Divinity of Christ in the Light of the Quest for the Historical Jesus

Abstract

The flourishing research on the historical Jesus, which has been growing for several centuries, cannot stay without influence on systematic theology. One of the fundamental problems remains whether and to what extent it is possible to reconcile the image of Jesus emerging from historical research with the Christian dogma of the incarnation. This article attempts to answer the question of how belief in the deity of Jesus can be reconciled with the historical approach to him and to his life. The deity of Christ will be presented as a theme not independent of, but closely related to, the historical picture of Jesus. The first part will examine three approaches to the question of the relationship between the historical reconstruction of the person of Jesus and the belief in his deity. The second part will show what kind of belief in the divinity of Jesus is incompatible with the historical-critical approach to the Gospel texts and the life of Jesus. Finally, the third part will attempt to show which understanding of the divinity of Christ is compatible with the historical-critical approach. Belief in the incarnation of God in Jesus seems always possible, even in times of critical historical consciousness. The results of historical research on the person of Jesus not only do not refute such a belief, but also help to find its proper meaning.