• "Jesus Christ." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 12 Nov. 2009
• From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians — documentary about Jesus' life and the early Church.