Incarnation Flashcards
What is the meaning of Incarnation?
Shows how much God loves the human race.
What is the incarnation?
When God took on the human condition to become Jesus.
The annunciation
In the Bible, Luke and Matthew tell the stories of the angel Gabriel’s visits to Mary and Joseph, to announce God’s plan of sending his son into the world.
Although there are differences between the accounts of Luke and Matthew’s Gospels, they both make the same points:
- Mary was a virgin.
- God worked through human beings to bring his plan for humanity
- Jesus was the son of God.
The relationship between God and Humans
The Catholic Church teaches that God is three persons
The Son of God is the second person of the trinity also known as the word of God.
The Word of God became human in the form of Jesus.
Jesus as the Son of Man
Christians believe Jesus was fully human as he lived a fully human life with experiences. Jesus acknowledged he was the Son of God.
Christians symbols
Ichthus (fish)
- Means ‘Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour’.
- Declaration of their faith
Alpha and Omega
-God and Jesus are involved in everything from beginning to end.
Chi-Rho
-Reminder of the death of Jesus.
Reasons for and against religious art.
Against Religious Art
- Unable to portray God accurately as he can not be represented.
- Art can muslead people about what God is like as it can’t portray God accuratley and gives people wring ideas.
- Praying in front of an image or a statue as some may get the impression its the statue being worshipped and not God.
For Religious Art
- Inspires people
- Gives people something to focus on while they pray
- Helps people to learn about aspects of God’s work.
Interpreting statues of Jesus
A Sacred Heart is a statue of Jesus that represents his total self-giving love for all people. It is a reminder of the total love that Jesus had for all people.
Different Christian attitudes to art that portrays Jesus - Some Christians approve of art that shows Jesus because it can help people to focus on aspects of his teachings and life.
The moral teachings of Jesus
The Beatitudes - Developed the law to make it more perfect. They focus on people’s attitudes. Jesus’s approach to the law is shown in the Beatitudes (Sermon on the Mount). Jesus blessed certain attitudes or approaches to living.
The parable of the Sheep and the Goats.
The goats represents the unrighteous people and the Sheep represent the righteous people (how Christians should respond to those in need).
Tradition and St Irenaeus writings about Jesus
St Irenaeus wrote how Jesus was both fully human and fully God. Jesus is the meeting point between God and humanity..
Jesus helped humans to come to know God. This allows humans to become more ‘fully alive’ and reveal God’s glory.
Different understandings of the incarnation
Its important to remember that Jesus was both fully human and fully God. Two documents from the Catholic Church aim to create the right balance of understanding between being fully human and fully God are Dei Verbum 4 and Verbum Domini 12.
Dei Verbum 4 - “for he sent his son”
Verbum Domini 12 - “Small enough to fit in a manger, he became a manager. He became a child, so that the world could be grasped by us”.
Grace and the sacramental nature of reality
Grace - God’s gift of love.
A sacrament is a sign of God’s love. The world and everything in it is a sign of God’s love. God’s presence and love can be seen throughout the world. Before the incarnation, God was seen as a distant.
The Seven Sacraments
- Baptism (pouring of water and cleansing of sins)
- Confirmation (anointing of forehead and receiving gifts of Holy Spirit).
- Eucharist (receiving of bread and wine and fulness of Christ)
- Marriage (The consent. Partner accepting each other for life.)
- Ordination (Laying of the hands and becoming a priest).
- Reconciliation (laying of the hands and passing on God’s power and forgiveness).
- Sacrament of the sick (Anointing of the head and hands for strengthening and forgiveness)
