Kenosis, as a theological concept, derives from the Greek word kenosis (κένωσις), meaning “emptying,” which appears in Philippians 2:7, where the Apostle Paul speaks of Christ "emptying himself" in the incarnation by taking on human form. This passage refers to the humility and self-sacrifice of Christ in becoming human, yet without ceasing to be divine. However, the Kenotic heresy (or Kenoticism) emerged in the 19th century as a distorted interpretation of this concept, teaching that Christ emptied himself of certain divine attributes (such as omnipotence, omniscience, or omnipresence) in order to become truly human. This belief conflicts with the historic Christian doctrine of the hypostatic union, which maintains that Christ is fully God and fully man, with both divine and human natures perfectly united in one person without any diminishing of his divine nature.
History of Kenoticism
Biblical Foundation: The term kenosis comes from Philippians 2:5-7, where Paul writes:
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men."
The early church fathers and orthodox Christian theologians understood this passage to refer to Christ's self-humiliation, meaning that he willingly assumed human nature and the limitations that come with it (such as hunger, fatigue, and suffering) without relinquishing any aspect of his divine nature. Orthodox theology holds that Christ's divine nature remained fully intact during the incarnation.
Kenoticism in the 19th Century: Kenotic theology as a formalized doctrine emerged in the 19th century in Germany and England, primarily within liberal Protestant theology. Theologians like Gottfried Thomasius, Charles Gore, and others sought to explain how the divine and human natures of Christ could coexist, especially in light of Enlightenment rationalism and the developing scientific worldview. They suggested that in becoming incarnate, Christ voluntarily emptied himself of certain divine attributes, such as omniscience or omnipresence, in order to experience true human existence. This form of Kenoticism attempted to address the question of how Christ could genuinely suffer, learn, and grow if he retained all of his divine powers and knowledge.
Kenoticism and Its Appeal: Kenotic theology was appealing to 19th-century theologians because it seemed to offer a way of making sense of the incarnation that aligned with modern philosophical concerns about the human and divine natures in Christ. By proposing that Christ voluntarily limited his divine attributes, it aimed to preserve the real humanity of Christ, emphasizing that his experiences of suffering, growth, and temptation were genuine and not mere appearances.
Theology of Kenoticism
Kenoticism reinterprets the nature of the incarnation in ways that deviate from the traditional understanding of the relationship between Christ’s divine and human natures. The key theological claims of Kenoticism include:
Voluntary Limitation of Divine Attributes: Kenotic theologians argue that in the incarnation, Christ voluntarily gave up or limited some of his divine attributes, such as omnipotence (all-powerful), omnipresence (present everywhere), and omniscience (all-knowing), to fully experience the limitations of human existence. They believed that this was necessary for Christ to be truly human and to experience growth, suffering, and learning.
Full Humanity of Christ: Kenoticism emphasizes the real humanity of Jesus by asserting that Christ experienced human life in the same way as any other person. For Kenoticists, this means that Christ had to experience human limitations, such as ignorance of future events, tiredness, or lack of power in certain situations. By "emptying" himself of some of his divine attributes, Christ could experience human limitations fully, including real temptation and suffering.
Dynamic Incarnation: Kenotic theology often describes the incarnation as a dynamic process in which Christ continues to give up certain divine prerogatives throughout his earthly life. This idea contrasts with the static view of the incarnation held by traditional theology, where Christ retains his full divinity from the moment of conception, without limitation, while taking on a true human nature.
Why Kenoticism is Heretical
Kenoticism is considered heretical by historic Christian orthodoxy for several reasons, particularly because it misrepresents the nature of Christ's divinity in the incarnation and contradicts the Chalcedonian Definition (451 AD), which established the orthodox view of the person of Christ as possessing two natures—divine and human—without confusion, without change, without division, and without separation.
Denial of the Fullness of Christ's Divinity: Kenoticism undermines the doctrine of Christ's full divinity by suggesting that he gave up essential divine attributes. According to orthodox Christology, Christ is fully divine and fully human. The Council of Chalcedon affirmed that in the incarnation, Christ did not lose or relinquish his divine nature but rather assumed human nature in addition to his divinity. Therefore, Christ's divine attributes (such as omniscience and omnipotence) remained intact, even though he willingly chose to experience human limitations in his humanity.
