"From beginning to end, Scripture unveils from shadow to reality that Jesus is God the Son incarnate."
Some people think of Jesus as a great prophet or a wise philosopher; others see him as an important religious leader or even a revolutionary. In this addition to the Short Studies in Systematic Theology series, Stephen Wellum challenges these claims as he argues for the divinity of Jesus according to Scripture and in line with creedal Christianity. In this brief introduction, we are invited to rejoice in the centrality of Christ--who as both God and man reconciles us to God.
Stephen J. Wellum (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is professor of Christian theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and editor of the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology. Stephen lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife, Karen, and their five children.
In this volume, Stephen Wellum provides a comprehensive yet concise introduction to the study of Christology. Wellum explores the identity of Jesus Christ, examining his divine and human natures, and his role in salvation.
The book is divided into three parts:
Biblical Foundations: Understanding the Identity of Christ
In this section, Wellum lays the groundwork for understanding Christ's identity by examining the biblical witness. He explores the OT's anticipation of the Messiah, Jesus's self-understanding in the Gospels, and the New Testament's proclamation of Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Theological Formulation: The Establishment of Christological Orthodoxy
Drawing upon this biblical foundation, Wellum next traces the development of Christological doctrine through church history, focusing on the ecumenical councils and creeds that defined orthodox teaching. He explains the significance of the Chalcedonian Definition, which affirmed the two natures of Christ "without confusion, without change, without division, without separation."
Theological Summary: The Orthodox Identity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Finally, Wellum synthesizes and articulates the key truths about Christ's person and work, emphasizing the importance of both his deity and humanity for our salvation. He concludes by urging readers to recover the centrality of Christ in their lives and in the church. This final section represents a one-stop shop for the broader discussion Wellum develops throughout the other larger sections.
Throughout the book, Wellum engages with contemporary challenges to orthodox Christology, such as historical criticism and postmodern skepticism. He also provides helpful summaries of key doctrines and figures, making the book accessible to readers with little or no prior theological training.
The study scales quite quickly, though, with the further discussion of more technical discussions of the mystery of the incarnation (e.g., the extra, the communicatio idiomatum, and the arguments related to the two wills of Christ).
While these sections will challenge most readers in the target audience for this series, Wellum's treatment of these theological concepts is clear, succinct, and closely connected to his other development of the biblical witness and the pastoral implications of Christ's person and work.
For these reasons, this book is an excellent introduction to one of the most important doctrines of the Christian faith. It is clear, concise, and comprehensive, and it will be of benefit to anyone who wants to learn more about who Jesus Christ is and what he has done for us.
The Person of Christ: An Introduction by Stephen J. Wellum is the most recent installment in The Short Studies in Systematic Theology (Crossway Books). Dr. Wellum’s goal is to call the church back to the glory of Christ by recovering the centrality of Christ. He argues:
The life and health of the church depend on a correct Christology, rooted and grounded in an accurate theology proper - yet not merely a Christology confessed but one that leads us to faith, trust, and confidence in our Lord Jesus and to an entire life lied in adoration, praise, and obedience to the triune God.
The author presents his case for a robust and Bible-centered Christology in three parts. First, he lays a strong biblical foundation. Second, he establishes a strong theological formulation by focusing on how the doctrine of Christology developed in early church history. Readers will be encouraged to see the depth and precision of the church fathers as they hammered out concise statements that concerned the person and work of Christ. Finally, the author presents a theological summary, namely - the orthodox identity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is much to meditate on here. The uninitiated may be overwhelmed by the depth of material but will find that perseverance pays off in the end. Readers who have studied Christology will certainly benefit from this excellent book and will no doubt turn back to Wellum’s excellent treatment of a very important subject.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
This was great overall. I appreciated the way he handled Chalcedon and subsequent developments. I thought some of the material in the beginning such as the arguments for interpretation from below vs. above were good but probably unnecessary considering the audience.
I am not generally one to give much thought to the metaphysics of the Incarnation, or the distinction between "person" and "nature," or how the Son's interactions with the Father and Spirit did or did not change while He was living His earthly life. I know about the Council of Nicea, but I had only a passing familiarity with the word "Chalcedon." I understood enough about Christ's Incarnation to be saved by it, to see the knowledge of it bear continual sweet fruit in my life, and I was satisfied.
However, Wellum DOES think about these things, and this volume excellently explains them so that even someone like me can not only follow, but also be amazed. Wellum clearly lays out the Scriptural reasons behind the confessions of the Councils of Nicea and Chalcedon. (How clear? Let's just say I was able to read AND follow it WHILE my kids were loudly playing Smash Brothers in the same room.) He gives a deeper appreciation for church history and a much greater comprehension for what Christ accomplished for us: something we could never do.
