Incarnation

• Incarnate


  being made flesh(God in Human Form)
• Doctrine of Incarnation

  God took on the full limitations of the human condition when he became Jesus.

  The incarnation shows that God loves the human race (through his salvation and act of becoming human)
• The annunciation (Luke's Gospel):


  -Angel announcing the birth

  -Mary accepts God's will, 'let it be with me according to your word'.

  -Conceived by the Holy Spirit. 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you'. The Holy Spirit (God's grace) is working amongst people
• The Annunciation- Matthews Gospel


  -Angel announcing the birth

  -'They shall name him Emmanuel'. (Means God is with us).

  -'Found to be with child from the Holy Spirit'.

  -Shows Jesus as the son of God who is present with the people and will save them. 'He will sage his people from their sins'.
• The Word of God (John 1)


  - 'In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God... The Word became flesh.'

  - Shows Jesus co-existed with the father, and is therefore eternal. Particularly in the beginning showing this.

  -God (The Word) took on the human nature as Jesus

  - The Word is an expression of love - becoming flesh shows God's saving love for all.
• Son of Man


  • Often used by Jesus to talk about himself.

  • Could be reference to Jesus as a normal person, as 'I'.

  • Could be a reference to the figure of authority in Daniel 7 (OT) who comes to signal the arrival of God's judgment.

  • Often linked to Jesus' suffering: Jesus can only suffer if he is fully human.

  • Jesus said, 'Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins'. Showing he used it to show he was human and would suffer but is also divine.
• Son of God


  • In the trial before the Sanhedrin (Jewish Council), Jesus responds 'I am' when asked directly whether he is the Son of God. (Linked to God's words in Exodus 3:14).

  • Shares in God's power: Jesus works miracles; unclean spirits recognise that Jesus is God.

  • Jesus is divine, Son of the Father. Second Person of the Trinity.

  • Resurrection: Shows that Jesus is God.
• Ichthus(fish)


  a symbol of a fish, based on a Greek acronym that translates as 'Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour

  
• Alpha and Omega


  used to indicate that God and Jesus are involved in everything from the beginning to the end

  -"The Alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end"

  -'I am the Alpha and the Omega; says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come the Almighty

  
• Chi-Rho


  A symbol for Christ consisting of the first two letters of Christ in Greek

  - a reminder of the death of Jesus

  
• Art/Statues Positives:

  o Help people to concentrate on certain aspects of Jesus' life and teachings

  o Jesus was fully human so can be depicted in art/statues. As Jesus is also God it is acceptable to depict God.

  o Jesus came for all people so it is accept to represent Jesus in any ethnicity

  o Artistic representatives can help people to focus on spiritual ideas.
• Art/Statues Negatives

  o Second commandment forbid it - 'worship false idols'. Jews, Muslims, Baptists and Methodists

  o Jesus as God the Son is infinite therefore should not be represented in human (finite) form

  o Could give the impress that the image or statue is being worshipped.

  o Can lead to false interpretations. Sola scriptura - scripture alone is all that is needed.
• The Sacred Heart of Jesus

  -An expression of peace and love

  -Flames coming from the heart which shows the burning love that Jesus has for all people

  -A hole/piercing through the heart to represent one of the soldiers piercing Jesus' side with a spear after he died

  -Holes in the hands from where Jesus was nailed to the cross

  -One of Jesus' hands pointing to his heart to draw attention to it

  -A crown of thorns surrounding the heart to represent the crown that was placed on Jesus'head when he was mocked by the soldiers at his crucifixion
• Power of symbols


  express something that can be difficult to express in words, can portray complex/abstract truths about God. They can direct the mind to something beyond them. Used in religious ceremonies, liturgical items such as vestments candles.
• Other statues

  Statues: Crucifix, Sacred heart, Christ the Redeemer
• Moral teachngs of Jesus

  'I have not come to abolish the law but to fulfil'.

  - Jesus has authority as God, (The Word) to teach.

  - He is bringing God's message to people because he is God.

  - Beatitudes - Jesus shows his followers a deeper understanding of the call to love God, not just observing the commandments but also through a change of attitude which affects people's actions.

  -Sheep and Goats - just as you did it to one of the least of these ... you did it to me'.

