Habets's The Anointed Son Delotavo's Back to the Original Church Cook's Trinitarian Christology ...

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Advancing a Trinitarian Christology Christology is strongly rooted in the use of the word logos
in John’s Gospel (1:1), it is worthwhile to note that John
The Anointed Son: A Trinitarian Spirit Christology by battles the extremes of this position in his second Epistle
Myk Habets. Princeton Theological Monograph Series when he speaks of deceivers “who do not confess Jesus
129. Eugene: Pickwick, 2010. Christ coming in the flesh” (v. 7). Although an explicit
espousal of this Docetic heresy is not common today,
Myk Habets’s new book in the Princeton Theological Jehovah’s Witnesses excluded, a rigid adherence to Logos
Monograph Series, The Anointed Son: A Trinitarian Christology has, Anointedargues, resulted in an “implicit
Spirit Christology (hereafter Anointed), is a substantial or popular Docetism” (38) that diminishes our under-
contribution toward resolving the tensions resulting from standing of the humanity of Christ and, by extension,
the church’s ongoing examination of the relationship undermines our faith in His mediatorial capacity to truly
between the divine and the human in the person of “be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses” because
Christ. It represents a serious and balanced effort to tran- He was “tempted in all respects like us” (Heb. 4:15).
scend these tensions with an approach that is based on Jaroslav Pelikan alludes to this consequence when he
the biblical revelation of the person and work of Christ points out Tertullian’s concern that stressing the mon-
in the economy of God’s salvation. Its approach is trini- archy, “the identity of the Son with the Father,” often
tarian in essence, emphasizing positive aspects of Spirit comes at “the expense of the economy” (176-177). How-
Christology without denying the essential components of ever, since we encounter God only in and through His
Logos Christology. Notwithstanding some minor sugges- economy, it is important that we have a balanced view of
tions and one necessary critique, Anointed is helpful in Christ’s divinity and humanity so that our experience is
advancing a fuller confession of an orthodox Christology. not circumscribed by a false or limited understanding of
the person of Christ.
Over the centuries considerations related to the person
and work of Christ have resulted in two divergent An extreme emphasis on the human in Christ often
approaches to discussing the relationship between the results in an explicit denial of the divinity of Christ,
divine and human in the person of Christ. Logos exemplified by adoptionist teachings that Christ was fully
Christology, the first and more prevalent approach, begins human but not pre-existently divine, that is, that He was
its discussion with an emphasis on Christ’s divinity, that simply a human being who was empowered by God with
is, on His status as the Son of the living God, the incar- divinity being conferred upon Him through His adoption
nated Word who was in the beginning with God and who as God’s Son at His baptism or His resurrection (Pelikan
was God (Matt. 16:16; John 1:1). Spirit Christology, the 175). Although Spirit Christology begins its examination
second and more historically controversial approach, from the standpoint of the Christ’s actions in human his-
begins its discussion with an emphasis on Christ’s human- tory, which is also the starting point of the first three
ity, that is, on His status as the Christ, the enfleshed Gospels, it is important to note that John’s Gospel
Word (Matt. 16:16; John 1:14). When not taken to begins by emphasizing that the Word who became flesh
extremes, both approaches acknowledge the central ele- was the pre-existent Word as Son, who was with God
ments of the church’s confession related to Christ, that and who was God (1:1). With and was, as used by John,
is, that in His person He is both the complete God and a are central to our confession of a proper and balanced
perfect man. An inflexible adherence to either approach, Christ ology because withplaces John’s subsequent speak-
however, often diminishes the other. And when this ing concerning the Son within a trinitarian context, and
diminishment is not balanced, the inflexibility can result was acknowledges that all the Son’s accomplishments in
in heresies that deny either the full divinity or the gen- God’s economy through His incarnation, human living,
uine humanity of Christ. death, and resurrection have divine efficacy and merit.
An extreme emphasis on the divine in Christ often results The development and confession of a balanced
in an explicit denial of the humanity of Christ, exem - Christology is the aim of Anointed, and although it
plified by the Docetic teaching that Christ was fully begins from the perspective of Spirit Christology, it is
divine but human in appearance only, that is, that He did not rigid in this regard. The subtitle of the work, A
not truly possess humanity like us. Even though Logos Trinitarian Spirit Christology, is evidence of its desire to
92 Affirmation & Critique
move beyond theological investigations that are predi- an examination of His divine status. Anointedis helpful in
cated upon the thought that Logos and Spirit Chris- pointing out that these approaches create artificial distinc-
tologies are mutually exclusive positions. In fact, the basis tions that complicate what should be a simple confession
for achieving a balance between the two must be rooted concerning Christ. “Thankfully,” it notes, “a number of
in a trinitarian understanding of the person and work of theologians are now making the point that the function of
Christ, and Anointed largely moves forward from this Jesus cannot be separated from his nature” (22). Among
perspective, stating, “Spirit Christology must be related these theologians, Habets quotes Walter Kasper, who “dis-
to some theory of Trinitarian construction where the misses the dilemma of an ontological versus a functional
unity and distinction of the divine persons has been thor- Christology as ‘illusory and a position into which theology
