In Defense of Extended Conciliar Christology: A Philosophical Essay

by Timothy J. Pawl

In Defense of Extended Conciliar A Philosophical Essay examines the logical consistency and coherence of Extended Conciliar Christology-the Christological doctrine that results from conjoining Conciliar Christology, the Christology of the first seven ecumenical councils of the Christian Church, with five additional theses. These theses are the claims that multiple incarnations are possible; Christ descended into Hell during his three days of death; Christ's human will was free; Christ was impeccable; and that Christ, via his human intellect, knew all things past, present, and future. These five theses, while not found in the first seven ecumenical councils, are common in the Christian theological tradition. The main question Timothy Pawl asks in this book is whether these five theses, when conjoined with Conciliar Christology, imply a contradiction. This study does not undertake to defend the truth of Extended Conciliar Christology. Rather, it shows that the extant
philosophical objections to Extended Conciliar Christology fail.

Genres: Theology

272 pages, Hardcover

Published March 10, 2019

Reviews

[Jacob Samuel Raju · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this work, Timothy Pawl continues the defense of Conciliar Christology which he began in the previous book with a similar title. His aim is to diffuse the objections to Conciliar Christology, which he defines as the Christological claims made by the first seven ecumenical councils. He rehearses the foundational elements of Conciliar Christology and then proceeds to tackle objections to some of the possible extensions of the Conciliar Christology. The possible extensions he considers are:
1. The possibility of multiple incarnations (4 theses from Aquinas stated and defended)
2. Christ’s descent into hell (six defenses of the concept)
3. Christ’s free will (Diothelytism defended)
4. Christ being peccable and impeccable
5. Christ was omniscient.
Reading Book 1 will help one understand Book 2 better, though it is not necessary.

[Jaden A · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this follow-up, Pawl defends Conciliar Christology from detractors when it comes to topics such as Christ's descension into hell, impeccability and temptation, and Christ's will and knowledge in light of his being omniscient.