Michael Omege talk - African Philosophy of Religion Scholarly Lecture Series

Topic: Beyond Deep Incarnation: Soteriological Form, Dialogical Necessity, and the Cosmic Logos-Event

Michael Omoge (University of Alberta, Canada)

Wednesday, March 25th, 2026
18.30 – 19.30 GMT

ZOOM Link: https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/86220828193

Abstract
Niels Henrik Gregersen’s deep incarnation program corrects the ontological geocentricity error in classical Christology: the Logos assumed rational creaturely nature as such, not human nature
specifically. This paper argues the correction is incomplete. The soteriological form of the Logos event — cross, resurrection, sacrifice — retains its Earth-local contingency while functioning as a
universal template. This is the geocentricity error one level down. Correcting it requires identifying what any Logos-event must accomplish independent of local form. I argue that the answer follows
from Trinitarian structure: incarnation is constitutively dialogical. A God whose inner life is mutual self-giving cannot relate to intelligent creatures through presence producing no creaturely awareness without ceasing to be Trinitarian. Cross and resurrection are the form this mutual knowing takes when creaturely fallenness is biological, mortal, and historically particular — real and sufficient for Earth, not diminished by being local. This dialogical necessity argument grounds a three-tier cosmology of divine presence distinguished by dialogical capacity rather than biology, separates salvation from eschatology on principled grounds, and identifies the universal invariant of any Logos event while leaving its local soteriological form open. The result completes the geocentricity correction at both levels.Niels Henrik Gregersen’s deep incarnation program corrects the ontological geocentricity error in classical Christology: the Logos assumed rational creaturely nature as such, not human nature specifically. This paper argues the correction is incomplete. The soteriological form of the Logos event — cross, resurrection, sacrifice — retains its Earth-local contingency while functioning as a universal template. This is the geocentricity error one level down. Correcting it requires identifying what any Logos-event must accomplish independent of local form. I argue that the answer follows from Trinitarian structure: incarnation is constitutively dialogical. A God whose inner life is mutual self-giving cannot relate to intelligent creatures through presence producing no creaturely awareness without ceasing to be Trinitarian. Cross and resurrection are the form this mutual knowing takes when creaturely fallenness is biological, mortal, and historically particular — real and sufficient for Earth, not diminished by being local. This dialogical necessity argument grounds a three-tier cosmology of divine presence distinguished by dialogical capacity rather than biology, separates salvation from eschatology on principled grounds, and identifies the universal invariant of any Logos event while leaving its local soteriological form open. The result completes the geocentricity correction at both levels.

Next Talk: June 2026 - Toyin Falola