What is "Alter Christus"?

[fate_defensor]

Hi everyone. Last Friday (July 12), my cousin, boyfriend and I attended the Mass in a Catholic Church near our house. When it was in the part of the Homily, the priest mentioned the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi: For the Peace of Christ, and he focuses his preaching on that. When the homily was about to end, the priest mentioned about St. Francis being an “Alter Christus” or “Another Christ”.

The questions are:
What is the meaning of “Alter Christus” or “Another Christ”?
Why is it termed as “Another Christ” instead of other term that would not give false impression to those non-Catholics or ignorant about it?
Who are those called “Alter Christus”?
Is there a biblical basis for this?
Could it be found in the writings of the early Church Fathers?
How could I explain this to a “born again” Christian?

The questions are for my boyfriend (he was a Catholic but later on accepted Christ as his Savior in a non-denominational “born again” Christian sect) and I. It bothered him when the priest said that St. Francis was “another Christ”. He said that the term “Another Christ” is really wrong because there will never be another Christ. I tried to explain to him but he was still not convinced. We are figuring out the “fullness of faith” between Catholicism and Protestantism since I am a Catholic and he is now a born again Christian. I would really appreciate your response guys!

 

[Wesrock]

The term is typically used for priests when they are conducting the sacraments, and it really refers to Christ acting through them with them as instruments for his action. It refers to them participating in Christ (as all Christians do) and Christ working through them.

Vatican II says, “The priest receives a special Sacrament by which, through the anointing of the Holy Spirit, he is conformed to Christ the Priest in such a way that he can act, in Persona Christi, that is, in the very Person of Jesus Christ.”

Being “conformed to Christ” means that the priest must identify with Jesus Christ and not with the pagan world. He must be an alter Christus ----- another Christ. Vatican II reaffirmed this definition. When people see the priest, they must see a reflection of the Lord. They must see His charity, His patience, His love, and, of course, they must see His purity.

And Pope Benedict said,

" As an alter Christus, the priest is profoundly united to the Word of the Father who, in becoming incarnate took the form of a servant, he became a servant (Phil 2: 5-11). The priest is a servant of Christ, in the sense that his existence, configured to Christ ontologically, acquires an essentially relational character: he is in Christ, for Christ and with Christ, at the service of humankind. Because he belongs to Christ, the priest is radically at the service of all people: he is the minister of their salvation, their happiness and their authentic liberation, developing, in this gradual assumption of Christ’s will, in prayer, in “being heart to heart” with him. Therefore this is the indispensable condition for every proclamation, which entails participation in the sacramental offering of the Eucharist and docile obedience to the Church." - Pope Benedict XVI 24 June 2009

You find the notion of in person a christi in 2 Corinthians 2: 8-10

8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Any one whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ

What has been translated as “in the presence of Christ” is actually a Greek idiom which refers to the masks worn by Greek performers in plays. Paul, here, forgives wearing the “face of Christ” (ἐν προσώπῳ Χριστοῦ) acting as Christ because of Christ’s presence with him.

This post is a little scatter brained, but I hope it helps!

 

[BartholomewB]

Here is something else Pope Benedict said a few years ago, specifically about St. Francis as the “Alter Christus”. If you open the link, it’s about two-thirds of the way down.

It has been said that Francis represents an alter Christus , that he was truly a living icon of Christ. He has also been called “the brother of Jesus”. Indeed, this was his ideal: to be like Jesus, to contemplate Christ in the Gospel, to love him intensely and to imitate his virtues. In particular, he wished to ascribe interior and exterior poverty with a fundamental value, which he also taught to his spiritual sons. The first Beatitude of the Sermon on the Mount “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5: 3) found a luminous fulfilment in the life and words of St Francis.

http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20100127.html

 

[Wesrock]

Or, to keep it short, Saint Francis is a prime example of a human being really living in Christ such that people could see a reflection of Jesus’ love and charity through him in their day.

 

[fate_defensor]

Thank you @Wesrock, @BartholomewB for your responses

However, I am having difficulty dealing this topic with him since he already decided for himself the meaning of the term. He was so focused on the literal meaning of the word “another” that he cannot accept the real meaning of “Alter Christus”. For him, St. Francis being “another Christ” is equivalent to replacing Jesus. He doesn’t even want to consider my explanation that somewhat close to yours. He kept on insisting that the Church is wrong in using the term “another Christ”. He even told me that the Church should change it to other terms since there will never be another Christ.

Do you have any suggestions how to deal with Protestants (like my boyfriend) this kind of topic? How could I present a convincing explanation to him that he will let go of the term “another Christ” being equivalent to replacing Jesus so that he could see the real definition behind being an “Alter Christus”?

