person of christ

Question 1

contradicting social norms

Answer 1

reached out to the oppressed
Jesus asked a female Samaritan by asking her for a drink (the view was that the Samaritans were unclean and lower class)

challenge prejudice and discriminatory culture of the time - both gender and ethnic inequality

Question 2

Arrupe

Answer 2

preferential option for the poor is a term first used by Father Pedro Arrupe which refers to the way Jesus showed a preference for poor people

Jesus seemed to say the poor and less fortunate were blessed (in the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount)

Question 3

Kloppenburg

Answer 3

Gerald Collins - Jesus’ actions provoked religious authority

kloppenburg, a Catholic Brazilian bishop, makes the point that fusing theology and political action diminishes the spiritual message of Christianity
+ strive to see him as Zealot while dismissing pacifism

Demonstrates desire to liberate from laws of oppresions
‘neither slave nor free’ ‘man nor woman’ Galatians 3:28
- clearly promoting social liberation of earth + political message

Question 4

religious significance

Answer 4

The early church believed in the hypostatic Union which states that Christ is both fully god and fully human as two indivisible natures in one person - spiritual element

Novation - ‘Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent’ - connection with divinity, desire to be associated
‘I and the Father are one’ - awareness of divine presence, transcendent nature

Question 5

Resurrection

Answer 5

Resurrection seperates him from prophets and political figues - pivotal role in Christianity

Saunders - suggest resurrection cannot be historically analysed as it relies on faith
- cannot be proven, changed relationship between humanity + God

• significance and implications on Christianity makes validity of resurection insignificant + seperates from political identity

Question 6

moral + spiritual lessons

Answer 6

Sermon on the Mount - laid out the ground rules for a life of moral righteousness
‘turn to them the other cheek also.’ - by resisting anger, sinful actions are avoided

Question 7

Hick

Answer 7

profound effects of his teachings - ‘gifts to the world’

• teachings promoted transformation of society (Sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for Sabbath) - desire for change within wider social constructs
• teachings not only for morality, but also for political messages