View source for Religion:Pre-existence of Christ

{{Short description|Existence of Christ before his incarnation as Jesus}}
[[File:Monreale god resting after creation.jpg|thumb|''God resting after creation'' – Christ depicted as the creator of the world, [[Byzantine mosaic]] in Monreale, [[Place:Sicily|Sicily]]. Depictions of [[Religion:God the Father in Western art|God the Father]] became prevalent only by the 15th century, and Jesus was often shown as a substitute before then.<ref>George Ferguson, 1996 ''Signs & symbols in Christian art'' {{ISBN|0-19-501432-4}} page 92</ref>|267x267px]]
{{Christology|expanded=Concepts}}
The '''pre-existence of Christ''' asserts the existence of Christ prior to his [[Religion:Incarnation (Christianity)|incarnation]] as [[Religion:Jesus in Christianity|Jesus]]. One of the relevant [[Religion:Bible|Bible]] passages is John 1 ({{Bibleref2|John|1:1–18|NKJV|John 1:1–18}}) where, in the [[Religion:Trinity|Trinitarian]] interpretation, Christ is identified with a pre-existent divine [[Religion:Hypostasis (philosophy and religion)|hypostasis]] (substantive reality) called the [[Religion:Logos (Christianity)|''Logos'']] ([[Social:Koine Greek|Koine Greek]] for "word" or "reason"). There are [[Religion:Nontrinitarianism|nontrinitarian]] views that question the aspect of personal pre-existence, the aspect of divinity, or both.

More particularly, John 1:15, 18 says:
{{Blockquote|John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”...No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.|{{Bibleref2|John|1:15,18|NKJV|John 1:15, 18}} }}

This doctrine is supported in {{Bibleref2|John|17:5|NRSV}} when Jesus refers to the glory that he had with the [[Religion:God the Father|Father]] "before the world existed" during the Farewell Discourse.<ref name=Endo >''Creation and Christology: A Study on the Johannine Prologue in the Light of Early Jewish Creation Accounts'' by Masanobu Endo 2002 {{ISBN|3-16-147789-8}} page 233</ref> {{Bibleref2|John|17:24|NRSV}} also refers to the Father loving Jesus "before the foundation of the world".<ref name=Endo /> Passages in {{Bibleref2|Revelation|21,6}} in which Jesus refers to himself as the [[Alpha and Omega]] has been thought to refer to the pre-existence of Jesus. In the Pauline [[Religion:Soteriology|soteriology]], {{bibleverse|Philippians|2:6-11|NKJV}}, {{bibleverse|2 Corinthians|8:9|NKJV}}, {{bibleverse|Galatians|4:4|NKJV}} and {{bibleverse|1 Corinthians|8:6|NKJV}} are passages that are seen as evidence that [[Biography:Paul the Apostle|Paul]] believed in the pre-existence of Christ.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OiYXtWDnpDAC&pg=PA42|page=42|year=2005|author=Vincent M. Smiles|publisher=Liturgical Press|title=First Thessalonians, Philippians, Second Thessalonians, Colossians, Ephesians|isbn=9780814628676|oclc=1203878112}}</ref> However, the interpretation that these passages refer to the pre-existence of Christ has been disputed by a minority of scholars such as James Dunn<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dunn |first=James D. G. |title=Christology in the Making: a New Testament inquiry into the origins of the doctrine of the Incarnation |date=1996 |publisher=W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co |isbn=978-0-8028-4257-2 |edition=2nd |location=Grand Rapids, Mich}}</ref>

The pre-existence of Christ is affirmed at the Beginning of the [[Religion:Nicene Creed|Nicene Creed]].<ref>At the following words: "I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father ''before all ages.''" The expression "Before of all ages" means Before the time and creation of Genesis 1. Cf. {{cite journal|url=https://credomag.com/article/the-only-begotten-god/|author=Charles Lee Irons|title=The Only Begotten God. Eternal Generation in the Nicene Creed|date=September 29, 2020|journal=Credo Magazine|volume=19|issue=3}}</ref>