And it ended up not being all "heady" theology, either. It made for delicious Advent reading. It was wheels-to-the-ground when my kids asked me what "Son of the Father / Begotten not created" and "Word of the Father / Now in flesh appearing" meant in "O Come All Ye Faithful." I found my answer much more confident and full of joy because I had been reading this book. (I had also always thought the little that I knew of kenosis a fine way to think about the Incarnation before, but now I understand its implications further and can articulate why, from Scripture, I don't think it flies.)
Much of the content of this book will be novel and perhaps confusing to many, maybe most, Christians, which is a tragic thing if author Stephen Wellum is correct in stating that "there is nothing greater than to think rightly about our Lord Jesus Christ." (p.144).
In other words, more important than fighting racism; more important than voting for the right presidential candidate; more important than living your best life now; more important than feeling the Spirit move in your heart, according to Wellum, is understanding who Jesus is as the eternal divine person of the Son who has assumed an unfallen human nature in the incarnation in order to accomplish our salvation.
Wellum uses lots of heavy theological words, and takes us through centuries of church history (but briefly) to explain the thorny issues that have naturally arisen in the task of understanding who Jesus is -- the relation between his human and divine natures, as well as the eternal interrelations among the three persons of the Godhead -- but Wellum does so with clear prose and great precision.
Not every Christian is an academic, but every Christian is a theologian. For that reason, this book is important, at least so we can be introduced to what are the most vital questions Christians should consider about their savior.
This series is an excellent introduction to theology. It is perfect for those who want to get started in the great journey of discovery theological truths.
A good, brief, and understandable introduction to classic Christology that defends it Scripturally and theologically against modern kenotic views. Includes helpful explanations of concepts like communication of attributes and the extra Calvinisticum, early Christological heresies, and the developments of later church councils.
As someone who was taught functional kenotic Christology (FKC) in seminary, I appreciated how this book laid out the problematic entailments of this view for orthodox Trinitarianism. Recommended for anyone who wants to get more grounded in the doctrines of catholic, Chalcedonian Christology.
"Christological formulation is not easy, yet it's our highest calling as Christians. There is nothing greater than to think rightly about our Lord Jesus Christ." This introduction to Christology was concise, well-ordered, instructive, and encouraging.
The book is broken down into three parts. Wellum first summarizes the biblical testimony to the person of Christ. He starts this section by discussing the proper epistemological foundation for knowing Christ, and he defends sola Scriptura as the only adequate manner for formulating our Christology. He then proceeds to show who the Bible says Jesus Christ is by drawing from the Bible's whole storyline (sidenote: you do get some of Wellum’s eccentric covenant theology here), Jesus's own confessions of His identity, and the New Testament witness to His identity.
Next, Wellum gives a brief sketch of the historical development of Christological orthodoxy, focusing on the Chalcedonian definition and the heresies refuted, but also explaining the important post-Chalcedonian clarifications: enhypostasia, communicatio idiomatium, Christ's continued divine activity outside his human nature (denoted as the extra), and dyothelitism (or the affirmation of two wills in Christ). After establishing the orthodox position, he ventures into the most prevalent modern challenges to orthodoxy (ontological kenoticism and functional kenoticism or Spirit Christology). I found this section to be particularly helpful given how prevalent these kenotic views are.
Wellum then concludes with ten theological statements “that attempt to capture who Jesus is from Scripture and confessional orthodoxy--truths that Christians need to affirm, articulate, and proclaim today." These ten statements serve as a summary of the book but Wellum also spends time explaining each point in more depth. His explanations made the complex terms and concepts more understandable. A case in point was his discussion of "natures" and "persons” (what they are and how theologians have thought about these concepts) and the corresponding distinction within the Godhead between the divine nature and the divine persons. Wellum’s summary really helped me understand and appreciate these concepts better.
Very solid, fully orthodox. "Short" studies in systematics does not necessarily mean "shallow," which this study decidedly is not. Proper christology often feels like threading a very wide fiber into a very narrow needle, but Wellum pulls it off. This book probably won't supplant MacLeod's entry in the Contours of Christian Theology series (and it shouldn't), but it is an excellent and shorter version of that same theology. I'd suggest reading in tandem with The Trinity: An Introduction, another excellent work in same series.
Ever walk by a mirror and notice you're a heretic?
I remember having lunch with a particularly bright fella from church a few years ago. He loved to chew on theology, and that's always alright with me. He asked me about the hypostatic union. I had to admit I haven’t put much thought to it. How can a member of the Godhead become a man? I always just accepted it, and no one ever challenged me. Still, I knew it was time I did a little homework.
Stephen Wellum has written just what I needed. This is very clear and concise. He traces the orthodox view through Scripture and the great councils. The only trouble is, the plain-sense understanding of the incarnation that I held is not orthodox. I'm eager to dive in a little deeper to get a handle on the differences, their significance, and what is right
If you have read Wellum’s work “God the Son Incarnate,” then you have already read the content you will find in this shorter work (and if you haven’t read his larger work, it is absolutely worthwhile and my go-to recommendation on Christology). But what this shorter work adds to the discussion is a more condensed and easier to digest work on the person of Christ. The major theological issues are addressed in turn, but the greater focus (what makes this particular book worthwhile) is the intensely practical aspects of knowing who Christ is. This is less of a question to ponder concerning his historicity, as if we were reading a biography of Christ, and moreso a surgeon taking a deeper look into what made Christ, Christ.
