ChatGPT said:
Great question. You’re essentially asking: Which understanding of Christ (Christology) is most compatible with secularism or secular thought?
Let’s break this down and then answer directly.
Definitions
- Christology: The theological study of the nature, role, and identity of Jesus Christ.
- Secularism: A worldview or system that emphasizes reason, empirical evidence, and often the separation of religious institutions from civic affairs or philosophical claims.
So, you’re asking: Which interpretation of Christ makes the most sense or is most intellectually coherent in a world that values scientific reasoning, pluralism, and secular ethics?
Most Coherent Christology with Secularism:
→ “Non-Divine” or “Humanist” Christology
This is often found in:
- Liberal Protestant Theology
- Unitarian or Quaker interpretations
- Historical Jesus scholarship
- Christian existentialism (e.g., Kierkegaard to some extent)
- Post-Christian thinkers like Spong or Tillich
Core Features of a Secular-Coherent Christology:
- Jesus as Fully Human, Not Necessarily Divine
- Jesus is understood as a moral teacher, social reformer, or prophetic figure.
- No literal virgin birth, miracles, or physical resurrection—these are seen as symbolic or mythological.
- Focus on Ethical Teachings Over Supernatural Claims
- The emphasis is on Jesus’ messages: compassion, justice, nonviolence, inclusion, and critique of power.
- Compatible with Historical-Critical Method
- Interprets scripture as literature and history, not infallible revelation.
- Accepts that gospel accounts reflect communities’ beliefs, not direct journalism.
- Jesus as an Archetype or Symbol
- Christ is seen as a metaphor for self-sacrifice, love, or human potential rather than a literal second person of a Trinitarian God.
Examples of Thinkers/Theologies in This Space:
| Thinker/Theology | View of Christ | Compatible with Secularism? |
|---|---|---|
| John Dominic Crossan | Jesus as a radical Jewish peasant & wisdom teacher | ✅ Very compatible |
| Marcus Borg | Jesus as a spirit-filled man, not necessarily divine | ✅ Very compatible |
| Paul Tillich | Christ as the “New Being”, not a literal God-man | ✅ Philosophically coherent |
| Bishop John Spong | Rejected virgin birth, resurrection as literal | ✅ Explicitly post-theistic |
| Albert Schweitzer | Jesus as apocalyptic prophet, mistaken in timeline | ⚠️ Historically critical |
| Søren Kierkegaard | Emphasized subjective truth, personal encounter | ⚠️ Less secular, more existentialist |
Less Compatible Christologies:
- Traditional Orthodox Christology (fully God and fully man, miracles, resurrection, etc.) — relies on supernaturalism.
- Fundamentalist or Literalist Views — contradicts modern science and historiography.
- High Christology (e.g., Logos as preexistent) — assumes metaphysical frameworks secularism tends to reject.
Summary:
The most coherent Christology with secularism is a humanist or symbolic interpretation of Jesus:
Jesus as an exemplary human who embodied moral courage, challenged unjust systems, and inspired a transformative ethical vision — not as a supernatural savior.
Would you like recommendations on books or thinkers that explore this further?
You said:
yes
ChatGPT said:
Excellent — here’s a curated list of books and thinkers that present a Christology compatible with secularism, broken down by perspective. These authors don’t all agree, but they each attempt to interpret Jesus in ways that resonate with reason, history, and ethical humanism rather than supernaturalism.
Recommended Books & Thinkers
1. Marcus Borg – Progressive Christian / Non-Literal Approach
- Books:
- Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary
- Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time
- Key Idea: Jesus as a spirit person, social prophet, and teacher of wisdom; rejects literalist readings of resurrection or miracles.
- Secular compatibility: High
2. John Dominic Crossan – Historical Jesus Scholar
- Books:
- Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography
- The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant
- Key Idea: Jesus as a radical egalitarian who opposed imperial and religious hierarchy. Rejects miraculous claims as myth-making by early communities.
- Secular compatibility: Very High
3. Bishop John Shelby Spong – Post-Theist Christian
- Books:
- Jesus for the Non-Religious
- Why Christianity Must Change or Die
- Key Idea: Deconstructs traditional beliefs in miracles, virgin birth, atonement, and physical resurrection. Advocates a metaphorical, ethical Christianity.
- Secular compatibility: Extremely High
4. Paul Tillich – Philosophical Theologian
- Books:
- The Shaking of the Foundations
- Systematic Theology (dense but influential)
- Key Idea: Christ as the “New Being” — a symbol of existential transformation. Tillich redefines God as the “ground of being,” avoiding supernaturalism.
- Secular compatibility: Moderate to High (more abstract)
5. Albert Schweitzer – Critical Historical Approach
- Book:
- The Quest of the Historical Jesus
- Key Idea: Jesus was an apocalyptic prophet expecting the imminent end of the world — he was wrong, but still morally admirable.
- Secular compatibility: Medium-High (historically grounded, but dated)
6. Karen Armstrong – Religion Historian / Comparative
- Books:
- The Case for God
- The Bible: A Biography
- Key Idea: Sees religious myths, including Jesus stories, as human symbolic expressions of moral and spiritual longing.
- Secular compatibility: High, especially for post-religious readers
7. Reza Aslan – Secular Academic Perspective
- Book:
- Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
- Key Idea: Jesus as a Jewish revolutionary; political and religious radical. The divine figure emerged later through mythologizing.
- Secular compatibility: Very High
Honorable Mentions
- Don Cupitt – The Sea of Faith: Christianity as a cultural expression, not metaphysical truth.
- Peter Rollins – Insurrection, The Idolatry of God: Uses radical theology to deconstruct belief in God while retaining Jesus as symbol of transformation.
- Thomas Sheehan – The First Coming: Jesus’ resurrection was spiritual and symbolic, not physical.
If You Prefer Podcasts or Talks:
- The Liturgists Podcast – Progressive, spiritual-but-not-supernatural.
- Peter Rollins on YouTube – Philosophical and post-theistic Christology.
- Religion for Breakfast (YouTube) – Academic, neutral, and informative.
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