Kenosis in the Story of Christ
The word kenosis comes from a Greek term meaning “emptying.” Its best-known Christian use is in Philippians, where a passage describes Christ as taking the form of a servant and humbling himself. The image is not usually understood as Christ discarding divinity like a possession. Rather, it points to a voluntary refusal to use status for self-advantage: divine power is expressed through service and vulnerability.
That distinction matters. Kenosis is not simply having no desires, denying one’s worth, or letting others cause harm. In Christian theology, it describes a chosen lowering of oneself for love, while interpretations differ over exactly what Christ relinquished and how the passage relates to his divine nature.
From Theology to Spiritual Practice
Mystical writers and Christian practitioners have also used kenosis to describe an inward discipline. A person loosens the grip of pride, self-importance, or the insistence that events unfold according to personal preference. The aim is not to become blank, but to become less governed by ego and more receptive to God and attentive to other people.
This makes kenosis an active practice rather than mere passivity. Choosing to listen instead of dominate, or to serve without seeking recognition, can embody its logic. The “emptying” is a surrender of self-advantage, not a claim that a person has no value. That is why the concept can hold together humility and dignity: status is set aside so care can take its place.
