Philip Yancey
Ongoing Incarnation
More than two centuries before the Reformation, a theological debate broke out that pitted theologian Thomas Aquinas against an upstart from Britain, John Duns Scotus. In essence, the debate circled around the question, "Would Christmas have occurred if humanity had not sinned?"
Whereas Aquinas viewed the Incarnation as God's remedy for a fallen planet, his contemporary saw much more at stake. For Duns Scotus, the Word becoming flesh as described in the prologue to John's Gospel must surely represent the Creator's primary design, not some kind of afterthought or Plan B. Aquinas pointed to passages emphasizing the Cross as God's redemptive response to a broken relationship. Duns Scotus cited passages from Ephesians and Colossians on the cosmic Christ, in whom all things have their origin, hold together, and move toward consummation.
Did Jesus visit this planet as an accommodation to human failure or as the center point of all creation? Duns Scotus and his school suggested that Incarnation was the underlying motive for Creation, not merely a correction to it. Perhaps God spun off this vast universe for the singular purpose of sharing life and love, intending all along to join its very substance. "Eternity is in love with the inventions of time," wrote the poet William Blake.
Ultimately the church decided that both approaches had biblical support and could be accepted as orthodox. Though most theologians tended to follow Aquinas, in recent years prominent Catholics such as Karl Rahner have taken a closer look at Duns Scotus. Perhaps evangelicals should, too.
The evangelical tradition emphasizes the Atonement and Christ's life within us. We urge children to "accept Jesus into your heart," an image both comforting and confusing to ...
Philip Yancey
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Clarence E. Roberts
This a very insightful article. God is Father, Son and Spirit, a relational Being. It's a relationship so beautiful and joyous that the couldn't keep it to themselves. From the foundation of the world humans were predestined to be sons and daughters of God in Christ Jesus. Through the incarnation of Jesus, all humanity shares intimately in the relationship of God the Trinity. Jesus is our life. We now live in His ascended humanity. Now Jesus, the God/Man, who dwells face to face with the Father in the fellow-ship of the Spirit, shares forever, the beauty and joy and blessedness of His shared life with the Father and the Spirit. God's sole purpose in creating was to adopt us. That eternal purpose has already been accomplished in Christ. Amen!
P.E. Winter
Why should a protestant/Lutheran be concerned with either Scotus or Aquinas. They are the epitome of Scholasticism, the very group that Martin Luther had fought against to regain the Gospel? Pastor Yancey, do you wish to return to Rome?
Ephrem Hagos
"Ongoing Incarnation" is a misnomer! A standing, exact reverse of incarnation at the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, as is actually the case, by which all will know God firsthand and personally is beyond comparison. There is much we still do not know because we accept as our authority for sound doctrine anybody else except the knowable Person and teaching of Jesus Christ. Just like Paul did! (1 Tim. 1:11)