The Difference Jesus Makes: Yuval Noah Harari and Wolfhart Pannenberg on the Shape of Universal History

The Christian confession of who Jesus is must be made in the contested space of conflicting accounts of history. This article compares the shape of universal history set out by Yuval Noah Harari with that of Wolfhart Pannenberg by sketching their accounts of human beginnings, the middle of history, and their view to the future. Harari's secular account can be summarized as the rise and fall of homo sapiens, as historical developments lead to techno-humanism and dataism. Jesus Christ holds no significant place in this narrative. Pannenberg's theological interpretation of history sees it originating in God's self-giving love, climaxing in the Son's revelation, and leading to a new creation. This comparison leads to five propositions on how Christians may speak of who Jesus Christ is today.