oughly formulated” (6). Recognizing that the “history of should not allow itself to be maneuvered’” (22). In effect,
Christian thought shows that Logos Christology has dom- Anointedargues that these methodologies should not sup-
inated resulting in both an eclipse of Trinitarian doctrine plant the scriptural record that is two-sided, both
and a diminution of pneumatology,” it then proposes “a ontological and functional and from above as well as
model of Spirit Christology which complements rather below, by preferring one methodology to the exclusion of
than replaces Logos Christology and does so in a robustly the other. According to Anointed, such a preference was
Trinitarian framework” (7). not present within the early church:
This approach changed during
A Summary of Anointed
the medieval period when the
Chapter 1 of Anointed intro- scholastic theologians sepa-
The basis for achieving a balance
duces the structure of the rated the person of Christ (his
book. Chapter 2 presents a between Logos and Spirit divinity, humanity, and the
useful background on the Christologies must be rooted unity of the two) from the
methodologies that inform the offices and work of Christ. In
in a trinitarian understanding
analytical approaches inher- so doing they made Christ-
ent in both Logos and Spirit of the person and work of Christ. ology virtually irrelevant to
Christologies, defining and most believers by eclipsing
explaining the impact of meth - the soteriological significance
odologies that focus on ontol- of Jesus Christ with meta-
ogy or function, person or work, or analysis from above physical speculations as to his person. (25)
or from below. As such, this chapter is useful in drawing
out the tensions inherent in a strict adherence to Logos- The scriptural record affirms both the divinity and
or Spirit-oriented Christologies that incorporate these humanity of Christ, which is expressed in both His
methods. For example, an ontological approach to person and work and which can be viewed both from
Christology focuses on who Christ is, whereas a func- above and from below. Perhaps the most elegant scrip-
tional approach focuses on what He did. Thus, when tural expression of this connection is contained in the
looking at who He is, the aspect of His divinity is empha- apostle John’s record of the Lord’s reference to Himself
sized first, but when looking at what He did, the aspect as the reality of Jacob’s ladder at Bethel, the house of
of His humanity assumes greater importance. Inherent God, which identifies His very incarnated being as the
within each methodology, however, there is a propensity locus of the connection between divinity and humanity,
to privilege one aspect of Christ to the detriment of between heaven above and earth below: In John 1:51 the
another aspect that is equally present in the Scriptures, Lord said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, You shall see heaven
and in this privileging, there is the potential for error. opened and the angels of God ascending and descending
Anointed states, for example, “The main criticism of the on the Son of Man.” In a footnote to this verse in the
classical Christological method from above is that it has Recovery Version, Witness Lee states,
the disadvantage of tending toward Docetism, Apoll i -
narianism, or monophysitism in that it tends to compro- This chapter, as the introduction to this Gospel, intro-
mise Jesus’s humanity in order to preserve his deity, duces Christ as both the Son of God (vv. 34, 49) and the
seemingly at all costs” (39). Son of Man. Nathanael recognized Him as the Son of
God and addressed Him as such (v. 49), but Christ said
This same propensity can be seen in methodologies that to Nathanael that He was the Son of Man. The Son of
focus on the person or work of Christ or on the ques- God is God; as such, He has the divine nature. The Son
tion of whether we should begin our examination of of Man is man; as such, He possesses the human nature.
Christ from above, that is, with His divine status, and then For the declaring of God (v. 18) and for the bringing of
proceed to an examination of His human status, or from God to man, He is the only begotten Son of God. But for
below, that is, with His human status, and then proceed to the building of God’s habitation on earth among men, He
Volume XV (cid:1) No. 2 (cid:1) Fall 2010 93
is the Son of Man. God’s building needs His humanity. In Christ and the Spirit in both the person and work of
eternity past Christ was only God, only the Son of God, Christ. Anointed accomplishes this by focusing on the
and had only divinity; but in eternity future Christ, as Spirit’s role in the conception and birth of Jesus, the bap-
God and man and as the Son of God and the Son of Man, tism and temptation of Jesus, the ministry of Jesus, and
will have both divinity and humanity forever. (Note 3) the crucifixion, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus.
These three chapters alone are enough to recommend
Based on the scriptural record, Anointed states what Habets’s book because it is a clear presentation on multi-
should be evident and paramount: ple levels of the church’s attempts to understand the
uniqueness of Christ’s person as it relates to His two
If Jesus Christ is true man and true God in one person, natures and as it is unfolded in the record of the New
then it would seem obvious that, in terms of method, we Testament.
can legitimately begin with either approach. Furthermore,
these two epistemological approaches have been adopted In chapter 6 Anointed sets forth six criteria that should
during the history of doctrine, and both are capable of inform the development of “a model of Spirit Christology
affirm ing an orthodox understanding of the God-man. (30) which complements rather than replaces Logos Chris-
tology and does so in a robustly Trinitarian framework”
An orthodox understanding, ultimately, must be trini- (7). It lists and defends these criteria in descending order of
tarian in essence, and although Anointed acknowl- importance, although it predicates its model upon all six.
