Christmas - Incarnation

      According to Anglican biblical scholarship, in what sense were the first Christmas and the visit of the Wise Men historical events? It is incorrect to affirm every detail of the New Testament birth and infancy stories of Jesus as if they could have been photographed; it is equally mistaken to declare them all as products of spirited fantasy or inner conviction alone. The birth and infancy passages include actual persons and events that could have been videotaped, especially Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the birth place, the delivery process itself, and, perhaps, visitors to the newborn. These passages also contain wonder-filled metaphorical embellishments, heightenings, exaggerations, and meanings beyond the range of any human or camera lens.

     

      Within and beneath all the words of the Christmas and Epiphany texts, whether statements referring to photographable incidents or accounts fabled by poetic imaginations, is this central Christian discernment, that at an actual time and tangible place of the Creator's own choosing, God's intentions for humanity (God's "Word"), embodied in Jesus the Christ, was born; this Word is for all humanity, Jew and Gentile alike. Thus, the Incarnation (literally, "becoming flesh") was an historical happening; God's Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.