Content

This level 2 elective surveys Christologies developed outside the corpus Christianum and in response to questions not considered within the Western cultural and historical frame of reference. This will include images of Jesus Christ developed through such language as ‘Bodhisattva’, ‘Avatara’, ‘guru’, ‘prophet’, or ‘ancestor’, Asian treatments of the ‘cosmic’ Christ, the possibility of a ‘hyphenated-Jesus’ or of M. M. Thomas’ ‘Christ-centered Syncretism’ in relation to Hinduism, liberation Christologies within Latin America, and Jesus as the power against the demonic within Africa. A number of issues present themselves through this discussion: the question of theological tradition and method, the use of local sacred sources, the social and political implications of thinking Jesus Christ through a range of lenses, and the issues of contextualisation. Special attention will be given to the variety of mission emphases different Christological formulations promote.

Unit code: DM2079P

Unit status: Archived (New unit)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 2

Unit discipline: Missiology

Delivery Mode: Online

Proposing College: Pilgrim Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Articulate a range of Christological formulations and the central theological concerns they embody;

2.

Identify the background cultural issues and values prompting these theological developments;

3.

Support the use of Christology in the formation of mission theory;

4.

Evaluate the potential benefits of these formulations for theological discourse within multicultural Australia.

Pedagogy

Online learning materials, tasks and tutorial discussion

Indicative Bibliography

  • Brinkman, Martin E., Henry Jansen, and Lucy Jansen. The Non-Western Jesus: Jesus as Bodhisattva, Avatara, Guru, Prophet, Ancestor or Healer? Routledge, 2014.
  • Clarke, Clifton R. African Christology: Jesus in Post-Missionary African Christianity. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2011.
  • Douglas, Kelly Brown. The Black Christ. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1993.
  • Green, Gene L., Stephen T. Pardue, and K. K. Yeo, eds.* Jesus without Borders: Christology in the Majority World* Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2014.
  • Küster, Volker. The Many Faces of Jesus Christ: Intercultural Christology. London: SCM Press, 2001.
  • Orevillo-Montenegro, Muriel. The Jesus of Asian Women. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2007.
  • Pope-Levison, Priscilla and John R. Levison. Jesus in Global Contexts. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1992.
  • Schreiter, Robert J., ed. Faces of Jesus in Africa Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1995.
  • Stinton, Diane B. Jesus of Africa: Voices of Contemporary African Christology. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2004.
  • Thomas, M. M. The Acknowledged Christ of the Indian Renaissance. London: SCM Press, 1969.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay

A 1000 introduction to a particular author, his or her cultural and theological background, and his or her specific Christological contribution

1000 35.0
Essay

A 3500 word essay focused on a particular Christology or Christological theme (Christology in relation to the African religious heritage, for example), but one different from the class presentation. Attention will be paid to the potential significance of this for mission theory, and/or for the student’s own local context.

3500 65.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 19 Oct, 2015

Unit record last updated: 2022-10-04 14:52:35 +1100