edges that its perspective begins from the standpoint of
Spirit Christology, it by no means depreciates the trini - A first criterion for Christology is the need to be faithful
tarian aspects inherent in Logos Christology. to the testimony of Scripture. It must be faithful to the
biblical language about Jesus.…A second criterion for
A Spirit Christology when applied to theology proper, is Christology is: Does it adequately present the full divi -
able to lead us up from Christology (and anthropology), nity and humanity of Jesus Christ? This is an extension
into Trinitarian theology, from the economic Trinity to the from the biblical material. It must be shown that our
ontological Trinity, and from the economy to God’s eter- Christology is neither docetic nor adoptionist in both its
nity. (52) theological formulation and practical application…Does
the orientation of Christological method diminish either
When ontology is considered, it is necessary to speak of of these two natures? This question forms the third cri-
the trinitarian realities of the immanent Trinity. Just as terion…The fourth criterion asks: Can this Christology
importantly, however, when function is considered, it is adequately conceive of the divine person (unity) of Jesus
necessary to speak of the trinitarian realities of the eco- Christ? By the use of “adequately conceive” I mean that
nomic Trinity because the “homoousiosdoctrine requires a it must be both intelligible and coherent especially on this
Trinitarian framework that must incorporate the essential crucial point. (190-192)
aspects of a Spirit Christology complementing the Logos
Christology” (73). Ultimately, the benefit of Anoint ed’s These four criteria commendably acknowledge the
discourse in chapter 2 is its ability to cut through the false importance of basing our understanding of Christ on the
choices that have been promulgated by methodologies revelation contained in the Scriptures. This should be the
that attempt to explain how the divine and the human starting point for any teaching concerning Christ; regret-
natures in Christ subsist and impact each other. In con- tably, it often is not. It is evident throughout Anointe d,
trast to “metaphysical speculations” (25), a heart of faith however, that Habets seeks to be faithful to the testimo-
simply says Amen to the truth that in Christ there is com- ny of Scripture. Since the Scriptures contain and convey
plete divinity and perfect humanity, as reflected in the the word of God, there should be no teaching concerning
titles Son of God and Son of Man. Such a heart knows Christ that goes beyond or falls short of the revelation
that Christ’s accomplishments in His work are eternally contained in the Scriptures concerning the Son. And if one
efficacious because He is the Son of God and that His stays within the boundaries of the Scriptures, the person
accomplishments in His work can be both imputed and and work of Christ will not be separated from the opera-
imparted to humanity because He is the Son of Man. tion of the Triune God within His economy. An orthodox
Christology, consequently, will be trinitarian in nature and
Following its discussion of the methodologies employed will reference the role of Father, Son, and Spirit in the
by Logos and Spirit Christology, chapter 3 contains a suc- incarnation, human living, death, resurrection, and ascen-
cinct historical review of the development of Logos and sion of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, such a Christology will
Spirit Christologies. Chapter 4 provides a review of rele- present the full divinity and genuine humanity of Christ,
vant scholarship pertaining to Logos and Spirit Chris- without diminishing either, because Christ is revealed as
tology, and chapter 5 covers the testimony of the New both the complete God with the divine nature (Col. 2:9;
Testament writers concerning the relationship between John 1:1) and a perfect man with genuine human nature
94 Affirmation & Critique
and genuine human experiences (v. 14; Heb. 2:6-10, 14), of this time highlights the fact that christological discus-
with both natures being joined and expressed in the one sion is dominated by reflection on the hypostatic union of
person and work of Christ (2 John 7-8). Lastly, although the Logos and the human reality of Jesus. While these
it does not seem directly related to the revelation con- emphases are constitutive of Christology it is what is not
tained in Scriptures, an orthodox trinitarian Christology examined that is of concern. What is neglected is the con-
will satisfy the fourth criterion because only it will regis- stitutive role of the Holy Spirit, especially when it comes
ter as truth within the mind of a believer, who has been to the relation between the Spirit and the Christ. (79-80)
created in the image and likeness of God to contain and
express God and who has received a spirit of sobermind- If one defines the creeds as the “perimeter” of the realm
edness with a God-given capacity to come to the full of orthodox discussion concerning Christ and the Spirit,
knowledge of the truth(Gen. 1:26; 2Tim. 1:7; 1 Tim. 2:4). then the paucity of statements within the ecumenical
These four criteria are worthy measures of an orthodox creeds concerning the Spirit will hinder the development
trinitarian Christology. and confession of a Christology that fully accounts for the
role of the Spirit in the economy of God’s salvation.
The fifth criterion that Anointed sets forth for an What is contained in the creeds can be affirmed, but what
orthodox Christology is the need to be “consistent is contained in the Scriptures yet largely ignored in the
with the accepted creeds of Christen dom” (192). creeds, namely, the person and role of the Spirit in the
economy of God, must be
The sixth and final criterion affirmed as well. And if this
of contemporary Christology affirmation is at odds with the
An orthodox Christology will
is that it must respond to con- creeds, not because of a lack
temporary issues; it must be reference the role of Father, Son, of accord with the truth, but
truly contemporary and cul- and Spirit in the incarnation, simply because of its lack of
turally relevant; it must be inclusion in creeds that were
human living, death, resurrection,
intelligible in today’s world addressing different aspects
and empower the Christian and ascension of Jesus Christ. of our profession of the faith,
life. (192) the perimeters of the creeds
are, at least in respect to the
Both of these criteria are well Spirit, inadequate and narrow.
intentioned, but both raise issues that can ultimately
undermine a believer’s full acceptance of the truth con- Of greater concern, however, is the sixth criterion of
tained in the scriptural testimony. It is understandable cultural relevancy. To posit such a standard as a
that Anointed would make creedal consistency a neces- measure for the determination of orthodoxy is to sanction
sary criterion for its “Trinitarian Spirit Christo logy,” espe- a weak, unreliable, and extra-biblical standard, one that is
cially since some of the more extreme deri vations of weaker than the creeds, and one that potentially can be in
Spirit Christology are demonstrably heretical and at odds direct conflict with the word of the truth. This is because
with the accepted creeds. But by defining the creeds as truth is above culture even though it is experienced within
the “parameters within which Christology can unfold” the confines of human culture with all its diverse and
(192), and then stating that the “Ecumenical Creeds and fleeting manifestations. The truth is eternal and unchang-
standards establish a perimeter within which the ortho- ing, whereas culture is momentary and constantly chang-
dox theologian may delve into deeply” (192), Anointed ing. In the realm of truth, there is nothing that is cultur-
establishes another standard for validating a truth claim ally bound: There is no race or nationality (Greek and
beyond that of the Scriptures themselves. This would not Jew), no position based on religious ritual (circumcision
be a problem if the creeds fully articulated the truth of and uncircumcision), no status derived from degrees of
the relationship between Christ and the Spirit, but they civility (barbarian and Scythian), no social rank or status
do not, as even Anointedacknowledges: (slave and free man), and there is even no gender (male
and female); there is only Christ who transcends all cate-
Once Christology found creedal expression it had the gories based on culture (Col. 3:11; Gal. 3:28).
