Supralapsarian Christology and Theological Grammar

Exploring Speculative Tension Through Barth and Balthasar

Abstract

This article engages with supralapsarian Christology, that is, the idea that the cause of the incarnation precedes the fall, to actualize the axiomatic tension between speculation and God’s abiding mystery. Taking a cue from Kathryn Tanner, I present the maintenance of this tension as an instance of theological grammar. I initially hypothesize that approaching supralapsarian Christology without adequate theological grammar plays God’s mystery and theological speculation off each other. The article then grounds this hypothesis by inquiring into Karl Barth’s and Hans Urs von Balthasar’s approaches to supralapsarian Christology. While they aim to overcome supralapsarian Christology, I contend that both fail to maintain this axiomatic tension. The reason is that both theologians are radically Christocentric to the degree that their theologies fall apart without the incarnation. Consequently, their attempts to overcome spec-ulative inquiry stand in tension with their doctrines of revelation, creation, and grace. Considering these areas of conflict, I argue that reflection on supralapsarian Christology might help bring greater awareness of this axiomatic tension in contemporary theology to the surface. I conclude by giving three theological grammatical rules of thumb that show how supralapsarian Christology might help to develop this theological grammar.