Christus (m/w/d)

Christ, Christa, Christ – A Gender History from Antiquity to Today

God became human in Jesus Christ. But why as a man? Anselm Schubert, in his fascinating portrayal, demonstrates that from antiquity to the present, other – female or androgynous – images of Christ have also held significant power, revealing to us an unknown, remarkably diverse Christianity.

In antiquity, complete humanity was synonymous with complete masculinity: therefore, Christ had to be a man – and chaste to the point of asexuality. In the Middle Ages, gender orders were less rigid: theologians debated whether Christ could have become human as a woman. Mysticism celebrated Christ as a male bridegroom or a female incarnation of God. Kabbalists, alchemists, and prophetesses of the early modern period hoped for the completion of both genders in an androgynous Christ. It was not until the 19th century that the question of how to envision Jesus as a "real," virile man came to the forefront. In the 20th century, feminist theology protested against the emphatically masculine image of the Father-God and His Son with a female Christ. Queer theologians proclaim a gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or polyamorous Jesus. The unquestioned masculinity of Christ is considered the last blind spot in the history of Christianity. Anselm Schubert sheds light on the darkness of patriarchally shaped narratives in his long-overdue, masterfully written book.

"In Christ, the new creature appears as a male virgin." Gottfried Arnold (1666–1714) The Gender of Christ: The Last Blind Spot in the History of Christianity. Groundbreaking: Discussions about the gender of Christ since antiquity. Relevant: Feminist and queer theologians today are intensely reflecting on this topic.