==Nicene Christianity==
{{Main|Religion:Nicene Christianity|Trinity}}
The pre-existence of Christ is a central tenet of mainstream Christianity. Most mainstream churches that accept the [[Religion:Nicene Creed|Nicene Creed]] consider the nature of Christ's pre-existence as the divine [[Religion:Hypostasis (philosophy and religion)|hypostasis]] called the [[Religion:Logos (Christianity)|Logos]] or Word, described in {{bibleref2|John|1:1–18|NRSV}}, which begins:
{{Blockquote|In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.|John 1:1–3, NRSV}}

In Trinitarianism this "Logos" is also called [[Religion:God the Son|God the Son]] or the second person of the Trinity. Theologian Bernard Ramm noted that "It has been standard teaching in historic Christology that the Logos, the Son, existed before the incarnation. That the Son so existed before the incarnation has been called the pre-existence of Christ."<ref>Bernard L. Ramm, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=ctWF_DWIvtUC&pg=PA47 An Evangelical Christology: Ecumenic and Historic]'', 1983, reprinted by Regent College Publishing, 1993, {{ISBN|1-57383-008-9}}, p. 47.</ref>

Douglas McCready, in his analysis and defense of the pre-existence of Christ,<ref>Douglas McCready. ''He Came Down From Heaven: The Preexistence of Christ and the Christian Faith''. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2005.</ref> notes that whereas the pre-existence of Christ "is taken for granted by most orthodox Christians, and has been since [[Religion:New Testament|New Testament]] times",<ref name="DM11">McCready, p. 11.</ref> during the past century the doctrine has been increasingly questioned by [[Religion:Unitarianism|less orthodox theologians and scholars]].<ref name="DM11" />

James Dunn, in his book ''Christology in the Making'', examines the development of this doctrine in [[Religion:Early Christianity|early Christianity]], noting that it is "beyond dispute"<ref name="Dunn239">Dunn, p. 239.</ref> that in John 1:1–18, "the Word is pre-existent, and Christ is the pre-existent Word incarnate,"<ref name="Dunn239"/> but going on to explore possible sources for the concepts expressed there, such as the writings of [[Biography:Philo|Philo]].

Some Protestant theologians believe that God the Son [[Philosophy:Kenosis|emptied himself]]<ref>Philippians 2:7, as translated in the New Revised Standard Version or Holman Christian Standard Bible.</ref> of [[Religion:Attributes of God in Christianity|divine attributes]] in order to become human. Others reject this.<ref>Pope Pius XII condemned this in 1951 in [http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_pi12sr.htm Sempiternus Rex Christus], and Protestant theologian [[Biography:Wayne Grudem|Wayne Grudem]] likewise denies it in his ''Systematic Theology'' (Inter-Varsity Press, 1994, {{ISBN|0-85110-652-8}}, pp. 549–552).</ref>

[[File:Prologus Ioanni - Vulgata Clementina (Verlag Friedrich Pustet, 1922, p. 197).jpg|thumb|left|''In principio erat verbum'', [[Latin (language)|Latin]] for ''In the beginning was the Word'', from the Clementine Vulgate, Gospel of John, 1:1–18]]

Tertullian in ''[[Religion:Marcionism|Against Marcion]]'' Ch.21 sees a pre-existent appearance of Christ in the fiery furnace of one who is "like the son of man (for he was not yet really son of man)."<ref>Robert, Rev. A. ''The Ante-nicene Fathers: the Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325'' p381</ref> The identification of specific appearances of Christ is increasingly common in evangelical literature from the 1990s onwards. For example, W. Terry Whalin states that the fourth person in the fiery furnace is Christ, and that "These appearances of Christ in the Old Testament are known as [[Unsolved:Theophany|Theophanies]] or 'appearances of God' ".<ref>W. Terry Whalin ''Alpha Teach Yourself the Bible in 24 Hours'' Page 119</ref>

