Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Traditional

Pragmatic

Emerging

Biblical lens

Rational

Pragmatic

Narrative

Subject

The Rescue

Individual

Individual

Object

Christ

Christ

Christ

Focus of energy

Be missional in Postmodernity

Go back to glory days

Find what works

Slogan

Be biblical

Be effective

Be relevant

Figure 16, continued: The Three Methods

During the first 1000 years of the Church, Jesus (Christus Victor) and his Story of the advancing Kingdom was the predominant view. The cultural and philosophical forces that ensued over the last centuries have slowly cropped Jesus from the picture of his own Story, reducing what was once an epic, awe-inspiring, ominous, and larger-than-life view of the world to the point that Christus Victor can hardly be recognized in the American church.

Before it was miniaturized, the Story included: Multiple aspects of Christ’s saving work Narrative and rational components Christ as SUBJECT and the Church as OBJECT

The whole Bible as God’s Story Transcendent scope and depth

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