Creation and redemption are together one story. Another way of saying that would be to identify a continuity in the divine-human encounter, but “story” encourages us to think more deliberately in terms of narrative structures, in terms, that is, of our own human activity of storytelling. Expression of Christian faith requires use of narrative forms because it consists fundamentally of events and their recitation, not of principles.
____The connecting theme of the one story of creation and redemption is kenosis, which can be defined accurately but not fully as submission to the will of another. Kenosis has its primary focus in the incarnation of God as the man Jesus: the term comes from Philippians 2:7. But kenosis is also how God created, how God redeems us, and what characterizes the disciples of Jesus and their communities.
____ Kenosis pervades every stage of the gospel and therefore every level of Christian theology:

• Kenosis is a narrative element or theme.
• Since kenosis finds itself in narrative and pervades all of the story, therefore there is but one story.
• That one story is why we are beings that understand ourselves according to story (or by stories).
• Kenosis is a reflexive action — what a person does to self.
• Kenosis is, of course, visible in Christ.
• But it is also visible in creation and, indeed, throughout God’s relationship with humanity.
• This continues to be true through and after humanity’s fall into sin.
• Kenosis is the means of our redemption.
• It is also the shape of our faith and discipleship.
• It is, therefore, the shape of the church.