As previously stated, Woodfin cites James Barr's contention that the predominant grammatico-historical method has led to a tension between an ontological interpretation of Christ and what Woodfin terms as an "event centered Christology." However, Barr goes on to point out that there is another variable, which has contributed to this tension. He contends that an understanding of revelation which has had placed excessive confidence in its understanding of "history" has also contributed to the enmity between the two.
Our seemingly singular anthropocentric understanding of history is problematic in that it fails to acknowledge a more transcendent understanding of the nature of history. German theological vocabulary assists us at this point in that two words or terms were utilized in order to grasp the full significance of history. On the one hand there was "historie" with which term reference was made to the actual events of history as we seen and observe them. To use biblical imagery, the historical facts of the Red Sea parting, the taking of the promised land by the Israelites, the crucifixion of Christ in actual time.
However to understand history in these terms is inadequate. Consequently, the German language utilized another term to speak of history on a more profound and transcendent level. The term was "heilsgeschichte" meaning in its most basic definition "salvation history." It is in this term that the revelational significance of history became significant. In each of these events of "historie" was a higher purpose or significance in that the divine was accomplishing his purposes and fulfilling his providential plans.
It is precisely this distinction to which Barr, and also Woodfin is pointing. The wooden, literal, observable understanding of history fails to take into account this more profound significance of "heilsgeschichte" or "salvation history." Consequently, it seems that Woodfin is pointing out that our understanding of the Christ event is also limited and neglects the philosophical consideration of Christ as the interpretive clue to all of reality.
