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is changed into immanence. Here we meet with a pantheistic identification of the human and
the divine in the doctrine of Christ.
Something of this is also seen in the Kenotic theories, which represent a rather remarkable
attempt to improve on the construction of the doctrine of the person of Christ. The term
kenosis is derived from Phil. 2:7, which teaches that Christ “emptied (ekenosen) Himself, taking
the form of a servant.” The Kenoticists take this to mean that the Logos literally became, that is,
was changed into a man by reducing (depotentiating) Himself, either wholly or in part, to the
dimensions of a man, and then increased in wisdom and power until at last He again became
God. This theory appeared in various forms, of which the most absolute is that of Gess, and for
a time enjoyed considerable popularity. It aimed at maintaining the reality and integrity of the
manhood of Christ, and to throw into strong relief the greatness of His humiliation in that He,
being rich, for our sakes became poor. It involves, however, a pantheistic obliteration of the
line of demarcation between God and man. Dorner, who was the greatest representative of the
Mediating school, strongly opposed this view, and substituted for it the doctrine of a
progressive incarnation. He saw in the humanity of Christ a new humanity with a special
receptivity for the divine. The Logos, the principle of self-bestowal in God, joined Himself to this
humanity; the measure in which He did this was determined at every stage by the ever-
increasing receptivity of the human nature for the divine, and did not reach its final stage until
the resurrection. But this is merely a new and subtle form of the old Nestorian heresy. It yields
a Christ consisting of two persons.
With the exception of Schleiermacher, no one has exercised greater influence on present day
theology than Albrecht Ritschl. His Christology takes its starting point in the work, rather than in
the person of Christ. The work of Christ determines the dignity of His person. He was a mere
man, but in view of the work which He accomplished and the service He rendered, we rightly
attribute to Him the predicate of Godhead. He rules out the pre-existence, the incarnation, and
the virgin birth of Christ, since this finds no point of contact in the believing consciousness of
the Christian community. Christ was the founder of the kingdom of God, thus making the
purpose of God His own, and now in some way induces men to enter the Christian community
and to live a life that is motivated entirely by love. He redeems man by His teaching, example,
and unique influence, and is therefore worthy to be called God. This is virtually a renewal of the
doctrine of Paul of Samosata.
On the basis of the modern pantheistic idea of the immanence of God, the doctrine of Christ is
to-day often represented in a thoroughly naturalistic way. The representations may vary
greatly, but the fundamental idea is generally the same, that of an essential unity of God and
man. The doctrine of the two natures of Christ has disappeared from modern theology, and