effect of safeguarding sound doctrine. It also, however,
tended to hinder new and significant theological reflec- It is a mistake to say that the truth “must be truly con-
tion on the central themes of the faith…The theologians temporary and culturally relevant,” because this suggests
of the Byzantine, Roman Catholic, Reformation, and that the truth must be tailored to fit contemporary
Protestant churches generally upheld the now long- expressions of culture in order to be both perceived and
standing Logos Christology that stresses incarnation over received by those who are currently participating in
inspiration, ontology over function, and a methodology these contemporary manifestations of culture. Rather,
from above as opposed to one from below. The literature the unchanging truth is always “contemporary” becauseit
Volume XV (cid:1) No. 2 (cid:1) Fall 2010 95
speaks and continues to speak to all humanity regardless Anointed seeks to apply this logical and ontological
of time and place. And it is always “relevant” because it descriptive to the actions of the economical Trinity. In
speaks and continues to speak through the sanctifying His economy all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in
operation of the Spirit to those who hear the voice of the Christ bodily, and of this fullness we have all received
One who is both the Lamb of God in His humanity with (Col. 2:9; John 1:16). “The Godhead is neither the
His divinity and the great Shepherd of the sheep in His Father alone nor a solitary substance separate from the
divinity with His humanity (John 1:29; Heb. 13:20; three persons. The Godhead is the Trinity” (225).
1 Pet. 1:2) The new man, the corporate expression of Because the Triune God is both economic in His imma-
redeemed humanity, was created by God in righteous- nent being and immanent in His economic operation,
ness and holiness of the reality, the truth (Eph. 4:24), the trinitarian accomplishments of Christ in His person
indicating, among other things, that humanity was creat- and work can be applied to as many as receive Him
ed to respond to truth, and when truth is heard, faith is (v. 12).
produced irrespective of the outward cultural context.
When the charge “Behold, the Lamb of God” is spoken, Taking an opportunity to both affirm and extend
as it was to Galilean fishermen over two thousand years Anointed’s trinitarian Christology, I would argue that
ago and as it is to the youth of our generation today, the New Testament revelation of the Trinity in the econ-
those who hear His call willingly drop everything and omy of God’s salvation also stresses the varying roles of
follow Him. A truly orthodox trinitarian Christology the persons of the Trinity which come to the fore in the
will convey the word of the truth that seals us with the process of the accomplishment of His economy for
Holy Spirit of the promise. Consequently, an orthodox the believers and in the application of His economy
trinitarian Christology does not have to be culturally to the believers. Although these roles may seem to be
formu lated in order to speak to contemporary culture, the exclusive provenance of one of the persons of the
because it reflects and conveys the eternally relevant Trinity,1 in reality, the other persons are present and
Triune God in Christ. The thought that the truth must active through the mutual coexistence and coinherence
be compatible with culture makes culture the standard of the three. Thus, in the Gospels the role of the incar-
to which the Christian message needs to be conformed. nated Son, who is with the Father by the Spirit, is
This denies the power of the word and opens the door emphasized for the sake of the accomplishment of
for much leaven to be added to the fine flour of the redemption, whereas in the Epistles the role of the life-
truth. Of the six criteria included in chapter 6, only the giving Spirit as the Son with the Father is emphasized for
first four have real bearing on whether or not a particu- the purpose of imparting the divine life that was made
lar Christological formulation is orthodox. However, the available through the Son’s redemption. Lastly, in Reve -
respect that Anointedrenders to the creeds and its desire lation the role of the Spirit as the seven Spirits, who are
for cultural relevancy, while misplaced, do not signifi- out from the Eternal One and of the Redeemer, is
cantly detract from its effort to put forth a Christology emphasized for the sake of intensifying and consummat-
that is trinitarian in essence. ing God’s economical operation in the believers to pro-
duce the New Jerusalem, which is the ultimate expres-
At the end of chapter 6, Anointed presents its trini- sion of the union of the processed Triune God and the
tarian model, which is worthy of consideration and glorified tripartite man.2
which opens up fruitful avenues for further considera-
tion. Drawing from Karl Rahner’s axiom concerning the In chapter 7 Anointed seeks to show how its formulation
immanent Trinity being the economic Trinity, Anointed satisfies a need within contemporary Christology for a
states, “The three persons of the Trinity, as they reveal renewed emphasis on the Spirit. What is helpful in this
themselves in the economy of salvation, manifest their chapter is to see the extent to which the Spirit has been
inner-Trinitarian life and relationships in accord with the largely ignored in discussions of the Triune God, and how
axiom that ‘the economic Trinity is the immanent this lack impacts our understanding of such matters as
Trinity’” (221). Also drawing from Thomas Weinandy’s the scope of our salvation. Because there has been a
work in The Father’s Spirit of Sonship, which in many renewed focus on the Spirit’s trinitarian role in the econ-
respects is a trinitarian application of Rahner’s axiom to omy of God, Anointedargues, for example, that the issue
the work of the Spirit in God’s economy, Anointedstates, of theosis as a “biblical model of salvation” is being more
readily accepted and “incorporated more into western
A proper understanding of the Trinity can only be soteriologies” (238). Finally, in chapter 8 Anointed
attained if all three persons, logically and ontologically, stresses the benefits of adopting a trinitarian Spirit Chris -
spring forth in one simultaneous, nonsequential, eternal tology upon the future development of study related to
act in which each person of the Trinity subsistently Christology itself and to theological anthropology. It also
defines, and equally, is subsistently defined, by the other briefly touches upon the implications for discipleship and
persons. (223) ecumenism.