Misinterpretation of Philippians 2:7: Kenoticism misinterprets Paul's statement in Philippians 2:7 about Christ "emptying himself." The traditional understanding is that Christ’s "emptying" refers to his self-humiliation and self-lowering—not the surrender of divine attributes. Christ did not cease to be God or divest himself of his divine powers, but he voluntarily chose not to exercise those powers in certain ways, choosing instead to live as a servant and to suffer in obedience to the Father’s will.
Contradiction of the Hypostatic Union: The orthodox doctrine of the hypostatic union, as defined by the Council of Chalcedon, teaches that Christ's divine and human natures are united in one person, without mixing or diminishing either nature. Christ's divine nature is fully divine, and his human nature is fully human. Kenoticism’s suggestion that Christ could temporarily set aside divine attributes threatens the integrity of this union and leads to a diminished understanding of Christ’s divine nature.
Undermining Christ's Role as Mediator: In orthodox theology, Christ's role as the mediator between God and humanity depends on his being fully God and fully human. If Christ had emptied himself of divinity, he could not truly mediate between God and man, nor could his death on the cross have the infinite value necessary for the salvation of all humanity. Kenoticism weakens this central aspect of Christian soteriology.
Historic Christian Orthodox View
The historic Christian orthodox view of the incarnation and the person of Christ was articulated at the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) and summarized in the Chalcedonian Definition, which remains the definitive statement of Christology in orthodox Christian theology. According to this view:
Two Natures, One Person: Christ is one person with two distinct natures—fully divine and fully human. These two natures exist "without confusion, without change, without division, and without separation." This means that Christ's divine nature was not altered, diminished, or set aside in the incarnation, and his human nature is not overwhelmed or absorbed by his divinity.
Christ’s Full Divinity: Orthodox Christology teaches that Christ remained fully God during the incarnation. His divine attributes—such as omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence—remained intact. Christ could voluntarily refrain from using these attributes in certain situations, but he never ceased to possess them.
Christ’s Full Humanity: Christ also became fully human, experiencing real human emotions, physical limitations, and suffering. However, these limitations existed in his human nature, not in his divine nature. The mystery of the incarnation is that Christ, without ceasing to be God, became truly human in order to redeem humanity.
Salvation Through the Hypostatic Union: Orthodox Christian theology affirms that the hypostatic union—the perfect union of Christ's two natures—was essential for the salvation of humanity. Christ had to be both fully God (to overcome sin and death) and fully human (to represent humanity) in order to serve as the perfect mediator and atone for human sin.
Modern Day Iterations of Kenoticism
Though Kenoticism is not as prominent as some other heresies today, elements of Kenotic theology can still be found in modern theological movements and discussions, especially in liberal Protestantism and some branches of process theology. Examples include:
Liberal Protestantism: Some modern liberal theologians have embraced variations of Kenoticism to make the incarnation more palatable to contemporary sensibilities. They emphasize Christ’s humanity to the point of suggesting that he limited or suspended certain divine attributes during his earthly ministry. This view is often presented as a way to make sense of how Christ could experience suffering, temptation, and ignorance while still being God.
Process Theology: In process theology, which views God as changeable and developing over time, there is often a kenotic element in which God is seen as limiting divine power or knowledge to allow for genuine human freedom. While not explicitly the same as classical Kenoticism, process theology's emphasis on God’s self-limitation echoes some Kenotic themes.
Open Theism: Some aspects of open theism, which teaches that God does not know the future in absolute terms and interacts with creation in real time, have been influenced by Kenotic thinking. Open theists argue that God voluntarily limits His knowledge or power in order to allow for true human freedom. Though not directly related to the Kenosis of Christ, this view shares the idea of divine self-limitation, which parallels certain aspects of Kenotic theology.
Conclusion
Kenoticism is a theological error that distorts the doctrine of the incarnation by suggesting that Christ voluntarily gave up or limited some of his divine attributes to become truly human. While it originated in the 19th century as an attempt to reconcile the humanity and divinity of Christ in light of modern philosophical concerns, it contradicts the historic Christian doctrine of the hypostatic union, as defined by the Council of Chalcedon. Orthodox Christian theology maintains that Christ is fully God and fully man, possessing both divine and human natures without diminishing or altering either. Though Kenoticism is less prominent today, its influence can still be found in certain strands of liberal theology and process thought, which seek to emphasize God’s self-limitation. The orthodox view, however, firmly holds that Christ’s divine nature was never compromised in the incarnation, and that the fullness of his divinity and humanity is essential for the work of salvation.