=== Catholicism ===
According to the [[Organization:Catholic Church|Catholic Church]], [[Biography:Augustine of Hippo|Saint Augustine]] defined the Word as the eternal and perfect thought that God has of Himself, generated by the Father as a living and personal divine concept, which had no beginning and expresses God’s perfect self-knowledge. For [[Biography:John of Damascus|Saint John Damascene]], the Word is the perfect and revealing image of the Father, eternally generated without separation, just as light generates the ray, and through Him God created the world and revealed Himself to humanity. [[Biography:Thomas Aquinas|Saint Thomas Aquinas]] described the Word as the divine concept generated by God’s knowledge of Himself, generating a Person consubstantial with the Father, eternal and the agent of creation, through whom God acts and communicates.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-10-12 |title=Philip Schaff: NPNF1-03. On the Holy Trinity; Doctrinal Treatises; Moral Treatises - Christian Classics Ethereal Library |url=https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf103.iv.XV.html |website=www.ccel.org}}<!-- auto-translated from Portuguese by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-10-12 |title=CHURCH FATHERS: An Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book I (John of Damascus) |url=https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/33041.htm |website=www.newadvent.org}}<!-- auto-translated from Portuguese by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-10-12 |title=SUMMA THEOLOGIAE: The person of the Son (Prima Pars, Q. 34) |url=https://www.newadvent.org/summa/1034.htm |website=www.newadvent.org}}<!-- auto-translated from Portuguese by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>

According to [[Biography:Thomas Aquinas|Thomas Aquinas]], "the human nature" of Christ was created and began in time, where "the subsistent subject" is both uncreated and eternal.<ref>''[[Philosophy:Summa Theologica|Summa Theologica]]'', 3a. 16. 10 [http://www.newadvent.org/summa/4016.htm#article10]</ref>

==Manichaeism==
A clear idea of Christ's pre-existence is given in [[Unsolved:Manichaeism|Manichaean]] thought, where he is conferred the name Jesus the Splendour. Considered a divine being, he was believed to have been the entity to lead [[Biography:Adam|Adam]] into eating from the Tree of Knowledge instead of the Devil (AKA [[Unsolved:Prince of Darkness (Manichaeism)|Prince of Darkness]]) who, according to Manichaeism, actually wanted humanity to stay away from it so they would remain trapped in matter and never find [[Philosophy:Gnosis|gnosis]]. Likewise, Manichaeans associated Christ with the Tree of Life and saw him as a holy emanation of the [[Philosophy:Father of Greatness|Father of Greatness]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Heuser |first1=Manfred |last2=Klimkeit |first2=Hans-Joachim |title=Studies in Manichaean Literature and Art |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ThDJMif8T5sC |date=1998 |pages=55–60 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=9789004107168}}</ref>

==Nontrinitarianism==
 Some accept the pre-existence of Christ without accepting his full divinity in the Trinitarian sense. For example, it is likely that [[Biography:Arius|Arius]] and most early advocates of [[Religion:Arianism|Arianism]] accepted the pre-existence of Christ.<ref>Hastings, J. Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics Part 2, Part 2 p.785 2003 -"Arius and all his disciples acknowledged the pre-existence of our Lord"</ref> However, Thomas Aquinas says that Arius "pretended that the Person of the Son of God is a creature, and less than the Father, so he maintained that He began to be, saying 'there was a time when He was not.'"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newadvent.org/summa/4016.htm#article9 |title=SUMMA THEOLOGICA: Things which are applicable to Christ in his being and becoming (Tertia Pars, Q. 16) |publisher=Newadvent.org |access-date=18 July 2012}}</ref>

[[Biography:John Locke|John Locke]],<ref>John Marshall, ''Locke, Socinianism, "Socinianism", and Unitarianism'', from p. 111 in M. A. Stewart (editor), ''English Philosophy in the Age of Locke'' (2000),</ref> William Ellery Channing, and [[Biography:Isaac Newton|Isaac Newton]]<ref>Maurice F. Wiles, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=DGksMzk37hMC&pg=PA83 Archetypal Heresy: Arianism through the centuries]'', Oxford University Press, 1996, {{ISBN|0-19-826927-7}}, p. 83.</ref> appear to have maintained belief in the pre-existence of Christ despite their rejection of the Trinity.

