What Is Christianity?

Adolf von Harnack, a prominent German theologian and historian, argued in his seminal work What Is Christianity? that the true relevance of Christianity lies not in rigid dogma but in its historical development. He believed that the essence of Christianity could be found by separating Jesus' original message from later theological accretions, emphasizing the fatherhood of God and the kingdom of God as proclaimed in the Gospels. Harnack's approach sought to replace theological dogmatism with historical understanding, focusing on the historical Jesus rather than the Christ of faith. This perspective challenged traditional Christology and sought a return to the core teachings of Jesus.123