The Origin of Divine Christology [Paperback]

This book offers a new contribution by addressing alternative hypotheses and previously neglected evidence using transdisciplinary tools.This book offers a new contribution to an important debate by comprehensively addressing alternative hypotheses regarding the origin of divine Christology, the evidence of widespread agreement among the earliest Christians concerning the divinity of Christ, and issues related to whether Jesus' intention was falsified.This book offers a new contribution to an important debate by comprehensively addressing alternative hypotheses regarding the origin of divine Christology, the evidence of widespread agreement among the earliest Christians concerning the divinity of Christ, and issues related to whether Jesus' intention was falsified.In recent years, there has been considerable debate concerning the origin of divine Christology. Nevertheless, the proposed theories are beset with problems, such as failing to address the evidence of widespread agreement among the earliest Christians concerning divine Christology, and the issues related to whether Jesus' intention was falsified. This book offers a new contribution by addressing these issues using transdisciplinary tools. It proposes that the earliest Christians regarded Jesus as divine because a sizeable group of them perceived that Jesus claimed and showed himself to be divine, and thought that God vindicated this claim by raising Jesus from the dead. It also provides a comprehensive critique of alternative proposals, and synthesizes their strengths. It defends the appropriateness and merits of utilizing philosophical distinctions (e.g. between ontology and function) and Trinitarian concepts for explaining early Christology, and incorporates comparative religion by examining cases of deification in other contexts.1. Introducing the theories and approaches concerning the origin of divine Christology; 2. The highest Christology was present among the earliest Christians: the evidences; 3. Rls¾