African Christian Christology and Chalcedonian Confession: A Reflection of John Pobee’s Christology

Abstract

The primary doctrinal reference point for African Christianity has been the Chalcedon Confession which states that Christ is “true God” and “true man” united in one person, the person of the Son of God in the Trinity. This definition is officially accepted by the Roman Catholics, the Protestant Reformers, the Evangelicals and some others as the reference point of Christology. However, Creeds are regarded more often than not as outmoded restrictions on the free play of thought. Pobee is one of the Africa theologians, who have registered protest against the Chalcedonian Creed. However, the relationship between Pobee’s view and the Chalcedon’s Confession has not been adequately addressed. Thus the study assesses the relationship between Pobee’s Christology and the Nicene/Chalcedon confessional of the person of Christ. The study is basically a textual and conceptual analysis. The sources of data are secondary data from journal publications, books as well as other internet sources. The study revealed Pobee’s Christology differs remarkably from the Nicene- Chalcedonian Christology. Pobee argues that Jesus’ divinity is sensed or deduced from his operations, that is his functions, in the world. And so, the emphasis is on God’s relation to man rather than on any metaphysical status as confessed by the Nicene – Chalcedon Creed. Thus for Pobee’s Christology, the divinity of Jesus is functional – Jesus was full embodiment of God but not God in the sense of God the Father. Chalcedon definition of the person of Christ is ontological divinity – God in the sense of co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father. The implications of both positions have been drawn and relate to African Christianity.