Today, several nontrinitarian denominations also share belief in some form of the pre-existence of Christ, including the Church of God (Seventh-Day) and the Jehovah's Witnesses, the latter group identifying Jesus as the archangel Michael,<ref>Norman Geisler and Ron Rhodes, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=tOMma2uXcvoC&pg=PA55 Conviction Without Compromise: Standing Strong in the Core Beliefs of the Christian Faith]'', Harvest House Publishers, 2008, {{ISBN|0-7369-2220-2}}, p. 55.</ref> interpreting [[Religion:John 1:1]] by translating with the phrase "a god," rather than "God".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/bl/r1/lp-e?q=john%201%3A1 |title=New World Translation |publisher=Wol.jw.org|access-date=15 January 2019}}</ref> The Latter Day Saint movement teaches Christ's pre-existence as the first and greatest of the spirit children of God the Father.<ref>{{citation |last= McConkie |first= Bruce R. |title= The Millennial Messiah |publisher= Bookcraft |year= 1982 |page= 165 }}</ref>

Among the many churches which separated from the Worldwide Church of God, also referred to as the "Sabbatarian Churches of God" or, more pejoratively, [[Religion:Armstrongism|Armstrongites]], there is a shared belief in [[Religion:Binitarianism|binitarianism]], and that Jesus was the God of the Old Testament through whom God the Father created the world (based on Ephesians 3:9 and John 1:1–3), and that it was Jesus Christ who personally interacted with Adam and Eve, Noah, the patriarchs, ancient Israel, and the kings and prophets of the Old Testament. It is held that in his incarnation, Jesus was sent to reveal the Father who was previously unknown. This is based on an interpretation of John 5:37, Luke 10:22, and by the large number of references Jesus made about the Father in the New Testament compared to the very few, almost figural references to God as Father in the Old Testament. This belief is also based on an interpretation of verses where Christ is believed to be discussing his personal presence in the Old Testament and interaction with ancient Israel, and on a Christological interpretation of Melchizedek.<ref>''Whatever Happened to the Father?'', sermon by Gary Antion, United Church of God, an International Association, 17 November 2009.</ref>

===The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints===
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement, believe that Jesus Christ (and all people) was a pre-existent spirit who then gained a physical body at birth. In that regard, neither Christ nor the spirits of all humans were actually “created” ([https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/93?lang=eng&id=p29#p29 D&C 93:29]). They believe the spirits of all humans are the literal offspring of God the Father (Acts 17:29; Hebrews 12:9) and that His being is a permanently joined spirit and physical body, the same as the post-ascension Christ ([https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/130?lang=eng&id=p22#p22 D&C 130:22]). They believe Christ to be [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-living-christ-the-testimony-of-the-apostles/the-living-christ-the-testimony-of-the-apostles?lang=eng Jehovah of the Old Testament], who was in a spirit prior to birth by Mary ([https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/ether/3?lang=eng&id=p14-p17#p14 Ether 3:14-17]).  As the first fruits of the resurrection, through His divine redemption and resurrection, Christ will bring His followers into the same divine nature as He and His Father (2 Peter 1:3-4; Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 3:18; 4:4), to possess the same blessings and life they do. Church members refer to this as [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/becoming-like-god?lang=eng#p32 exaltation], the highest reward given to faithful followers of Christ (D&C 76:50-70, 94,95; 132:19). During the premortal [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/council-in-heaven?lang=eng#title2 grand council] where in the presence of all of God's pre-existent children, the pre-existent Christ (God the Son) was chosen by God the Father to fulfill His role as the Savior and Redeemer of all God’s creations ([https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/abr/3?lang=eng&id=p22-p28#p22 Abraham 3:22-28]).

Church members believe the appearance of God the Father and Jesus Christ to [[Biography:Joseph Smith|Joseph Smith]] in 1820 (known as the [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/first-vision?lang=eng#p11 First Vision]) affirmed this doctrine. In 1830, the LDS Church was founded with Smith as its president and prophet. Since that time, the church's [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2008/03/he-lives-the-witness-of-latter-day-prophets?lang=eng prophets] who succeeded Smith have taught and testified of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, His mission and role as Savior and Redeemer, including His pre-eminence and Godhood in pre-existence.

