Description

‘Union with Christ’ is the first extensive work on the Christology of the Swiss theologian Adolf Schlatter 1852-1938. It offers fresh insights not only to readers interested in Schlatter’s theology in particular, but also to students and professionals from the historical and dogmatic disciplines in general. Part One sets the scene by tracing the biographical context of Schlatter’s Christological thinking. It explores his evaluation of Kantianism, of the revival movement, of Ritschl and the Ritschl school, and of dialectical theologians. Based on this analysis, Part Two examines the dogmatic shape of Schlatter’s relational Christology in more detail. From the perspective of Schlatter’s theological triad of seeing-act, thinking-act, and lifeact, it investigates his relational account of Jesus Christ against the backdrop of a distinct Trinitarian framework. According to Schlatter, Jesus reveals his divinity on the cross as he is able to maintain fellowship with God in spite of Godforsakenness – mediated by the Holy Spirit – and he reveals his humanity by remaining in close communion with sinners, transforming them and gathering them into the new community of faith. Michael Brautigam is Lecturer in Theology and Ministry at Melbourne School of Theology. ‘This volume offers an unsurpassed introduction to the work of Adolf Schlatter, one of the most influential yet most neglected voices in modern theology. Brautigam provides not only a contoured analysis of Schlatter’s engagements with exegesis, dogmatics, and ethics, focussing particularly on Schlatter’s Christology, but also articulates carefully both the historical context and the contemporary relevance and significance of the work of Schlatter. This is a very fine study and comes highly recommended.’ Paul Nimmo, Professor, Chair in Systematic Theology, University of Aberdeen.