The mystery of those we love

For more commentary on this week's readings, see the Reflections on the Lectionary page, which includes Saler's current Living by the Word column as well as past magazine and blog content. For full-text access to all articles, subscribe to the Century.

One of my favorite things to teach in a seminary setting is Christology, particularly the early church’s development of what would become “orthodox” understandings of both the person and work of Jesus.

In the patristic period leading up to the great ecumenical councils, the Christian imagination had to wrestle with both scripture and the experience of Christian communities to understand how to speak about who Jesus was and how his life, death and resurrection embodied God’s redemptive activity in the world. For all of the squabbles and politics involved, this was foundational work, and it has bequeathed to each subsequent generation creeds that, if not always believed fully, at least provide the backdrop against which provocative questions might still be asked.