===Oneness Pentecostals===
Oneness Pentecostals are nontrinitarian Pentecostal Christians who do not accept the pre-existence of Christ as distinguished from God the Father, believing that, prior to the incarnation, only "the timeless Spirit of God (the Father)"<ref name="Oneness">[http://www.apostolictheology.com/incarnation.html The Incarnation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904052549/http://www.apostolictheology.com/incarnation.html |date=4 September 2011 }} at ApostolicTheology.com (Oneness Pentecostal theological website), accessed 27 May 2010.</ref> existed. Afterwards God "simultaneously dwelt in heaven as a timeless Spirit, and inside of the Son of God on this earth."<ref name="Oneness"/> However, the United Pentecostal Church International, a large Oneness denomination, says in their statement of faith that "The one God existed as Father, Word, and Spirit" prior to the incarnation.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.upci.org/about-us/beliefs/21-about-us/beliefs/91|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110612115253/http://upci.org/about-us/beliefs/21-about-us/beliefs/91|url-status = dead|archive-date = 12 June 2011|title = Our Doctrinal Foundation|date = 24 May 2011|access-date = 2 February 2015|website = United Pentecostal Church International}}</ref>

Although Oneness Pentecostals accept that "Christ is the same person as God,"<ref name="Oneness"/> they also believe that "The 'Son' was 'born,' which means that he had a beginning."<ref name="Oneness"/> In other words, "Oneness adherents understand the term [Son] to be applicable to God only after the incarnation."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onenesspentecostal.com/onetrindisagree.htm |title=Jason Dulle, ''The Oneness/Trinity Debate-Areas of Agreement and Disagreement'' |publisher=Onenesspentecostal.com|access-date=18 July 2012}}</ref> They have consequently been described as holding an essentially unitarian position on the doctrine,<ref>W. David Buschart, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=QzyMCsh4CaUC&pg=PA239 Exploring Protestant Traditions: An invitation to theological hospitality]'', InterVarsity Press, 2006, {{ISBN|0-8308-2832-X}}, p. 239: "Oneness Pentecostals affirm a christologically unitarian understanding of God."</ref><ref>Douglas Gordon Jacobsen, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=6GLISQjySHwC&pg=PA14 A Reader in Pentecostal Theology: Voices from the first generation]'', Indiana University Press, 2006, {{ISBN|0-253-21862-4}}, p. 14: "many Jesus-only pentecostals began to champion a decidedly unitarian, or oneness, view of the Godhead."</ref> and of denying the pre-existence of Christ.<ref>Richard G. Kyle, ''The Religious Fringe: A history of alternative religions in America'', InterVarsity Press, 1993, {{ISBN|0-8308-1766-2}}, p. 164: "They deny the preexistence of Christ."</ref><ref>John Ankerberg and John Weldon, ''Encyclopedia of Cults and New Religions: Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Mind Sciences, Baha'i, Zen, Unitarianism'', Harvest House Publishers, 1999, {{ISBN|0-7369-0074-8}}, pp. 366–387: "their denial of the pre-existence of Christ"</ref> However, some members of the movement deny this interpretation of their beliefs.<ref>[http://www.altupc.com/altupc/articles/boyd.htm Mark. W. Bassett, ''Answering Gregory Boyd's "Sharing Your Faith with a Oneness Pentecostal"''], accessed 27 May 2010: "We do not deny the pre-existence of Jesus Christ. We do believe that the sonship commenced at Bethlehem when flesh was made from the nature of a woman, to be a vessel for the Eternal God to dwell in."</ref>

==Denial of the doctrine==
Throughout history there have been various groups and individuals believing that Jesus' existence began when he was conceived.<ref>Eckhard J. Schnabel ''Early Christian Mission: Paul & the early church'' 2004 Page 1041 "A Christian community is documented for Bostra for a.d. 250 at the latest: Eusebius mentions Beryllos, the "bishop [episkopos] of the Arabs in Bostra," who denied the preexistence of Christ and who was the subject of discussion at a synod in..."</ref> Those who consider themselves Christians while denying the pre-existence of Christ can be broadly divided into two streams.

