Theological Term of the Week
Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 6:21PM
rebecca in theological terms

kenosis theory
The teaching that Christ, when he become human, voluntarily gave up some or all of the powers and attributes of God, yet remained God; also called kenosis or kenotic theology.

  • From The Westminster Confession of Faith, a declaration that excludes kenosis theory:
  • Chapter VIII 
    Of Christ the Mediator

    II. The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon Him man’s nature, with all the essential properties, and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin; being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance. So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. Which person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.

    III. The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, above measure, having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell; to the end that, being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and Surety. Which office He took not unto Himself, but was thereunto called by His Father, who put all power and judgment into His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.

  • From Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem: 

    Beginning with [Philippians 2:7], several theologians in Germany (from about 1860-1880) advocated a view of the incarnation that had not been advocated before in the history of the church. This new view was called the “kenosis theory,” and the overall position it represented was called “kenotic theology.” The “kenosis theory hold that Christ gave up some of his divine attributes while he was on earth as a man. … According to the theory Christ “emptied himself” of some of his divine attributes, such as omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, while he was on earth as a man. This was viewed as a voluntary self-limitation on Christ’s part, which he carried out in order to fulfill his work of redemption.

    It is important to realize that the major force persuading people to accept kenotic theory was not that they had discovered a better understanding of Philippians 2:7 or any other passage of the New Testament, but rather the increasing discomfort people were feeling with the formulations of the doctrine of Christ in historic, classical orthodoxy. It just seemed too incredible for modern rational and “scientific” people to believe that Jesus Christ could be truly human and fully, absolutely God at the same time. 

Learn more:

  1. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry: Kenosis/What Is Kenosis?
  2. Bible.org: Jesus Incarnation
  3. Bible.org: Will you comment on the kenosis heresy?
  4. Charles T. Buntin: The Empty God
  5. Dan Musick: Christ “Emptied” Himself (Phil. 2:7)
  6. Martin Downes quoting B. B. Warfield: The Cost of Kenosis Theory
Related terms:

Filed under Defective Theology.

This week’s term was suggested by Diane Bucknell. Do you have a term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms in alphabetical order.

Article originally appeared on Rebecca Writes (http://rebecca-writes.com/).
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