Avery Cardinal Dulles was a distinguished Catholic theologian who provided valuable insights into how God communicates with humanity. In his thoughtful work on revelation, he outlined five key models to describe this divine self-disclosure. The first model views revelation as doctrine—timeless truths and teachings conveyed through sacred texts and the Church’s tradition. The second sees it as history, where God reveals Himself through actual events and actions unfolding across time. Third, revelation emerges as inner experience, a deeply personal encounter that stirs the soul and fosters intimate knowledge of God. Fourth, it takes the form of dialectical presence, where God’s word confronts human limitations and sin, demanding a transformative response. Finally, the fifth model presents revelation as new awareness, where symbols, insights, and experiences awaken fresh perspectives and deeper consciousness.
Dulles stressed that these models are complementary rather than contradictory. They offer diverse lenses for understanding divine revelation. When applied to Christology—the theological reflection on the person and mission of Jesus Christ—these models reveal how our comprehension of Christ can evolve dynamically, particularly within a communal setting. This flexible approach encourages believers to integrate various dimensions of faith, avoiding narrow interpretations and embracing a more comprehensive view of how God speaks through Christ.
The Dynamic Role of Synodality in Theology
Pope Francis has placed great emphasis on synodality as an essential characteristic of the Church today. Synodality involves the entire People of God journeying together, engaging in attentive listening, mutual dialogue, and collective discernment under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It goes beyond formal assemblies; it shapes the Church’s daily life, ensuring that voices from all levels—laypeople, clergy, and especially the marginalized—are heard and valued.
This synodal way introduces vitality and movement into theological reflection. It prevents doctrines from becoming static and instead treats them as part of an ongoing pilgrimage. Synodality resonates deeply with Dulles’ historical model of revelation, as God’s self-expression continues through shared human experiences and events and reaches its fullness in the incarnation of Jesus Christ . It also aligns with the model of new awareness, sparking innovative understandings through conversations and symbolic exchanges. In this context, Christology transforms into a collective exploration. By walking together, the faithful encounter Jesus more profoundly, drawing from real-world narratives of joy, pain, and hope.
Pursuing Balance in Christology and Avoiding Docetism
One of the enduring tasks in Christology is to uphold the dual reality of Jesus as fully divine and fully human. Early Church councils affirmed this mystery, declaring that Christ possesses complete humanity alongside undiminished divinity. However, historical and modern imbalances have arisen. Docetism, an early heresy, denied the true humanity of Jesus, suggesting that he only appeared to have a physical body and that his sufferings were not real.
Echoes of docetism linger today when Jesus is depicted primarily as a distant, otherworldly being, detached from ordinary human struggles. This can diminish appreciation for his genuine experiences—his weariness on journeys, his grief over friends’ deaths, his righteous indignation, and his tender compassion for the outcast. Synodality serves as a corrective by rooting theology in lived realities. Through open sharing in synodal gatherings, participants bring forward encounters with Christ amid vulnerability, highlighting his solidarity with human suffering and thus reinforcing the authenticity of his incarnate life.
Raimon Panikkar’s Vision of Christophany
Raimon Panikkar, a profound thinker who wove together Christian faith with insights from Eastern philosophies, proposed the concept of Christophany to deepen our grasp of Christ. Distinct from traditional Christology, which often focuses on doctrinal formulations, Christophany emphasizes the living, experiential appearance of Christ in the world. It is about how Christ manifests Himself personally, cosmically, and relationally.
For Panikkar, Christophany brings the humanity of Jesus into sharp focus. His compassion, vulnerability, and engagement with the world become pathways to encountering the divine. Christ is not confined to the historical figure of Jesus but extends into all creation, revealing God’s presence in the depths of human existence and beyond religious boundaries. This perspective celebrates the fullness of Christ’s humanity—his shared meals with sinners, his healing touch, his agony in Gethsemane—as essential revelations of divine love made tangible and approachable.
Proposing Synodal Christophany as an Emerging Model
Integrating Dulles’ frameworks with Panikkar’s ideas, a fresh model emerges: Synodal Christophany. This approach merges the communal dynamism of synodality with the experiential manifestation of Christ. It draws particularly from revelation as inner experience and dialogical encounter, where people’s reflection on lived realities challenges complacency and unveils Christ’s presence in unexpected ways.
In Synodal Christophany, the Church’s shared journey becomes a space for Christ to appear vividly, especially through the stories of those on the peripheries—the impoverished, the culturally overlooked, and the environmentally displaced. This model directly counters any docetic leanings by centering on Jesus’ embodied compassion: a Christ who truly enters human history, feels its pains, and responds with mercy. It fosters a theology that is alive, relational, and rooted in mutual accompaniment alongside Christ and his Church.
Implications for Discipleship in Goa and India
In regions like Goa and the wider Indian context, Synodal Christophany holds immense promise for renewing Christian life. Goa’s Catholic community, shaped by centuries of cultural fusion, and India’s diverse spiritual landscape with its social inequalities, provide fertile ground for this model. Local synodal initiatives—parish discussions, diocesan forums—can highlight Christ’s humanity in concrete actions: extending compassion to lower castes and the tribals , advocating for ecological justice in threatened areas, or promoting harmony across faiths.
Discipleship evolves from solitary practice to a communal following of Jesus, where believers live out his dual nature through service and solidarity (mission). This shift invigorates the Church, making it a more authentic witness in a pluralistic society, responsive to contemporary challenges.
Conclusion
Through the lens of Dulles’ models and enriched by synodality and Panikkar’s Christophany, we can develop Christologies that truly honor the Incarnation. This path leads away from distortions like docetism toward a vibrant affirmation of Jesus’ complete humanity as the core of divine revelation. In Goa and India, embracing Synodal Christophany can profoundly transform discipleship, forming communities that reflect Christ’s compassionate heart. Ultimately, it beckons the Church to embody the mystery of God-made-human, journeying with humanity in love, justice, and hope.