First, there are those who nevertheless accept the [[Religion:Virgin birth of Jesus|virgin birth]]. This includes Socinians,<ref>[http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/trinity/unitarianism.html Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Trinity &gt; Unitarianism]: "This [[Religion:Racovian Catechism|Racovian Catechism]] identifies the God of Israel with the Father of Christ... Both the Trinity and the doctrine of two natures (divine and human) in Christ are argued to be both contradictory and unsupported by the Bible. It is argued that Christ is a man who did not pre-exist his miraculous conception in Mary, though he's denied to be 'merely' a man, but affirmed to be the unique Son of God, the Messiah, worthy of worship and a proper recipient of prayer."</ref> and early [[Religion:Unitarianism|Unitarians]] such as Ferenc David, Jacobus Palaeologus, John Biddle,<ref>J. Biddle ''[http://home.pacific.net.au/~amaxwell/biddle/part01.htm#04 A Twofold Catechism] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612091345/http://home.pacific.net.au/~amaxwell/biddle/part01.htm|date=12 June 2011}}'', Chap. 4: "How was Jesus Christ born?" as well as "How many Lords of Christians are there, by way of distinction from the one God?" and "Doth the Scripture avouch Christ to be the Son of God because he was eternally begotten out of the Divine essence; or for other reasons agreeing to him only as a man?"</ref> and Nathaniel Lardner.<ref>Lardner N. ''Letter on the Logos'' (1759) in The works of Nathaniel Lardner in five volumes, Volume 5, pp. 380–3. [https://books.google.com/books?id=PZsTAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA380 Online]: "All these texts seem to me sufficient to satisfy us, that by 'the Word,' which St. John says, 'was in the beginning, and was with God, and was God,' he does not mean a being separate from God, and inferior to him, but God himself, or the wisdom and power of God, which is the same as God, even the Father, who alone is God, nor is there any other." as well as "Jesus is the Son of God, upon account of his miraculous conception and birth. Luke i. 31–35." (pp. 82–3).</ref> Today the view is primarily held by Christadelphians.<ref>Alan Hayward, ''[http://www.god-so-loved-the-world.org/english/hayward_didjesusreallycomedownfromheaven.htm Did Jesus Really Come Down from Heaven?]'', pamphlet from the Christadelphian Auxiliary Lecturing Society, 1975: "The third view is held by Christadelphians and some others. According to this view Jesus did not live personally in heaven before he was born on earth; and the verses which refer to his heavenly origin must be understood figuratively....  The birth of the Lord Jesus Christ was the result of a mighty miracle. His mother was a young unmarried woman of excellent character. She was a virgin."</ref> These groups typically consider that Christ is prophesied and foreshadowed in the Old Testament, but did not exist prior to his birth.<ref>Tennant, H. [http://www.thechristadelphian.com/pamphlets/standardseries/christinot.html ''Christ in the Old Testament''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830151844/http://www.thechristadelphian.com/pamphlets/standardseries/christinot.html|date=30 August 2010}}, CMPA, Birmingham 1996.</ref>

