RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION
OF ADULTS
Who Is Jesus?
During this session we will address the question, "who is Jesus?" Here is the handout for our next session and below is a link to the initial Symbolon video (about 12 minutes):
Below is a video from Bishop Robert Barron going a little deeper into the topic (about 3 minutes):
For those of you with scientific minds (not me, I just like the drawings) here is a video that tries to explain how Jesus can be both human and divine (about 3 minutes):
Terms to Know
Incarnation - The Incarnation is the great mystery of God the Son becoming man in order to save us. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit. A divine nature and a human nature are joined in this one person. Jesus is truly God and truly man and will always be so. We celebrate the Incarnation on March 25, and nine months later, on December 25, we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Hypostatic Union - The hypostatic union is the theological term for the union of the divine and human natures in the one divine person of Jesus. (Nature is what someone is. Person is who someone is.) God does not merely dwell in the man Jesus. Jesus is God. Saint Ephraim compared the union of natures in Jesus to the inseparable union of two colors of paint that combine to form a new color. The doctrine of the hypostatic union was proclaimed at the Council of Chalcedon in 451.
Christology - Christology is the part of theology that is concerned with the nature and work of Jesus, including such matters as the Incarnation, the Resurrection, and his human and divine natures and their relationship.