AHSS 2360 Lecture 7: Christianity: Theology and Practice P1
28 Jun 2018
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Week 7: Christianity
Incarnation: God taking flesh, becoming human; in Christianity, of course, God becomes human in Jesus
Christ, combining both a divine and human nature
-This will have a significant effect on the development of Christianity: it can be positive because it
means God is something like us and we are something like God (e.g., God can suffer)
-But it can be dangerous if we do not recognize the difference between God and ourselves (also
the danger of the incarnation being similar to ancient Greek and Roman myths about their gods)
The Cross
-Historically, the image of the cross is prior to Christianity; it will give it new meanings
-In early Christianity, the cross symbol was not much used (it was an embarrassment, a signal of
humiliating death)
-is a symbol of sacrifice; also a symbol of forgiveness & God’s love (willingness to sacrifice his
son)
-means spiritual (and ultimate) victory through physical suffering, a way to give suffering
meaning
Trinity
-Term not found in New Testament; First appears in 2nd CE; becomes formal doctrine in 4th CE
-Offered three models of experience with God (three persons with one nature): God as Father
with parental tenderness; God as Son who takes human flesh, one who suffers; and God as
Spirit, who gives life and spiritual gifts
-Some Christians then and today reject the idea
Nicene Creed
-The closest to a statement of Christian faith that we have, a distillation of core beliefs
-Created at a church council around 325 CE; It establishes Christian orthodoxy, or right belief
-Some Protestant groups do not accept it, considering it extra-biblical
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen
and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the
Father, God from God…begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all
things were made…by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and
was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into
heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the
living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord,
the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son…We believe in one holy catholic and
apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the
resurrection of the dead…
Virgin Mary
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Incarnation: god taking flesh, becoming human; in christianity, of course, god becomes human in jesus. Christ, combining both a divine and human nature. This will have a significant effect on the development of christianity: it can be positive because it means god is something like us and we are something like god (e. g. , god can suffer) But it can be dangerous if we do not recognize the difference between god and ourselves (also the danger of the incarnation being similar to ancient greek and roman myths about their gods) Historically, the image of the cross is prior to christianity; it will give it new meanings. In early christianity, the cross symbol was not much used (it was an embarrassment, a signal of humiliating death) is a symbol of sacrifice; also a symbol of forgiveness & god"s love (willingness to sacrifice his son) Means spiritual (and ultimate) victory through physical suffering, a way to give suffering meaning.