I can’t recommend this one enough - prepared to be edified and sharpened by understanding what proper christology looks like, and what it doesn’t. His section on Kenosis theory is particularly interesting, and though I have read much on the theory from different systematics, Wellum capably dismantles the theory while raising up the true and historical Christology and relative theologies that any good reader would want to know and understand.
An excellent introduction to the biblical-theological basis for a classical Christian Christology. Wellum introduces the reader to classical, orthodox Christological grammar and shows the deficiency of various heretical understandings (i.e. Arianism, Eutychianism, etc.) and modern day theologies (i.e. kenoticism, monothelitism). The included glossary is helpful and will make this an easy recommendation for those seeking an understanding of who Jesus is.
Overall, this was a worthwhile read. It gives the basic terms and history about the subject of Christology, which was very helpful. The subject matter itself is just difficult and will always have some element of mystery for our finite human minds. For an introductory text, it was a bit academic, especially beyond chapter 5. Chapter 8 is a 20+ page recap of the rest of the book and would be a good place to review if you can’t read the whole book.
Quite amazing to be honest. Very thought-provoking and dense at certain points which forces you to take it slow here and there. But worth it. Concisely answered certain questions I had, and overall amazing to see how the church has articulated a proper understanding of person and work of Christ for our benefit!
Great primer on the person of Christ. Having read Wellum's other works on Christology, I found this one more concise, yet conveying the same message: Jesus Christ is God the Son Incarnate. While it is a shorter book (~200 pages), it is theologically rich and hits all of the important points. Thankful to read this and reflect on Christ's glorious incarnation, especially as Christmas approaches.
Very good introduction to Chalcedonian Christology. Wellum packs a lot into less than 200 pages, and he is a good model of how to do systematic theology while faithfully engaging Scripture and the broader Christian tradition.
In this book, Stephen Wellum provides a brief but thorough and technical introduction to the person of Christ. Working through the Biblical texts and church history, the author wonderfully explains various doctrines related to the triune God and the incarnation. The result is a masterful work that is both robust and explanatory enough for the most novice of Christian readers.
Great introduction to Christology. Wellum not only gives a Biblical overview of the person and work of Christ but also walks the reader through the history of Christology from the early church period to modern-day challenges to orthodox Christology.
A tremendous addition to the Short Studies in Systematic Theology series. Dr. Wellum offers a wonderful introduction to classical Christology as most consummately expressed by the Council of Chalcedon in 451. He deftly avoids getting bogged down in unnecessary historical minutiae and has a great gift for cutting right to the heart of the matter: what was most important about the Chalcedonian Definition of Christology, and why it matters doctrinally, pastorally, and devotionally. Given the nature of the topic, it’s impossible to avoid some pretty serious technical discussion—the chief concern of the Council of Chalcedon (exactly as that of Nicaea before it) was, after all, to find the correct *technical* vocabulary and framework to discuss these matters. Nevertheless, Wellum explains the subject as concisely and accessibly as any other writer I’ve encountered. This is a wonderful volume worth many, many times the investment in reading. I cannot recommend it heartily enough.
Wellum packs a lot into this book, as is the case with all of the “Short Studies in Systematic Theology” series. He first sets foundational parameters about approaching Scripture on its own terms to understand Jesus, then demonstrates ways the OT storyline sets the stage for who Jesus is and what he will do, before looking at who Jesus says he is in the Gospels and the rest of the NT witness to Christ. In part 2, Wellum discusss Nicaea and Chalcedon, including the heresies that sparked the need for these councils. Then he moves into post-Chalcedonian clarifications, addressing questions that were answered more clearly post-Chalcedon, including the communicatio idiomatum (the way the two natures of the Son relate in the one person) and the extra calvinisticum (what the Son is doing outside his human nature). Chapter 7 addresses kenotic ideas, the current challenges to Christological orthodoxy (he says nothing about EFS, but it’s interesting that most of the responses to both ontological and functional kenotic Christology apply to the EFS discussion as well). Finally, in part 3, Wellum summarizes all that came before with 10 points on Christology and more explanation for each point before wrapping up with reminders about the centrality of Christ for the gospel and our worship. The summary chapter was mostly rehashing previous content in a different way and dealing with some specific questions.
It was a helpful and clarifying book, but having read a decent amount on Christology from elsewhere, there was nothing earth-shattering. Like the others in the short studies series, it's more accessible than some other theology books on the topic, but also throws around more Greek terminology and assumes some familiarity with the topic already. If this is your first foray into Christology, I think it'll still be accessible, but slower going, and the glossary in the back will be a good friend!