Second, there are those who also deny the virgin birth. This includes [[Religion:Ebionites|Ebionites]], and Unitarians, such as Symon Budny, [[Biography:Joseph Priestley|Joseph Priestley]],<ref>Joseph Priestley ''An history of early opinions concerning Jesus Christ'' 1786 Volume 3 Chapter 3 "Of the Conduct of our Saviour himself, with respect to his own supposed Pre-existence and Divinity." p. 64: "He never told his disciples that he had pre-existed, or that he had had any thing to do before he came into the world; much less that he had made the world" ''The Corruptions of Christianity.''</ref><ref>Sanford, Charles B. ''The religious life of Thomas Jefferson'' 1984 p. 112 "The question of the virgin birth occupied a good part of Priestley's book The Corruptions of Christianity [1782]. The account of the miraculous birth of Christ is only found in the first chapters of Matthew and Luke. Priestley suggested that the earliest copies of Matthew and Luke did not have these introductions..."</ref><ref>Priestley, J., 1791c [1783], A General View of the Arguments for the Unity of God; and against the Divinity and Pre-Existence of Christ; from Reason, from the Scriptures, and from History, in Tracts. Printed and Published by the Unitarian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and the Practice of Virtue. Vol. 1, London: The Unitarian Society, pp. 179–214. [Reprint: in Three Tracts by Joseph Priestley, Morrisville, North Carolina: Lulu.com, 2007.]</ref> and Thomas Jefferson.<ref>Smith, Gary Scott ''Faith and the Presidency: From George Washington to George W. Bush'' 2006 p. 463 "In his letter to Priestley, Jefferson identified four possible views of Christ's person: "a member of the God-head," "a being of eternal pre-existence," "a man divinely inspired," "the Herald of truths reformatory of the religions of mankind." He argued that all views of Jesus should be tolerated but clearly preferred the latter." (Smith truncates the original final sentence: "the religions of mankind [in general, but more immediately of that of his countrymen.]")</ref><ref>Steven Waldman ''Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America'' 2008 p. 72 "In 1819, he started over and created a new version called 'The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth,' often referred to now as the Jefferson Bible. In Jefferson's version, Jesus was not divine. The virgin birth – gone."</ref> This view is often described as [[Religion:Adoptionism|adoptionism]], and in the 19th century was also called psilanthropism. [[Biography:Samuel Taylor Coleridge|Samuel Taylor Coleridge]] described himself as having once been a psilanthropist, believing Jesus to be the "real son of Joseph."<ref>Samuel Taylor Coleridge, ''Biographia Literaria'', Volume I (1817), Chapter 10: "For I was at that time and long after... yet a zealous Unitarian in religion; more accurately, I was a Psilanthropist, one of those who believe our Lord to have been the real son of Joseph" [http://www.online-literature.com/view.php/biographia-literaria/10] Later, however, Coleridge changed his mind (Chapter 24): "But this I have said, and shall continue to say: that if the doctrines, the sum of which I believe to constitute the truth in Christ, be Christianity, then Unitarianism is not, and vice versa." [http://www.online-literature.com/coleridge/biographia-literaria/24/]</ref> [[Biography:Friedrich Schleiermacher|Friedrich Schleiermacher]], sometimes called "the father of [[Philosophy:Liberal Christianity|liberal theology]]",<ref name="L74">Robert Paul Lightner, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=XkuJ-5iZL4kC&pg=PA74 Handbook of Evangelical Theology: A historical, Biblical, and contemporary survey and review]'', Kregel Publications, 1995, {{ISBN|0-8254-3145-X}}, pp. 74–75.</ref> was one of many German theologians who departed from the idea of personal ontological pre-existence of Christ, teaching that "Christ was not God but was created as the ideal and perfect man whose sinlessness constituted his divinity."<ref name="L74" /> Similarly, [[Biography:Albrecht Ritschl|Albrecht Ritschl]] rejected the pre-existence of Christ, asserting that Christ was the "Son of God" only in the sense that "God had revealed himself in Christ"<ref name="L74" /> and Christ "accomplished a religious and ethical work in us which only God could have done."<ref name="L74" /> Later, Rudolf Bultmann described the pre-existence of Christ as "not only irrational but utterly meaningless."<ref>Rudolf Bultmann, "New Testament and Mythology," in Craig A. Evans (ed), ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=79eUl6_MrpIC&pg=PA328 The Historical Jesus: Critical Concepts in Religious Studies, Volume 1]'', Routledge, 2004, {{ISBN|0-415-32751-2}}, p. 328.</ref>

==In art==
[[File:Damian. The Ancient of Days.jpg|thumb|''The Ancient of Days'', a 14th-century fresco from [[Ubisi]], [[Place:Georgia (country)|Georgia]]]]
When the [[Religion:The Trinity in art|Trinity is depicted in art]], the Logos is normally shown with the distinctive appearance, and cruciform halo that identifies Christ; in depictions of the [[Religion:Garden of Eden|Garden of Eden]] this looks forward to an incarnation yet to occur. In some Early Christian sarcophagi, the Logos is distinguished with a beard, "which allows him to appear ancient, even preexistent."<ref>Heidi J. Hornik and Mikeal Carl Parsons, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=BmWpMKaDBVUC&pg=PA34 Interpreting Christian Art: Reflections on Christian art]'', Mercer University Press, 2003, {{ISBN|0-86554-850-1}}, pp. 32–35.</ref>

