In Christian theology, the teaching that Christ possessed both a human and divine will is central to the doctrine of two natures, but it also represents a logical paradox, raising questions about how a person can be both impeccable and subject to temptation. This volume explores these questions through an analytic theology approach, bringing together 15 original papers that explore the implications of a strong libertarian concept of free will for Christology. With perspectives from systematic theologians, philosophers, and biblical scholars, several chapters also offer a comparative theology approach, examining the concept of impeccability in the Muslim tradition. Therefore, this volume will be of interest to scholars and graduate students working in analytic theology, biblical scholarship, systematic theology, and Christian-Islamic dialogue.

This is an approach to Christ's impeccability and temptation through exploring and evaluating the theological models that have been developed from the early church to the present day. Drawing from tradition and the relevant biblical evidence, John McKinley argues that Jesus was truly tempted in ways that are closely relevant to the temptations common to us. Having been tempted for us in this way, Jesus can provide true help as the credible example to follow and truly sympathetic ally in the fight against sin. Key to understanding how Jesus remained unable to sin and sharply vulnerable to temptation is the role of the Holy Spirit.

The life of Jesus Christ takes on fresh clarity and meaning in this masterful work by Dwight Pentecost. The words, the miracles, and overarching message of the Messiah come alive in flowing and detailed chronology, set against the cultural, political, and religious setting of his day. You'll gain new understanding of why Jesus came, how he operated, and what he accomplished. Above all, you'll acquire a deeper appreciation for the love that guided his path, beginning in a manger in Bethlehem, leading through three and a half years of ministry that ended abruptly at the cross on Golgotha, and blazing forth in eternal triumph at the resurrection. Drawing liberally on the works of others who have written about Christ, such as Alfred Edersheim, J. W. Shepherd, W. Graham Scroggie, and Frederick Faraar, Dr. Pentecost reveals in his own writing a familiarity with the subject that comes from years of teaching. Yet he writes, not as one who knows all there is to know about Christ, but with the restraint of one who knows that Jesus is to be worshiped and adored as the great King, and that no book can do more than begin to tell all the wonders of his being and his love.

Oliver Crisp examines the doctrine of the incarnation as one of the central and defining dogmas of the Christian faith.

Free will is a perennial theological and philosophical topic. As a central dogmatic locus, it is implicated in discussions around core Christian doctrines such as grace, salvation, sin, providence, evil, and predestination. This book offers a state-of-the-art look at recent debates about free will in analytic and philosophical theology. The chapters revolve around three central themes: the debate between theological compatibilists and libertarians, the communal nature of Christian freedom, and the role of free will in Christology. With contributions by leading scholars, the volume provides a valuable overview of current arguments as well as novel openings and ideas for further discussion.

The following study seeks to investigate the impeccability of Christ from a historical/theological position. Two camps emerge on either side of the debate: Those who hold to the posse non peccare view, which is to say, ability not to sin, otherwise known as the peccability view and those who hold to the non posse peccare view, which is to say inability to sin, otherwise known as the impeccability view. While both camps affirm the sinless perfection of Christ, they oppose each other in whether as fully human He could have sinned if He wanted to. It boils down to a case of ‘could have but did not’ or ‘did not because He could not have’. It is the view of this thesis that the non posse peccare view squares with both historical and biblical theology.

Orthodox Christology maintains that Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly human. As such, he is the key to knowing both God and self. In a series of applications of christological anthropology, Mirrors of Self develops this epistemic premise in dialogue with a diversity of Christian and secular, historical and modern perspectives. Aspects of human personhood, including the ever-elusive self, gain greater clarity and significance in the light of Christ’s person and work. At the center of individual human subjectivity, we encounter a broken, sin-blinded self in need of renewal and release. What healing we find comes to us as Christ’s ecological presence works in and through others—the mirrors of self whose instrumental agency Christ employs in service to his own redemptive ends.