The How and Who of Christology: or How to Keep Your Distance from the One Thing that Matters

Bonhoeffer reminds us all that our study of Christ (Christology) begins with the question of Who? Sounds simple enough... but not really. Most followers of Christ, myself included, quickly assume that we have figured out the Who question and now it is time for only the How? We know who Christ is...at least we think we do and then we set off with endless attempts to cover up our humanity. I am victim of this type of faith most every day. I am guilty. I tell people how to have a relationship with Christ. I influence them on how they should live under the direction of God. I explain how Christianity is more supreme, even cool, and doctrinally sound than other religions and faiths. I pray about how I can do more, believe more, pray more, and understand God more. But where in the New Testament does it tell us to be addicted to the question of How?
Shouldn't our faith be more authentic than to spend so much time wondering how we can live our faith? As if our faith is something outside ourselves that we can gain ground or lose ground depending on how much faith we have for the day!
Who? Who are you Christ? Who is this Jesus of Nazareth? Who is the incarnate one who yearns to be connected with humanity? Who is this one who came not as a stategy or influence to win us over...but the one who came to bind himself to the human condition and therefore humanity itself?
You see how the question of How? wrecks things. We now are completely free of knowing the divine being who we refer to as God. We can skip the Who? and return to our strategic ways of trying to impress God long before we even seriously considered him. Bonhoeffer writes, "How?...is the serpent's question while Who?...proves its asker is ready to listen."
It's the season of Advent...or soon to be. We should do ourselves a service and begin asking the right question. How?..will come later but now it is time for us to ask Who? Let's ignore the impersonal question in favor of a personal question. Let's not imprison Jesus behind theoretical questions and dialogue. It is impossible to do such a thing anyway. We must pray that God gives us the courage to ask the question of Who? For to ask it may lead us to answers that are dangerous, risky, and mysterious.
Maybe my job, among other believers, is to take a rest on the tiresome attempt of trying to influence others to follow Christ 'according to my interpretation.' Rather, allow God to give me what it takes to live an incarnational life. Not a life of influence but a life of incarnational relationships.
Jesus is alive and active in the world. Even to write it make me wonder how much I believe it. But my faith can only grow if I realize that I must keep asking the who question much more than the how question. My Christology tells me that the how should take place naturally if the incarnational life exists in me.

Take another look above at Mary in Henry O'Tanner's Annunciation. Her face conveys the right question.