Qin, Daniel2019-09-252019-09-252016-04-0120150118-8534http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/236483"Besides the two approaches discussed above, some scholars argue for an alternative approach. It is commonly known that the “from below” approach stresses a “functional” process while the “from above” approach is an “ontological” perspective, which views Jesus Christ according to his “ontological” identity despite what he said and did.1 According to Erickson, Reginald H. Fuller insists that in the early Jewish stage the reference to Jesus was primarily “functional”; only in the Gentile mission an “ontic” statement began to emerge.2 However, the “functional” language assumes “ontological” realities."engWith permission of the license/copyright holderontologicalidentityJesusJesus of historyChrist of faithReligious ethicsChristian denominationsGlobal Church History and World ChristianityDogmaticsJesus ChristArticle