Christian theology

=====Incarnation=====
{{Main|Incarnation (Christianity)}}
The Incarnation is the belief in [[Christianity]] that the second person in the [[Godhead (Christianity)|Christian Godhead]], also known as [[God the Son]] or the [[Logos (Christianity)|Logos]] (Word), "became flesh" when he was miraculously conceived in the womb of the [[Virgin Mary]]. The word Incarnate derives from [[Latin]] (in=in or into, caro, carnis=flesh) meaning "to make into flesh" or "to become flesh". The incarnation is a fundamental [[theology|theological]] teaching of [[Nicene Creed|orthodox (Nicene) Christianity]], based on its understanding of the [[New Testament]]. The incarnation represents the belief that Jesus, who is the non-created second [[hypostasis (philosophy)|hypostasis]] of the [[trinity|triune God]], took on a human body and nature and became [[Hypostatic union|both man and God]]. In the [[Bible]] its clearest teaching is in {{Bibleverse|John|1:14}}: "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us."<ref>McKim, Donald K. 1996. ''Westminster dictionary of theological terms''. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. p. 140.</ref>

[[File:Bloch-SermonOnTheMount.jpg|thumb|right|Jesus, believed to be both man and God, painting by [[Carl Heinrich Bloch]]]]
In the Incarnation, as traditionally defined, the divine nature of the Son was joined but not mixed with human nature<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.nd.edu/Departments/Maritain/etext/gc4_54.htm |title=Jacques Maritain Center: GC 4.54 |publisher=.nd.edu |access-date=2010-08-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622164244/http://www3.nd.edu/Departments/Maritain/etext/gc4_54.htm |archive-date=22 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> in one divine Person, [[Jesus]] Christ, who was both "truly God and truly man". The Incarnation is commemorated and celebrated each year at [[Christmas]], and also reference can be made to the Feast of the [[Annunciation]]; "different aspects of the mystery of the Incarnation" are celebrated at Christmas and the Annunciation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ewtn.com/library/Liturgy/zlitur109.htm |title=Advent Prayer and the Incarnation |publisher=Ewtn.com |access-date=2010-08-08}}</ref>

This is central to the traditional faith held by most Christians. Alternative views on the subject (See [[Ebionites]] and the [[Gospel of the Hebrews|Gospel according to the Hebrews]]) have been proposed throughout the centuries (see below), but all were rejected by [[Mainstream Christianity|mainstream Christian bodies]].

In recent decades, an alternative doctrine known as "[[Oneness Pentecostalism (doctrine)|Oneness]]" has been espoused among various [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] groups (see below), but has been rejected by the remainder of [[Christendom]].

;Description and development of the traditional doctrine
In the [[Early Christianity|early Christian era]], there was considerable disagreement amongst Christians regarding the nature of Christ's Incarnation. While all Christians believed that Jesus was indeed the [[Son of God]], the exact nature of his Sonship was contested, together with the precise relationship of the "[[God the Father|Father]]," "Son" and "[[Holy Spirit|Holy Ghost]]" referred to in the New Testament. Though Jesus was clearly the "Son," what exactly did this mean? Debate on this subject raged most especially during the first four centuries of Christianity, involving [[Jewish Christians]], [[Gnosticism|Gnostics]], followers of the Presbyter [[Arius]] of Alexandra, and adherents of [[Athanasius of Alexandria|St. Athanasius the Great]], among others.

Eventually, the Christian Church accepted the teaching of St. Athanasius and his allies, that Christ was the incarnation of the eternal second person of the [[Trinity]], who was fully God and fully a man simultaneously. All divergent beliefs were defined as [[heresy|heresies]]. This included [[Docetism]], which said that Jesus was a divine being that took on human appearance but not flesh; [[Arianism]], which held that Christ was a created being; and [[Nestorianism]], which maintained that the Son of God and the man, Jesus, shared the same body but retained [[Two Natures of Christ|two separate natures]]. The [[Oneness Pentecostalism|Oneness]] belief held by certain modern [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] churches is also seen as heretical by most mainstream Christian bodies.

The most widely accepted the early Christian Church made definitions of the Incarnation and the nature of Jesus at the [[First Council of Nicaea]] in 325, the [[First Council of Ephesus|Council of Ephesus]] in 431, and the [[Council of Chalcedon]] in 451. These councils declared that Jesus was both fully God: begotten from, but not created by the Father; and fully man: taking his flesh and human nature from the [[Blessed Virgin Mary|Virgin Mary]]. These two natures, human and divine, were [[hypostatic union|hypostatically]] united into the one personhood of Jesus Christ.<ref>* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf214.toc.html The Seven Ecumenical Councils] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429154903/http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf214.toc.html |date=29 April 2019 }}, from the ''Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers'', vols. 2–14 (CCEL.org) Contains detailed statements from each of these councils. The First Council of Nicaea, Council of Ephesus and Council of Chalcedon are the "First," "Third" and "Fourth" Ecumenical Councils, respectively.</ref>

;Fortuitous and Necessary Incarnation
The link between the Incarnation and the [[Atonement in Christianity|Atonement]] within systematic theological thought is complex. Within traditional models of the Atonement, such as [[Penal substitution|Substitution]], [[Satisfaction theory of atonement|Satisfaction]] or [[Christus Victor]], Christ must be Divine in order for the Sacrifice of the Cross to be efficacious, for human sins to be "removed" or "conquered". In his work ''The Trinity and the Kingdom of God'', [[Jürgen Moltmann|Jurgen Moltmann]] differentiated between what he called a "fortuitous" and a "necessary" Incarnation. The latter gives a soteriological emphasis to the Incarnation: the Son of God became a man so that he could save us from our sins. The former, on the other hand, speaks of the Incarnation as a fulfilment of the [[Love of God]], of his desire to be present and living amidst humanity, to "walk in the garden" with us.

Moltmann favours "fortuitous" incarnation primarily because he feels that to speak of an incarnation of "necessity" is to do an injustice to the [[Ministry of Jesus|life of Christ]]. Moltmann's work, alongside other systematic theologians, opens up avenues of liberation [[Christology]].