Kenotism
/kɪˈnɒtɪzəm/noun
A theological doctrine emphasizing Christ’s self-emptying or voluntary limitation in becoming human.
Did you know?The concept comes from Philippians 2:7, whose Greek verb kenōsen means “he emptied,” inspiring 19th-century debates about what Christ relinquished during incarnation.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kenos
“Empty, void, or lacking”
New Testament Greek
Greek
kenoō
“To empty or make empty”
1st Century
Greek
ekenōsen
“He emptied himself, in Philippians 2:7”
Late Antiquity
Greek
kenōsis
“Emptying or self-emptying; later used for Christ’s voluntary humility”
19th Century
English
kenotic
“Relating to Christ’s self-emptying in kenotic theology”
19th–20th Century
English
kenotism
“The theological doctrine or theory of divine self-emptying”
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