Christology, the theological reflection on the identity and significance of Jesus of Nazareth, has been central to Christianity since its beginnings. Yet, as many scholars emphasize, the first three centuries of the Jesus movement—when believers were known simply as followers of The Way—were characterized by a plurality of Christologies rather than a single, authoritative doctrine (Casey, 2010; Ehrman, 2014). It was only with the rise of imperial Christianity under Constantine that a particular Christology, codified at the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, came to dominate the theological landscape. From my perspective, I love Jesus of Nazareth as the historical teacher, prophet, and embodiment of divine love. I also respect the Christian tradition that identifies him as the Second Person of the Eternal Trinity.
Yet my Christology is not limited to doctrinal formulations. It is shaped by a Panentheist worldview, where the Creator is present in and through the whole creation while also transcending it. This lens allows me to see Christ not only in Jesus but also in the ongoing work of God’s Spirit within humanity, history, and the natural world.
Early Christological Diversity
The earliest centuries of the Jesus movement were marked by theological diversity. Various communities articulated different understandings of Jesus’ identity and role. Some emphasized Jesus as a prophet and teacher, others as a divine being, and still others as a messianic figure fulfilling Jewish hopes (Dunn, 1989; Hurtado, 2003). As Dunn (1989) observes, there were “Christologies from below” that began with Jesus’ humanity and teachings, and “Christologies from above” that stressed his divine origin.
Bart Ehrman (2014) notes that in this period, debates were ongoing about whether Jesus was fully divine, fully human, or a unique combination of both. For example, the Ebionites understood Jesus as a chosen prophet, while the Docetists perceived him as purely divine. This diversity demonstrates that early Christian theology was fluid and contested, shaped by context rather than fixed orthodoxy.
The Nicene Settlement and Imperial Power
The Council of Nicaea in 325 CE marked a decisive moment in Christological development. Convened by Emperor Constantine, it produced the Nicene Creed, which declared that Jesus Christ was “of one substance” (homoousios) with the Father, thereby excluding Arian and other alternative perspectives (Pelikan, 1971). While often remembered as a theological breakthrough, it was also an act of imperial consolidation.
Elaine Pagels (1979) and others have emphasized that Constantine’s motivations were as political as they were religious. By supporting a unified doctrine, Constantine sought to stabilize the empire through a single authoritative faith. In this way, Nicene Christology became an imperial orthodoxy, marginalizing other voices within early Christianity.
Following Jesus of Nazareth Today: A Peacebuilding Christology
For me, Christology is inseparable from the life and teachings of the historical Jesus. Jesus’ proclamation of the reign of God was radical in its inclusivity, justice, and nonviolence. His solidarity with the poor, his call to love enemies, and his rejection of domination systems (Matthew 5:44; Luke 4:18–19) continue to inspire my vocation as a peacebuilder. His crucifixion under Roman violence illustrates the cost of nonviolent resistance to empire, while his resurrection reveals the triumph of life and reconciliation over death and oppression (Wink, 1998).
This peacebuilding Christology aligns with traditions of nonviolent discipleship articulated by theologians such as John Howard Yoder (1972) and Stanley Hauerwas (1983). It emphasizes that to confess Christ is to follow him in the way of justice, reconciliation, and peace. In my own practice, this means fostering intercommunal dialogue, promoting restorative justice, and seeking harmony between human society and the earth.
A Panentheist Christology: Seeing Christ in Creation
My Panentheist worldview deepens this Christology. I affirm that the Creator is not confined to heaven or church doctrine but is present in and through the whole creation while also transcending it (Clayton, 2004). In this framework, Jesus of Nazareth is uniquely revelatory of God’s presence, but Christ is also encountered in the ongoing movement of the Spirit within history and nature. As Teilhard de Chardin (1959) envisioned, Christ can be understood as the Cosmic Christ—the one in whom all creation finds its coherence and destiny.
This view invites an ecological and interreligious expansion of Christology. If God is immanent in creation, then the pursuit of justice for the earth is inseparable from discipleship. Likewise, if God’s presence transcends any one tradition, then Christians must humbly acknowledge that other religions also mediate transformation, enlightenment, and salvation. This resonates with comparative theologians such as Francis X. Clooney (2010) and Paul Knitter (2002), who emphasize learning from other traditions as a path to deepening one’s own faith.
Christology and Interreligious Dialogue
Interreligious humility is crucial for a Panentheist Christology. While Nicene orthodoxy offers one important articulation of Jesus’ divine identity, it cannot serve as the universal criterion for evaluating all spiritual traditions. Instead, Christians must listen to and learn from other religions, recognizing that the Spirit of God animates diverse human quests for ultimate meaning.
In peacebuilding practice, this openness is essential. Lasting reconciliation requires cooperation across religious boundaries. Jesus himself crossed boundaries, eating with outcasts, dialoguing with outsiders, and embodying hospitality as central to God’s reign. Following him today means embracing a Christology that supports solidarity with people of all faiths in the work of justice and peace.
Christology, both historically and today, is marked by plurality. The early centuries of the Jesus movement reveal diverse and contested understandings of Jesus’ identity, and the Nicene formulation was as much a product of imperial politics as theological reflection. For me, following Jesus of Nazareth means embracing both the historical figure and the doctrinal tradition, but without making Nicene orthodoxy the standard by which all worldviews are judged.
Instead, I approach Christology through a Panentheist worldview that sees God’s presence in all creation and transcending it. Jesus of Nazareth is the definitive revelation of divine love, but Christ is also the cosmic reality in which all things hold together. Such a vision grounds my peacebuilding vocation, calling me to justice-based reconciliation, ecological care, and interreligious solidarity. In a pluralist world, this Panentheist Christology invites Christians not only to confess Christ but also to embody his way of nonviolence, hospitality, and love for all creation.
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References
Casey, M. (2010). Jesus of Nazareth: An independent historian’s account of his life and teaching. T&T Clark.
Clayton, P. (2004). Mind and emergence: From quantum to consciousness. Oxford University Press.
Clooney, F. X. (2010). Comparative theology: Deep learning across religious borders. Wiley-Blackwell.
de Chardin, T. (1959). The phenomenon of man (B. Wall, Trans.). Harper & Row.
Dunn, J. D. G. (1989). Christology in the making: An inquiry into the origins of the doctrine of the incarnation (2nd ed.). SCM Press.
Ehrman, B. D. (2014). How Jesus became God: The exaltation of a Jewish preacher from Galilee. HarperOne.
Hauerwas, W. (1983). The peaceable kingdom: A primer in Christian ethics. University of Notre Dame Press.
Hurtado, L. W. (2003). Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in earliest Christianity. Eerdmans.
Knitter, P. F. (2002). Introducing theologies of religions. Orbis Books.
Pagels, E. (1979). The Gnostic gospels. Random House.
Pelikan, J. (1971). The Christian tradition: A history of the development of doctrine, Volume 1: The emergence of the Catholic tradition (100–600). University of Chicago Press.
Wink, W. (1998). The powers that be: Theology for a new millennium. Doubleday.
Yoder, J. H. (1972). The politics of Jesus. Eerdmans.