96 Affirmation & Critique
Suggestions and a Critique is predicated upon our experience of Christ, the One who
is both God and man, divine and human, the One who has
In reading Anointed, several suggestions come to mind. been revealed in us and who needs to be formed in us (Gal.
First, the title’s allusion to the anointing Spirit, no doubt, 1:16; 4:19). Although Anointed alludes to our capacity to
is part of Anointed’s effort to highlight the role of the experience the Triune God in a mystical union with Him,
Spirit, but there is little development of the term the it contains one significant drawback that will ultimately
anointed Sonwithin its pages. In fact, the term may appear frustrate a believer from experiencing the anointing: this
only in the title itself. This oversight should be corrected drawback pertains to Anointed’s implicitly stated view that
because the term alludes to significant items in both the humans are dichotomous rather than trichotomist in our
Old and New Testaments that could advance its thesis. In essential created being. The scriptural testimony speaks of
the Old Testament the anointing oil is a type of the Spirit, humanity as being of three parts—“spirit and soul and
and in the New Testament the anointing is the reality of the body” (1 Thes. 5:23). There is a spirit in man, a human
Spirit. In the scriptural presentation of both the type and spirit, created by God and designed by God to contain
the reality, the person and work of Christ the Son are pre- and express Him (Job 32:8; Zech. 12:1; Gen. 2:7; Isa.
sented within a trinitarian context. For example, the com- 66:1-20). It is this human spirit that was deadened by the
pound ointment in Exodus 30:23-30 contains a hin of olive fall (Eph. 2:5), and it is this spirit that is born of the Spirit
oil, signifying the one unique God as the base of the Spirit, and enlivened through regeneration (John 3:6). In fairness,
and three units of measure Anointed does not focus on
related to four spices, signify- this matter because its efforts
ing that Christ’s work in His are directed toward moving
A trinitarian Christology does not
human ity, reflected by the beyond the false choices posed
num ber four (the number of have to be culturally formulated by a rigid adherence to either
human ity in the Bible), has a Logos or Spirit Christo logies.
in order to speak to contemporary
trinit arian base, signified by the However, given its laudatory
culture, because it will convey the
number three (the number of efforts to move us closer to
the Trinity in the Bible). The eternally relevant Triune God. knowing the truth and thus
New Testament sub se quently desiring to experience the
reveals that when the Spirit as truth, it should recognize that
the reality of this anointi ng oil the desire within every believer
is imparted into the believers, there is a firm attachment to to experientially know the Triune God in Christ can be sat-
Christ (2 Cor. 1:21), making the believers anointed sons in isfied only when we contact the Triune God who indwells
the Son because this anointing first abides in us and then our human spirit. In God’s economy, when the human spir-
teaches us to abide in Christ (1 John 2:20, 27). it is born of the divine Spirit, the two become one spirit,
and in this one spirit, the believers are economically joined
Second, as we abide in Christ through the anointing of the to the Lord as one spirit (1 Cor. 6:17). The truth of the
Spirit, the relevance of God’s economy becomes experien- regenerated human spirit, born of the divine Spirit, is the
tial, dynamic, and knowable, eliminating the need for key to experiencing Christ’s accomplishments in His work
Anointedto buttress its Christology with an appeal to cul- and Christ’s divine attributes and human virtues in His per-
tural relevancy. The anointing teaches us all things, and it is son. God can be manifested in the flesh because humanity
our experience of the anointing that convinces us that He was created with a human spirit that can be joined to the
is both God and man. Anointedacknowledges this, saying, Lord through faith.
The church cannot deny the humanity of Jesus since it Without seeing the distinction3 between spirit and
“remembers” Jesus and it cannot deny the divinity since soul, it is difficult to comprehend, much less expe-
it knows him as the divine Lord. But we experience Jesus rience, the application of God’s economical operation.
with those two natures together, not abstracted apart or This operation involves regeneration in our spirit, trans-
even philosophically explained. (86) formation in our soul, and glorification in our body. The
regeneration of our spirit is because of righteousness,
Anointed, however, does not truly develop the matter of the transformation of our soul through the renewing of
our need for experience by showing how Christ’s person the mind produces sanctification, and the glorification
and work are applied by the Spirit to the believers in the of our body is the consummate expression of redemp-
economical operation of the Triune God. tion. Righ teousness, sanctification, and redemption are
possible only because Christ has been made wisdom to us
The aim of Christology should be more than to merely from God through the trinitarian operation that is God’s
explain Jesus; it should unveil Jesus so that He becomes economy (1:30). This operation begins in our spirit and
experiential to us. Our entrance into the economy of God spreads outward to soul and body.
