The Coherence of Christian Theology IX

[Note: This completes this series of posts. The entire series can be found here on this blog. I have also posted it here as a single html document.] Conclusion It may not be hyperbole, nor redundant, to say that for Christianity everything is in some way a reflection of Christology. Ecclesiology is founded on a [...]

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The Coherence of Christian Theology VIII

The Incarnation and Mary We have already seen how the Incarnation is not just an isolated point of doctrine among a list of other points of doctrine which Christians are called to believe. Rather, the Incarnation is the foundation and limit of all our doctrines, from the Holy Trinity, to salvation, to the Church and [...]

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The Coherence of Christian Theology VII

[Note: It's been over a month since my last entry in this series. The entire series can be found here. Once complete, I will format the entire series into a single html document and will post the URL for those interested.] The Incarnation and the Sacraments When one turns to the Sacraments, or the Mysteries, [...]

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The Coherence of Christian Theology VI

The Incarnation and the Church The Incarnation is not only the dogmatic center from which the spokes of the Trinity, union with God, and the Resurrection extend, but it is the doctrinal foundation of the Church as well. In fact, I do not think it too hyperbolic to state that ecclesiology is Christology. What we [...]

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The Coherence of Christian Theology V

The Incarnation and the Resurrection The bodily Resurrection of Jesus from the dead follows necessarily from the Incarnation. If it was essential to God’s work of accomplishing our salvation that Jesus be fully human and fully divine, that is to say, if it was essential that Jesus have a human body, then the human body [...]

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The Coherence of Christian Theology IV

The Incarnation and Union with God The Incarnation is the lynch pin to the Christian understanding of union with God. In some religions, union with God is accomplished through the acceptance of esoteric doctrines regarding God. In other religions, union with God is accomplished by the divesting of the illusion of selfhood and personhood, the [...]

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The Coherence of Christian Theology III

The Incarnation and the Trinity Without the Incarnation, we would have no certain knowledge of the Trinity. We would have hints and indications, for our Christ-centered reading can now see them in the holy texts of the Old Testament. But we would have no clear revelation from God. Only the revelation of God in Christ [...]

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The Coherence of Christian Theology II

The Reality of the Incarnation Let’s be absolutely clear on this: if one does not understand the Incarnation correctly, one will not live correctly other Christian doctrines. If one tends to emphasize the divine attributes of Jesus (and thus in some way to deny the human aspects), in sort of a Gnosticism or adoptionism, then [...]

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The Coherence of Christian Theology I

[Note: This is the first post of a multi-part essay on the Incarnation.] Introduction It all starts with the Incarnation. Take away the Incarnation and all of Christian theology falls apart. Christianity is utterly unique—whatever similarities it shares with other faiths—on this one point alone: it teaches as non-negotiable dogma that Jesus is God-made-flesh. Take [...]

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