In Eastern Orthodox theology, the Old Testament title ''[[Religion:Ancient of Days|Ancient of Days]]'', signifying God's eternal and uncreated nature, is commonly held to identify the pre-existence of [[Religion:God the Son|God the Son]]. Most of the eastern Church Fathers who comment on the passage in Daniel (7:9-10, 13–14) interpreted the elderly figure as a prophetic revelation of the Son before his physical incarnation.<ref>{{Cite journal|url = http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_early_christian_studies/summary/v007/7.1mckay.html|title = "The Eastern Christian Exegetical Tradition of Daniel's Vision of the Ancient of Days"|last = McKay|first = Gretchen K.|date = 1999|journal = Journal of Early Christian Studies|volume = 7|pages = 139–161|doi = 10.1353/earl.1999.0019|s2cid = 170245894|url-access = subscription}}</ref> As such, Eastern Christian art will sometimes portray Jesus Christ as an old man, the Ancient of Days, to show symbolically that he existed from all eternity, and sometimes as a young man, or wise baby, to portray him as he was incarnate. This iconography emerged in the 6th century, mostly in the [[Place:Byzantine Empire|Byzantine Empire]] with elderly images, although usually not properly or specifically identified as "the Ancient of Days."<ref>Cartlidge and Elliott, 69-72</ref>

==See also==
* [[Religion:Christophany|Christophany]]
* [[Religion:Logos (Christianity)|Logos (Christianity)]], a term in Western philosophy
* Trinity (Andrei Rublev)
* [[Philosophy:Eternal Buddha|Eternal Buddha]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{Refbegin}}
* Borgen, Peder. ''Early Christianity and Hellenistic Judaism''. Edinburgh: T & T Clark Publishing. 1996.
* Brown, Raymond. ''An Introduction to the New Testament''. New York: Doubleday. 1997.
* Dunn, J. D. G., ''Christology in the Making'', London: SCM Press. 1989.
* Ferguson, Everett. ''Backgrounds in Early Christianity''. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing. 1993.
* Greene, Colin J. D. ''Christology in Cultural Perspective: Marking Out the Horizons''. Grand Rapids: InterVarsity Press. Eerdmans Publishing. 2003.
* Haight, R. ''Jesus Symbol of God''. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books. 1999.
* Holt, Bradley P. ''Thirsty for God: A Brief History of Christian Spirituality''. Minneapolis: Fortress Press. 2005.
* Letham, Robert. ''The Work of Christ''. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press. 1993.
* Macleod, Donald. ''The Person of Christ''. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press. 1998.
* [[Biography:Alister McGrath|McGrath, Alister]]. ''Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought''. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. 1998.
* [[Biography:John Macquarrie|Macquarrie, J.]] ''Jesus Christ in Modern Thought''. London: SCM Press. 1990.
* Norris, Richard A. Jr. ''The Christological Controversy''. Philadelphia: Fortress Press. 1980.
* [[Biography:Gerald O'Collins|O'Collins, Gerald]]. ''Salvation for All: God's Other Peoples''. Oxford: [[Organization:Oxford University Press|Oxford University Press]]. 2008.
* {{long dash}} ''Christology: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Study of Jesus.'' Oxford: [[Organization:Oxford University Press|Oxford University Press]]. 2009.
* Pelikan, Jaroslav. ''Development of Christian Doctrine: Some Historical Prolegomena''. London: Yale University Press. 1969.
* {{long dash}} ''The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition (100–600)''. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1971.
* Tyson, John R.'' Invitation to Christian Spirituality: An Ecumenical Anthology''. New York: Oxford University Press. 1999.
* Wilson, R. Mcl. ''Gnosis and the New Testament''. Philadelphia: Fortress Press. 1968.
* Witherington, Ben III. ''The Jesus Quest: The Third Search for the Jew of Nazareth''. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press. 1995.
{{Refend}}

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[[Category:Christian terminology]]
[[Category:Christology]]
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