The Doctrine of Christ and Its Relation to the Concept of Son of God: A Brief study on the Nature of Isa a.s. as Understood by Indonesia Churches

Authors

  • Ungaran Department of Fundamental and Inter-Disciplinary Studies (FIDS)

Keywords:

Son of God, Christ, Indonesia, Church

Abstract

“Son of God” is a common term in the Bible, both in the Jewish Scriptures and the New Testament. This term is used to refer to different things: the nation of Israel, the King of Israel, Prophet Adam a.s. or humankind in general, the Messiah (al-Masih), and also Jesus. When the term “son of God” is used to refer to humankind or to Israel, for example, there is no doubt that the term is used figuratively. Nevertheless, when the term is used to refer to Jesus, there is much confusion and misunderstanding among Christians including Indonesian Christians. The Christian community, especially the early Church fathers, made some speculations about the person of Jesus. Unfortunately, the misunderstanding of Christians affects the understanding of Muslims about the term “son of God.” Christianity in Indonesia which was introduced by Europeans adopts most of its theology from the West. So, the form of Christianity in Indonesia is similar to the Western or European forms of Christianity, both Protestant and Catholic.  According to the Christian doctrine of Christ, Indonesian Christians generally and the Indonesian Reformed Church specifically believe that Christ or Messiah (al-Masih) is God who became a man because only God can save human beings on the Day of Judgment.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Arndt, William F., F. Wilbur Gingrich, and Frederick W. Danker. Greek-English Lexicon Of The New Testament And Other Early Christian Literature, A: A Translation And Adaptation Of The Fourth Revised And Augmented Edition Of Walter Bauers Griechisch-deutsches W©œrterbuch Zu Den Schriften Des Neuen Testaments Und Der ©ơbrigen Urchristlichen Literatu. 2nd ed. Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press, 1979.
Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1996.
Buzzard, Anthony F., and Charles F. Hunting. The Doctrine of the Trinity: Christianitys Self-inflicted Wound. N. ed. Lanham: International Scholars Publications, 1998.
Dunn, James D. G. Christology in the making: A New Testament Inquiry into the Origins of the Doctrine of the Incarnation. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1996.
End, Th. van den. Ragi Carita 1: Sejarah Gereja Di Indonesia 1500-1860 [Fermented Story 1: Church History in Indonesia 1500-1860]. Jakarta: BPK Gunung Mulia. (Original work published 1980), 2007.
Evans, C. Stephen. The Historical Christ and the Jesus of Faith the Incarnational Narrative as History. N. ed. Oxford: Clarendon, 1996.
Fredriksen, Paula. From Jesus to Christ: The Origins of the New Testament Images of Jesus. N. ed. New York & London: Yale University Press, 1988.
Grillmeier, Alois. Christ in Christian Tradition (Translated from Germany by John Bowden). 2nd ed. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1975.
Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction To Biblical Doctrine. N. ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994.
Haight, Roger. The Future of Christology. N. ed. New York & London: Continuum, 2005.
Hebblethwaite, Brian. Philosophical Theology and Christian Doctrine. N. ed. Oxford: Blackwell, 2005.
Kelly, John Norman Davidson. Early Christian Doctrines. N. ed. New York, N. Y.: Harper San Francisco, 1978.
Kelly, J.N.D. Early Christian Creeds. 3rd ed. Essex & New York: Longman. 1972.
Kingdon, Robert. M. "Chapter 39: Calvin and The Establishment of Consistory Discipline in Geneva: The Institution and The Men Who Directed It." In The Reformation: Critical Concepts in Historical Studies Edited by Andrew Pettegree, 58. N. ed. Vol. 3. London & New York: Routledge, 2004.
Krüger-Müller, Theodor. Sedjarah Geredja Di Indonesia [Church History in Indonesia]. N.ed. Djakarta: Badan Penerbit Kristen, 1966.
Latourette, Kenneth Scott. A History of the Expansion of Christianity. N. ed. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1974. (Oroginal work published 1939)
Leith, John H. "Chapter 1: A Brief History of the Creedal Task: The Role of Creeds in Reformed Churches." In To Confess the Faith Today. Edited by Jack L. Stotts, E. Jane Dempsey Douglass, 36. 1st ed. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1990.
Longenecker, Richard N. The Christology of Early Jewish Christianity. N. ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1970.
Ludlow, Morwenna. The Early Church. N. ed. London: I.B. Tauris, 2009.
Macquarrie, John. "Incarnation." The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Modern Christian Thought Edited by Allister E. McGrath. N. ed. Oxford & Cambridge: Blackwell, 1993. 268-72.
Mansur, Yohanes D. To Give an Answer to Every Man: Trinitarian and Christological Views in the Apologetic of Hamran Ambrie of Indonesia. N. ed. Biola University: Talbot School of Theology, 1990. Thesis (Th. M.).
Marmorstein, Arthur. Studies in Jewish Theology. N.ed. London: Oxford University Press. 1950.
Marnef, Guido. "Chapter 20, The Netherlands." In The Reformation World by Adrew Pettegree, 344. N. ed. London: Routledge, 2004.
McGrath, Alister E. Christian Theology: An Introduction. 2nd ed. Oxford & Cambridge: Blackwell Publisher, 1997.
Morris, Thomas V. "The Metaphysics of God Incarnate." In Trinity, Incarnation, and Atonement: Philosophical and Theological Essays, Edited by Ronald J. Feenstra and Cornelius Platinga, Jr., 110. N. ed. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1989.
Moule, C. F. D. The Origin of Christology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1977.
Newman, John Henry. The Arians of the Fourth Century. 3rd ed. London: Lumley. 1871.
Protestant Reformed Churches in America (PRCA), N.A. The Confession and the Church Order of the Protestant Reformed Churches. N. ed. Grandville: Protestant Reformed Churches in America, 2005. http://www.prca.org/PRC_Confessions_and_Church_Order.pdf. Accessed 5th of June, 2011.
Reardon, Bernard M. G. Religious Thought in the Reformation. 5th ed. London & New York: Longman, 1989.
Schaff, Philip. "Creeds of Christendom, with a History and Critical Notes. Volume II. The History of Creeds." Christian Classics Ethereal Library. 1887. Accessed May 14, 2011. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/creeds2.html.
Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church. 3rd ed. Vol. III. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1995. (Original work published 1882).
Sumartana, Th. Mission a t the Cross Roads. N.ed. Jakarta: BPK Gunung Mulia. 1993.
Susabda, Yakub B. Mengenal & Bergaul dengan Allah. [Knowing & Interacting with God]. N.ed. Yogyakarta: Andi. 2010.
Tong, Stephen. Allah Tritunggal [God the Trinity]. Surabaya: Momentum. 2009a.
Tong, Stephen. Siapakah Kristus? Sifat & Karya Kristus. [Who is Christ? Characteristic & Works of Christ]. Surabaya: Momentum. 2009b.

Downloads

Published

2019-06-30

How to Cite

Ungaran. (2019). The Doctrine of Christ and Its Relation to the Concept of Son of God: A Brief study on the Nature of Isa a.s. as Understood by Indonesia Churches. AL-ITQAN: JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC SCIENCES AND COMPARATIVE STUDIES, 3(1), 5–28. Retrieved from https://journals.iium.edu.my/al-itqan/index.php/al-itqan/article/view/107

Issue

Section

Articles