KEUNIKAN YESUS KRISTUS dan KEMUNGKINAN WAHYU ALLAH ‘DI LUAR’ MANUSIA YESUS

Abstract

The particularity of God‘s revelation and the universal meaning related to it are coming back in the spotlight of contemporary theology. Promoting a pluralistic theology of religions, some theologians tend to qualify the theological relevance of divine revelation in historical contingency, and to disregard the distinctive character of God‘s revelation in Christ. This tendency has led to a theological response in which Christ is once again placed diametrically opposed to other cultures and religions. Following the study of Pim Valkenberg and Harm Gorsis, the article presents a christological framework – built on Chalcedon‘s teaching on Christ‘s two natures – for the theological importance of the particular features of non-Christian religions. Delving into the history of theology, it uses Thomas Aquinas‘ argument that Jesus is totus Deus, but not totaliter. ?Jesus created‘, finite human nature cannot encompass His uncreated, infinite divine nature. For that reason there must be room for a revelation of God that is different from that of Jesus without detracting it from the distinctiveness and fullness of the revelation. Finally the article suggests first steps toward particular approaches to the person of Jesus in dialogue with Islam that has its own traditional approach to Jesus as well. As it is shown by Goris and Valkenberg, a phenomenological, comparative approach often produces no more than superficial results. On the other hand, a purely confessional approach also does little to advancve dialogue. Probably only a comparative theology that takes all engaged traditions seriously can do justice to the distinctiveness that surfaces in these traditions.