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

Unfortunately, if he’s going to dig in his heels and be stubborn like that, you can’t explain anything sufficiently to him. That’s a common problem when people don’t want to understand but rather have a deeply-rooted belief that they’re right, you’re wrong for whatever reason. You’re going to have to dig deeper and figure out where that comes from (he may not even consciously know, as it could be a subtle thing that’s been drilled in via the Protestantism in his life or who knows what) and work through that issue first.

 

[Todd_Easton]

St Cyril of Jerusalem, writing in the 4th century, in his Catechetical Lectures, (Lecture XXI. (On the Mysteries. III.) On Chrism.) referred to all Christians as Christs.

 

[BartholomewB]

I can only think of one or two very obvious arguments, but I suppose you’ve probably tried these already. For instance, Catholics believe (as presumably your boyfriend also does) in the Resurrection and the Ascension of Jesus. No such claim is made in the case of St. Francis. Similarly, the Apostles’ Creed still names only the three persons of the Trinity: “I believe in God, the Father almighty, … I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, … I believe in the Holy Spirit, …” If “alter Christus” meant what he thinks it means, the Church would have had to alter the Creed, adding St. Francis’ name to the list.

 

[De_Maria]

The questions are:
What is the meaning of “Alter Christus” or “Another Christ”?

One who prays in Christ’s stead.

2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Why is it termed as “Another Christ” instead of other term that would not give false impression to those non-Catholics or ignorant about it?

What term would you prefer?

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.…29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Who are those called “Alter Christus”?

Anyone who represents Christ. But mostly His priests who administer the Sacraments and pray for the Church in Christ’s stead.

1 Corinthians 4:4Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. …

Is there a biblical basis for this?

Yes.

Luke 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

Could it be found in the writings of the early Church Fathers?

Yes.

Ignatius of Antioch
(A.D. 50-107)
Ep. ad Magnes. n. 6.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 212-213

“I exhort you that ye study to do all things in a divine unanimity, the bishop holding presidency in the place of God; and the presbyters in the place of the council of Apostles; and the deacons most dear to me, entrusted with the service of Jesus Christ… Be ye made one with the bishop, and with those who preside for a pattern and lesson of incorruption.”

Tertullian of Carthage
200 AD
On Repentance 10:1,6

Why do you flee from the partners of your misfortunes as you would from those who deride? The body is not able to take pleasure in the trouble of one of its members. It must necessarily grieve as a whole and join in laboring for a remedy….With one and two individuals, there is the Church [cf. Matt 18:17ff]; and the Church indeed is Christ. Therefore, when you cast yourself at the knees of the brethren, you are dealing with Christ, you are entreating Christ.

St. Athanasius of Alexandria
295 – 373 AD
On the Gospel of Luke 19

Just as a man is enlightened by the Holy Spirit when he is baptized by a priest, so he who confesses his sins with a repentant heart obtains their remission from the priest.

How could I explain this to a “born again” Christian?

Patiently. But don’t let them bully you, either. They have discarded the Traditions of Jesus Christ and are interpreting the word of God according to their own whims. Our authority rests in Christ and His Church.

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

[Mary888]

St Cyril of Jerusalem, writing in the 4th century, in his Catechetical Lectures, (Lecture XXI. (On the Mysteries. III.) On Chrism.) referred to all Christians as Christs.

Thank you for the article! I read it. Nowhere did I find the term “Christians as Christs” in the article. Instead the article explains about receiving the title of being the image of Christs (like man was created in the image of God) not “another Christ” as in equal and parallel to Christ.
Same as man was created in the image of God but not “another God.” parallel to Him and equal to Him.

 

[po18guy]

From the King James Version (newer bibles are not as clear on this point)

Luke 10:16 “He who hears you hears Me. He who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects the One Who sent Me.”

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

2 Corinthians 2:10 “To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ”

Colossians 1:24 “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church”

John 20:22-23 “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”

Matthew 18:18-20 “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

There are others, but we cannot forget the consistent practice of the Church since AD33 - both Catholic and Orthodox. Then, in 1500s Europe, all of this was changed: that is the error which they have been taught.

 

[Todd_Easton]

Nowhere did I find the term “Christians as Christs”

All “ye” Christians are called “Christs” in the second and third sentences of the article, bold emphasis mine:

1. Having been baptized into Christ , and put on Christ [2415], ye have been made conformable to the Son of God; for God having foreordained us unto adoption as sons [2416], made us to be conformed to the body of Christ’s glory [2417]. Having therefore become partakers of Christ [2418], ye are properly called Christs, and of you God said, Touch not My Christs [2419], or anointed. Now ye have been made Christs, by receiving the antitype [2420] of the Holy Ghost; and all things have been wrought in you by imitation [2421], because ye are images of Christ.