Volume XV (cid:1) No. 2 (cid:1) Fall 2010 97
Without this tripartite understanding of humanity, the Spirit in the economy of God. It well supports the
Anointed conveys an unbiblical and wholly inadequate statement that a “Trinitarian perspective is already
view of humanity in its effort to account for the biblical emerging…whereby we understand the divine-human
references to a human spirit. It notes, identity [of Christ], largely through Jesus’s relationship
to the Father through the Spirit. Divinity is communi-
When we start with the Spirit in our anthropology we cated to humanity via the indwelling Spirit and humanity
inquire as to the identity and mission of the Holy Spirit is communicated to divinity in the exact same way”
in human existence. Prelapsarian humanity was created (128). By helping to overcome the church’s neglect of the
with a transcendental determination for God. By means role of the Spirit, particularly as it relates to the person
of the indwelling Holy Spirit men and women have a and work of Christ in His incarnation, human living, and
divinely implanted religious inclination which ultimately death, Anointed’s work is welcome. It also acknowledges
finds its end in the triune God. (241-242) the role of the Spirit in the person and work of Christ in
His resurrection and ascension, stating,
Since the Bible speaks of every human created in the
image of God as having a human spirit, Anointed is For Paul “the last Adam became a life-giving spirit”
forced to equate the human spirit with the indwelling (1 Cor. 15:45). Here “Spirit” is best identified as Holy
Holy Spirit because it rejects the revelation of the tripar- Spirit. Christ on his ascension came into such a complete
tite nature of humanity. This understanding is mistaken possession of the Spirit who had so associated himself
and should be rejected. The Holy Spirit cannot indwell with Jesus through the incarnation, that an economic
fallen humanity, because unredeemed humanity bears equivalence of sorts resulted. The resurrected Christ and
only a sinful nature, and in God’s economy there is no fel- the Spirit are now experientially one (although not undif-
lowship of light with darkness (2 Cor. 6:14). The term ferentiated). (179-180)
Holy Spirit is not used in a loose way in the Bible; it first
appears in Matthew 1:18 within the context of Christ’s By acknowledging the role of the Spirit, Anointed estab-
incarnation. When the Word became flesh, bearing the lishes a base for a Christology that transcends the limi-
likeness of the flesh of sin but being without sin (Rom. tations of both Logos and Spirit Christology in favor of a
1:3; Heb. 4:15; 2 Cor. 5:21), the Holy Spirit became trinitarian Christology that brings the economy of God
intrinsically and incorporately identified with humanity into greater focus.
for the first time in human history in the person of Christ.
It is simply erroneous to say that the Holy Spirit indwelt
fallen humanity before indwelling Christ at the point of by John Pester
His conception. In God’s economy Christ is our
Forerunner, pattern, and model. Every aspect of our salva-
Notes
tion is dependent upon Christ’s experience and the
Spirit’s application of that experience. We can be born of 1In many respects Rahner’s axiom is a response to the com-
God because He was born of God in His humanity (John
plete separation in the minds of many believers of the persons
1:13; Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:5; 5:5). We can be sanctified
of the Trinity in the economy of God.
because He lived a life of sanctification, and we can be glo-
2This extension is thoroughly trinitarian and even
rified because He was glorified in His humanity. All that
Christological because the actions of one of the persons of the
Christ is, is available to us, but it is available only because
Trinity cannot be separated from the actions of the other per-
we are in Christ. Consequently, it is wrong to assert that
sons, even if the roles of the persons vary in terms of emphasis
humans, even prelapsarian humans, were indwelt by the
depending on the aspects of the economy that are being accom-
Holy Spirit before the incarnation of Christ.
plished and applied to the believers at specific points in time.
In the incarnation the Son’s role is most prominent, but in His
Conclusion
resurrection the Spirit’s role assumes greater prominence.
However, in the incarnation and during the days of His flesh,
Despite this drawback, Anointedis a worthy contribution
the Spirit and the Father were still working, and in the after-
toward advancing the church’s understanding of the trini-
math of His resurrection, the reality that the Spirit gives is still
tarian accomplishments in and trinitarian application of
the Son with the Father. I am indebted to Witness Lee for these
the economy of God. Anointed can be recommended
insights, which are particularly covered in his book God’s New
on several levels. First, it provides a well-articulated sum-
Testament Economy. Although he did not reference his under-
mary of the historical development of Logos and Spirit
standing of God’s New Testament economy as being a
Christologies and the current state of scholarship related
trinitarian Christology, it is thoroughly trinitarian and, hence,
to these Christological methods. It demonstrates an
pneumatological in its Christology.
adherence to the Scriptures in its argument for a trin-
i tarian Christology that acknowledges the robust role of 3In the aftermath of the emergence of Cartesian dualism,
98 Affirmation & Critique
the mind-body distinction in Western cultural understandings of “discovery” of God’s secret work to recover the church to
humanity was pushed to an unsustainable point of completely His original intention. The premise is intriguing, and the
separating the functions of the mind from the functions of the notion of recovery, though not original to Delotavo, is cer-
body. As the rigidity of this dualism increasingly became the tainly valid.1 But Back rings hollow, for the “discovery”
focus of valid criticism, the scriptural revelation of the tripartite that it purports to have made is that the modern Evan-
nature of humanity was criticized on the same basis, that is, that gelical movement is the culmination of God’s progressive
a tripartite view of humanity only compounds the epistemolog- work to restore the church according to the New
ical problem of dualism by positing a third part that is equally Testament pattern.
and rigidly separate from the other two parts. This is regret-
table, not only because it is a false reading of the biblical record,
Preliminary Remarks
but also because it leads to a denial of the biblical record.
Humanity is composed of three parts—spirit and soul and Before taking a closer look at Back,two preliminary mat-
body—but these three parts cannot be separated anthropologi- ters deserve comment. First, the book evinces the
cally even though they are distinct in their function. Even author’s genuine love for Christ and His church, and his
Hebrews 4:12, which speaks of the dividing of soul and spirit, longing for oneness in the Body of Christ is borne out of
does not support an anthropological separation: the living and that love. As evidence of his sincerity, Delotavo offers
operative word divides the fallen functions of our soul, prin- thanks to Jesus “for giving us the church that has been
cipally the function of our unre - our refuge in times of our
newed mind, from the regen- deepest needs” and to the
erated functions of our spirit Christians of varying persua-
It is wrong to assert that humans,
which are expressed through the sions who rendered him com-
renewal that occurs in the spirit even prelapsarian humans, fort during his time of unde-
of the mind (Eph. 4:23). fined sorrow and wandering
were indwelt by
(ix). Further, the author’s
Works Cited the Holy Spirit before
biographical blurb refers to
the incarnation of Christ. Delotavo’s “trials in life and
Lee, Witness. Footnotes. Recov -
unusual journey of faith” that
ery Version of the Bible. Ana -
“provi dentially led him to the
heim: Living Stream Min istry,
discovery of the secret mes-
2003.
sage behind church movements” (101). The “secret mes-
Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Christian Tradition: A History of the sage” that the author attempts to convey, therefore, is
Development of Doctrine: The Emergence of the Catholic not the result of an academic exercise but the product of
Tradition (100-600).Vol. 1. Chicago: University of Chicago a faith that has been tried by suffering. Although the
Press, 1971. message ultimately falls short of God’s goal for the
church, as this review seeks to explain, the search itself
bears the mark of sincerity.
