Life’s Big Event(s)
What I Mean by “Christology” or “Christ Image”
There are as many Christ images or christologies as there are humans interpreting the meaning of Jesus the Christ for their lives. Part of that meaning comes from the history of Jesus and the early church’s memory of him as recorded in the New Testament. But the more important part of the meaning comes from our personal answer to the question Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?” I personally believe that Jesus the Christ is the most important happening in our lives, and I want to tell you what I mean by that.
A teenage girl knocked on my door one day and asked, “Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?” I said, “Yes, many times,” thanked her, and then asked her what she meant by her big question? She fumbled nervously, turned, and hurriedly walked away. All of us have a Christ image or a christology. Does it empower our lives? Historically, Willi Marxsen says that "christology” began when Jesus Christ initiated faith in the first believer. No one knows who the first believer was or when the first encounter between Jesus and that believer happened; but the historical consensus is that it did happen. I agree with Marxsen that christology is all about faith. Or the crux of christology is this: we are brought to faith in "God" – or whatever word you choose to call that final reality or mysterious power at the heart of all that is. That’s why I put quote markes around the word “God,” to remind us that we are naming that reality just as Jesus did when he called it “Father.” If christology is about being related to "God" through faith, then christology is about the event that occasions our faith. Christology is about the events of our journey that call our faith into being, time after time after time. Further, christology is a universal and timeless event. The same kind of event in life encountered Abraham as he stood over Isaac with the knife raised (Gen. 22:3 ff.). The same kind of event happened to the man by the pool being told by Jesus to pick up his bed and walk (Jn. 5:2 ff.). And the same event happened to me as I wrestled with the event of JFK’s assassination. Paul, Augustine, Luther, Wesley, and I benefited from the same event as Abraham, whose descendents are Muslims, Jews, and Christians: Muhammad experienced the same event as Moses and Jesus. The event of faith is the same reality for all who have ever lived, because the essential dynamics of existence have not and will not change. One comes to faith in "God," "Allah," or "JHWH" the same way. The event is forever the same, coming from the heart of creation. Does one have to believe a certain way? No. Does one have to join a certain religion or denomination? No. Does one have to do anything to be saved? No, only have faith in "God," knowing faith comes through an event from beyond ourselves that we say “yes” to. Was Jesus brought to such faith? Yes. Does the event happen to a Buddhist, Taoist, or Confucian? Yes. Does the event happen to an atheist? Yes. Does it happen to a child? Yes. Anyone who is living life in this universe is encountered by the dynamic we’re talking about and through it can be brought to faith in "God," if he or she but chooses for life as it is, which is always full of grace. In summary, the christological event brings us to faith in "God." It is personal, historical, universal, timeless, secular, religious, ecumenical, ultimate, and fulfills our deepest longings. I am describing a comprehensive faith image coming from a universal event when I declare our christology is primarily about faith in "God." Christology is not about my having to believe that Jesus did certain things for me, not about my having to do certain things for Jesus. If I follow Jesus, I follow him in his faith in "God." That’s the point of Jesus for me, that faith in "God" is always already possible. “Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior” or “Jesus is the Christ” mean that I can trust "God" just as Jesus did. I don’t have to believe anything special about where Jesus came from, where he went after he died, or whether he’s coming back – those things may be interesting to speculate about but hardly crucial for our faith in "God." Again, the point is the Jesus Christ event brings us to faith in "God."Three Images of the One Jesus Christ Event
As I reflect on what makes most sense to my faith journey within the Jesus Christ tradition, I experience the event of life in three unique ways: I call them the grace event, the truth event, and the transparent event.
The grace event is best described for me by Paul Tillich of the 20th century. It is about the human situation of separation, the happening of grace, and faith as acceptance. “Simply accept the fact that you’re accepted” is its best holding statement. This event is about the knowing of faith.The truth event is best described for me by Joseph W. Mathews of the 20th century. It is about human illusion making, being seized by the word, and faith as obedience. His “To die to my illusions is to live” is its best holding statement. This event is about the doing of faith.The transparent event is best described in my book The Transparent Event, as far as I know. It is about human blindness, being given to see, and faith as trust. “Everything is a window onto the heart of creation,” or “The Other World is in this world,” or “Seeing is believing”: these three are its best holding statements. This event is about the being of faith.These are three images of life’s big event that happens time after time – therefore “events” with an “s.” This event of Jesus the Christ – at the heart of Christianity, humanness, and creation – is not a belief system, is not magic, is not the property of any religion or Christian sub-group. The event of Jesus the Christ is the primal event that all humans experience: it is a part of the way life was, is, and ever will be. This event brings us to faith, wholeness, and reunion – transforming us in the process – when we respond in faith. ©John P. Cock, May 2004
I invite whomever to explore the meaning of this event for their life’s journey as they read The Transparent Event: Post-modern Christ Images and seriously reflect with me and other contemporary thinkers who have dedicated their lives to articulating the meaning of the event of Jesus the Christ.
