19th – early 20th century

Kenotic theories, Dorner's "gradual Incarnation" and Forsyth

In the 19th century, according to Lane, it was felt that the traditional doctrine of the incarnation did not do enough justice to the human nature of Christ. The kenotic theory relied on Phil 2:7 and 2 Cor 8:9: Christ "emptied himself". According to Thomasius, the Logos temporarily divested himself of the relative attributes (omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience) while retaining the moral ones; according to Gess, the Logos literally reduced himself to human nature; Ebrard and Martensen spoke of a double life of the Logos. Dorner, a representative of the Mediating school, taught that the Incarnation would have taken place even without sin, and that the Logos united with the humanity gradually, reaching the highest degree not before the Resurrection. Forsyth accepted kenosis but held that the attributes become "latent", followed by plerosis – the gradual moral conquest of the divine attributes in the earthly life.