Second, readers should be cautioned that Backmakes for
a cumbersome read as the writing itself never rises to the
level of quality expected in a professionally published vol-
ume. Further, the manuscript appears not to have been
Longing for the Original Church edited, as it is blighted with errors, many of them the
common missteps of second-language learners. These
Back to the Original Church: The Secret Behind Church blemishes regrettably detract from the book’s readabil -
Movements, by Alan J. Delotavo. Eugene: Resource ity and compromise the effectiveness of the affirmable
Publications, 2010. points that it makes. Nonetheless, the book has been
offered to the Christian public as is, and in that form it
For centuries, conscientious Christians have lamented stands for review.2
the divided state of Christianity and have recognized
the need for a restoration of the oneness that character-
An Overview
ized the church in its earliest days (Acts 2:42-47). In
Back to the Original Church: The Secret Behind Church Back proceeds along an arc of nine chapters. Chapter 1,
Movements (hereafter, Back) Alan J. Delotavo (Ph.D., “Why This Book is Important to All Christians,” serves as
University of Pretoria) lends his voice to the cry for unity. a one-page invitation to prayerfully consider the book’s
Instead of proposing a scriptural “remedy” to the discord, message and suggests that the current state of the church
however, Delotavo enthusiastically offers to readers his could be “a deformation of the original church” (1).
Volume XV (cid:1) No. 2 (cid:1) Fall 2010 99
Chapter 2, “What the Original Church was Like,” high- Christ versus Division and the Need of Recovery:
lights characteristics of the life of the early church, an Affirmation
notably its Christ-centered faith and Spirit-equipped
missionary activity as portrayed in the New Testament. A particular strength of Backis Delotavo’s forthrightness
Chapter 3, “What Happened when the Disciples were to oppose sectarianism and to call the church back to its
Gone,” traces key developments in Christian history after simplicity in Christ and the preaching of the gospel to a
the time of the apostles through the seventeenth century. fallen world. Yet at no time is Delotavo offensive when he
Delotavo underlines the church’s steady decline through appeals to the consciences of his readers. Rather, his
the Middle Ages, the Reformation as the beginning of “a infectious enthusiasm for Christ and his yearning for the
long process of regenerating the church” (30), and the church to fulfill its divine purpose shine forth throughout
periods of alternating recovery and loss following the the book and are properly convicting. He writes,
Refor mation. Pointing toward the climax of Back’s mes-
sage, Chapter 3 observes that “church movements are not The centrality of Christ reminds us, as Christians, that
ends in themselves, but a means for a more profound and the church is universally Christ’s, not exclusively ours. It
holistic end” (31). Chapter 4, “The Birth of Puzzling reminds us that Christ’s church exists not because we
Modern Evangelicalism,” looks at the first and second created or re-created it, but because Christ commis-
Great Awakenings, Protestant liberalism, Christian fun- sioned it to exist. And we are called Christians not
damentalism, and the birth of the modern Evangelical because we are followers of our own respective denomi-
movement as “the fuller regeneration of the Christian nations, but because we are believers and followers of
church” (42). Christ. Above all is Christ! Christ is the foundation of our
Christian identity. Christ is the identity of our Christian
Chapter 5, “The Grand Mosaic,” offers definitions of faith; he is the identity of our Christian church, and he is
Evangelicalism from various Evangelical authors and the core of our daily life of faith and mission. Should we
synthesizes those definitions according to “the three layers not then transcend our separatist superficial identities
of evangelical faith” (55): a focus on the Great Com - and just restore the all-inclusive Christ as the center
mission, Bible-based teachings, and a ministry of conver- of our respective church life? Should we not then just
sion. Chapter 6, “Checking the Message Again,” reviews restore the proclamation of the gospel of salvation to our
the gains made by the church in its historic periods of lost world as the reason for existence of our respective
recovery and goes further to identify specific items recov- churches? Do denominational and cultural idiosyncrasies
ered by varying groups within that history. For example, have place in the heart of Jesus? (60-61)
Back states, “In Calvinism, we see the re-emphasis of
God’s sovereignty in human salvation when people had Delotavo’s objections to sectarianism are particularly use-
forgotten it…In Methodism, we see a return to life- ful because they go beyond general complaints to identify
oriented Bible teachings” (71). The apex of this process of the various bases of division that exist within the church
recovery is identified as the “Modern Evangelical move- today.