  - Sheep and Goats - duty to those in need 'preferential option for the poor' and God will judge us on this.
• St Iranaeus teachings about Jesus


  - Jesus is eternal like the father.

  -The Son reveals God to people, shows people what God is like. 'Whoever has seen me as seen the Father'. 'He revealed God to men'

  -Reveals humanity to God: Jesus has the full experience of a human being meaning God has a true understanding of human nature through the Son. 'Presented men to God'.

  - Reveals God but only a limited version of God because 'he safeguards His invisibility'. Humans can only see limited things. (1 person of the Trinity)

  - Through Jesus (The Word) humans receive God's grace: his love through his salvation.

  - Jesus is the perfect human being, human qualities are therefore shown in their purest state. He therefore set the example that all people are called to follow.
• Different Understandings of the incarnation

  Magisterium

  - Ensuring people understand that Jesus is 100% divine and 100% human equally.

  -Dei Verbum:

  o 'the Word made flesh was sent as a man to men' Has a fully human nature

  o 'God is with us to set us free from the darkness'. Jesus brings salvation and defeats sin

  -Verbum Domini

  o 'The eternal word became small' - God deliberately limited himself so that humans could make sense of God's love.

  o 'Does not his own will but that of the Father'. Doing God's will always not his own.

  o Resurrection shows Jesus' divinity.
• What is Grace?


  -Is God's (free) gift for all people which is His love.

  -It is the mutual love of the Father for the Son in the Holy Spirit. This love of God unites the three persons of the Trinity and is shared with people so they can share in God's life and love (the divine life)
• Grace Significance


  -People have a choice to accept or reject it.

  • This grace is not earned or deserved but given freely.

  • For Christians Jesus gave us the perfect example in the incarnation of how to live according to God's will and love. It makes people aware of the presence of God among humans. The Spirit of (The Father and Son) is fully alive in the hearts and minds of people.
• The Seven Sacraments

  -Baptism - washes away Original sin

  -Confirmation - receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit

  -Eucharist - communion with Jesus; receiving the life of Christ

  -Reconciliation (Confession) - absolution of sins; relationship with God restored

  -Anointing of the Sick - strength and love of Christ to be courageous in face of illness

  -Holy Orders - given authority of priesthood

  -Marriage - confirms the love between a couple and the love of God in their relationship
• Sacramental Nature


  - Jesus promised 'I will always be with you, until the end of the age'. The present of Christ can be experience/seen in the sacraments

  - Before the incarnation, humans could only appreciate God as a distant, now Christians are able to see God as a living and active presence.

  -Each sacrament is seen as a meeting point with God and an opportunity to welcome Christ into their lives at important moments.

  - The sacraments help to build up holiness of the person, sanctify the life of the believer and make the person a strong witness to the love and presence of God.
• Imago dei & Abortion

  The Annunciation and Visitation (Visit to Elizabeth) shows

  o Life begins at conception - 'the child of my womb leapt for joy'

  o Life is a gift from God - 'Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit'

  · Because life is a gift from God it shows that all life is sacred and holy Imago Dei. 'God created mankind in his image'.

  · Because life is a gift from God and sacred all life should be protected, valued and cared for. Therefore Catholic teaching is against Abortion and Catholics support organisations such as:

  o SPUC - The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (pro-life organisation)

  o Organisations that support people in raising children giving financial, emotion support.

  · All life should be equally loved. Imago dei does not mean everyone looks perfect but rather everyone has divine qualities.
• Extra Info and Quotes


  St Anselm = Clarified Jesus is 100% human and 100% Divine.

  • GOD SENDS JESUS WHO IS 100% DIVINE (HAS THE POWER TO FORGIVE SIN AND IS SINLESS) AND 100% HUMAN (REPRESENTS THE HUMANS WHO NEED THE FORGIVING)

  
  

  Key points from the Nicene Creed

  • Jesus is God

  • Jesus is 'begotten' not 'born' from the Father - he is not subservient to the Father

  • Jesus pre-existed before his birth

  • Jesus is God incarnate

  • Jesus comes to earth and is crucified for our sins

  • Jesus rose again and ascended into heaven

  
  

  Youcat: "In Jesus, God really became one of us and thus our brother; nevertheless, he did not cease to be God at the same time and thus our Lord."