Deep incarnation : from deep history to post-axial religion

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Authors

Gregersen, Niels Henrik

Journal Title

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Volume Title

Publisher

AOSIS Open Journals

Abstract

This article presents in broad outline the theological concept of deep incarnation and brings it into dialogue with correlative ideas of deep history and deep sociality. It will be argued that neither Christology, nor evolution, can be properly understood from a chronocentric perspective. Evolution is not only about development but also about the exploration of ecospace. Likewise, a contemporary Christology should explicate incarnation as a divine assumption of the full ecospace of the material world of creation. It will then be argued that an interactionist view of deep history is preferable to the evolutionary cognitive theory of religion (ECTR). Against this background, the paper will explore Jesus of Nazareth’s role in the context of post-axial mentalities.

Description

Paper given for South African Science and Religion Forum (SASRF) Conference on ‘Creation, Consciousness and Christology: Evolutionary Perspectives’, University of Pretoria, September 16, 2015. The author wishes to express his gratitude to Dr. Harris Wiseman for language improvements.
Original Research: Volume 17 in the South African Science and Religion Forum Series, edited by Prof. Cornel du Toit (UNISA) and Prof. Daniel Veldsman, entitled ‘Creation, Consciousness and Christology: Evolutionary Perspectives’, Proceedings of the 20th conference of the South African Science and Religion Forum (SASRF) of the Research Institute for Theology and Religion held at the University of South Africa, Pretoria 16–18 September 2015.

Keywords

Deep incarnation, Evolution, Christology, Deep history, Deep sociality, Evolutionary cognitive theory of religion (ECTR)

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Citation

Gregersen, N.H., 2016, ‘Deep incarnation: From deep history to post-axial religion’, HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 72(4), a3428. http://dx.DOI. org/ 10.4102/hts.v72i4.3428.