ment,” in which, Back insists, “we see God’s leadings in
restoring the Christian church back to its wholesome pris- Everyone still sees each other as an exclusive denomina-
tine state” (72). Chapter 7, “The Past Chosen Ones,” tional organization instead of, altogether, one family of
reviews Old Testament history through the forming of the faith reflecting the coming new and whole human family
nation of Israel as a type of the Christian church. Back in the kingdom of God. Why? Each believes that by
warns that, as seen in the history of Israel, God’s calling is remaining separate, distinct, and dogmatic about itself,
conditional. If the Christian church fails to fulfill God’s it preserves its existence, as if the Christian church is
purpose today, as Israel did in its history, then God may nothing more than an exclusive religious club. Each unit
call another people to complete the work that He desires creates a church-club for itself. Doctrinal distinctions (as
to accomplish. Chapter 8, “The New People of God,” if each has its own exclusive doctrinal patent) instead of
retells New Testament history and defines the identity of mutual faith in and mission for Jesus pervades. And even
the church as “the one new family of Christ” contra among those who hold a similar statement beliefs, ethni-
denominational segregation and “religious camps” (91). cally segregated churches still exist. As if superficial
The characteristics of the “original” church are again cov- cultures, skin colors, and geographic roots could not be
ered, this time described as Christ-centered, Spirit - transcended by the gospel (remember what the apostles
equipped, missional, and one in living and activity (92-95). said that neither Jew, nor Greek, nor Gentile, nor slave,
Chapter 9, “The Last Call,” insists that the church must nor free?). (64-65)
not be confused with the future kingdom and calls the
church today to “set an example to the world in prepara- Back’s recognition that denominational, doctrinal, racial,
tion for the coming kingdom of God, that coming grand and geographic preferences have compromised the
reunion of humankind” (100). church’s purity toward Christ leads to the book’s crucial
100 Affirmation & Critique
realization that a work of recovery is needed to restore side of the crucified Savior (John 19:34), as Eve was pro-
the church to its original purpose. Further, Back rightly duced from the rib out of Adam’s side (Gen. 2:21-22),
acknowle dges “the progressive revelations of the Holy Spirit” and because the church is Christ’s counterpart in love
since the Reformation and states that “the Holy Spirit has and is “one flesh” with Him (Eph. 5:31-32), as human
been working with true-hearted Christians from one gen- spouses are to one another. The church is the Body of
eration to another toward a finale” (31). It also affirms Christ because it is composed of many organic members
the need for the church’s cooperation “to recover the who, in their oneness in life and function, express the
original characteristics of church life to learn what the Head that bears them and directs their movements, as
church originally was, and its purpose” (2). Notably, Back human bodies do by God’s creation. If it is appropriate
does not stop at general calls for recovery but seeks to to speak of metaphors at all, perhaps it is fitting to sug-
identify in the church’s history since the Reformation gest that human families, spouses, and bodies are God-
specific “regenerative movements [e.g., Puritanism, createdmetaphors for the spiritual realities in the divine
Pietism, the Great Awakenings]” that God has used in economy and not merely convenient descriptors that the
His work of recovery “to finally bring the church back to apostles employed to help believers relate to one
its grand synthesis and to prepare the world for the com- another. The church is certainly universal, but it is also
ing kingdom of God” (71). Back’s affirmation of the organic, and the various designations for it point to its
Lord’s work of recovery in church history and the ongo- organic nature. Absent the organic view of the universal
ing need for recovery until church, believers may object
the church fulfills its origi - to sectarianism in principle
nal purpose are noteworthy but may not repudiate the
Denominational, doctrinal,
indeed, but Back’s definition separatist inclination as long
of the original purpose of the racial, and geographic as respective groups can work
church falls short of the full together peacefully for a com -
preferences have compromised
New Tes tament revelation. mon cause. And this, regret-
the church’s purity
tably, is where Backultimately
toward Christ. leads.
Back to the Church’s
Original Purpose
As it traces the various
Back defines the purpose of streams of recovery through
the church’s existence as “living a daily Christ-centered the church’s history since the Reformation, Back insists
life of faith and fulfilling the Christ-centered Great that the river into which they all flow is the modern
Commission” (43). While this is not wrong and is com- Evangelical movement. The evangelicalism that it preaches
mendable for its “Christ-centered” view, it also is not is not “a separate denomination but a modern movement
complete. The purpose of the church, the mystery of for the re-formation of the centrality of Christ in
Christ (Eph. 3:4) is, more fully, to express the all-inclu- Christian faith, the centrality of Christ in the life of
sive Christ, the mystery of God (Col. 2:2), as His Christian church!” (60). Further,
organic Body (Eph. 4:15-16). Back’s shortage of vision
concerning the purpose of the church’s existence is a as a more Christ-centered movement, it transcends all
natural consequence of its deficient view of the church denominations (including Christian ethnocentrism) and
itself. directs the churches of Christianity to become more
Christ-centered. Thus there can be Evangelical Catholics,
While Back rightly and commendably refers to the Evangelical Protestants, Evangelical Pentecostals, and
“universal” identity of the church (89), “the uni- Evangelical Orthodox who are all Christ-centered in their
versal household of Christ” (93), “one universal church mission, teachings, and ministries. Wow! What does this
of Christ,” “just one universal Christian church” (95), imply? Can you sense something exciting and grand here?
the “original oneness and universality of the church” (60)
(96), “the universal people of Christ” (99), and “one uni-
versal Christian church” (101), it also suffers under the For Back,then, the key to unity is transcending all fac-
debilitating notion that nearly all of the New Testament tors of division to fulfill the church’s purported iden-
designations for the church (e.g., the family of God, the tity as a “transdenominational transracial people of God”
bride of Christ, the Body of Christ, etc.) are merely (41-42), the “interracial transcultural new people of
metaphors (90-91, 6). But the church is the family of God,” and “an interracial spiritual community” (87).
God because it possesses the life of God, as the mem- There fore, in Back’s view, the saints of God, the members of
bers of human families are designated as such because the Body of Christ, can remain Catholic, Protestant, Pente -
they have been born of a common life. The church is the costal, etc., if they take the “evangelical” way of Christ-
bride of Christ because it has been produced from the centeredness, gospel preaching, Bible-based teaching, and
Volume XV (cid:1) No. 2 (cid:1) Fall 2010 101