Incarnation

1. What images and ideas come to mind when you think of the word incarnation? Have you ever engaged any media that dealt with the idea (for example The Matrix movies)?

2. Have you encountered the idea of incarnation in religions other than Christianity?

3. Is belief in the incarnation of Jesus an essential component of Christianity? Why or why not? 

4. Do you think of Jesus more frequently in human or divine terms?

5. Does the idea of God living a fully human life make you feel more understood?

6. In some eras of church history, precise definitions of the incarnation became sources of heated dispute. How much does what we believe about the incarnation matter? 

7. In the eastern church, the Incarnation is the central idea of Christianity, where the union of divine and human in Jesus is seen as the beginning of humanity's deification and restoration, where the western church emphasizes Jesus death and resurrection as the central event of the faith. Is your understanding of the incarnation more influenced by eastern or western Christianity?

8. What is the difference between Christ being incarnate, and believing the Holy Spirit dwells within you? 

9. ​​There are divergent views of what the incarnation is. What view do you prescribe to? (the following definitions were submitted for discussion and made using AI and have not been thoroughly vetted):

Incarnational Christology explores the profound idea that Jesus Christ is both fully divine and fully human. Here’s a quick breakdown of various views:

• - High Christology (John’s Gospel): Jesus is the pre-existent Logos (Word) who became flesh. He’s equal with God, creator of the universe, emphasizing divinity (John 1:1-14). Think God became human.

• - Kenotic View (Gerry Breshears): Jesus "emptied" himself (Philippians 2:5-11) of using certain divine attributes (omniscience, omnipresence), living as a Spirit-filled human. A balance of divine + human limitations.

• - N.T. Wright’s View: Incarnation redefines Jewish monotheism—Jesus is the Lord (Shema reimagined, 1 Cor 8:6). Focuses on mission: living out God’s love in a pagan world, challenging powers.

• - Incarnational Ministry/Theology: Living the gospel, "being" Jesus in culture (vs. just preaching). Emphasis on relational, embodied love. Debated: risks diluting the cross/offence (Gal 5:11).

• - Eternal Sonship vs. Incarnational Sonship: Minority view suggesting Jesus’ sonship began at incarnation—not eternally. Controversial, stresses deity but sparks debate.