Episode 124: The Manner Of The Word's Incarnation: Neither Subtraction Nor Addition With James Dolezal
Dec 18, 2023
auto_awesome
In this podcast, theologian James Dolezal discusses the incarnation and the manner of the Word's assumption of a human nature. He warns against flawed ways of speaking about the Son's assumption, and proposes a more accurate approach. The podcast explores the terms 'assumption', 'subtraction', and 'addition', and their significance in Christological discussions. It emphasizes the importance of staying true to the Bible while engaging in theological discourse and explores the profound mystery of God dwelling among us in the person of Jesus.
The podcast discusses and critiques two common approaches to understanding the incarnation: subtraction and addition.
The Orthodox perspective on the incarnation emphasizes that it does not involve a change in God or a loss of divine attributes.
The language of addition in explaining the incarnation contradicts key aspects of Orthodox theology and lacks biblical and historical evidence.
Deep dives
Jesus' personhood and nature in Christology
Christology is the study of the person and work of Jesus Christ. This course primarily focuses on the person of Christ, delving into his true divinity, true humanity, and singular personhood. It explores the biblical witness to these aspects and examines historical discussions and debates within the church. Various heresies are discussed, such as adoptionism and docetism, along with modern concerns like kenoticism. The course aims to present an Orthodox Christology, emphasizing the biblical and positive aspects while addressing Christological challenges throughout history.
The Incarnation and its timely significance
This episode explores the doctrine of the incarnation, particularly focusing on the manner in which the word of God became flesh. The hosts discuss the importance of timing in discussing this topic, given the proximity of Christmas. They express the desire to provide two episodes on the doctrine of the incarnation, addressing the manner in which the word of God took on human form. They also touch on the challenge of defining theological terms, such as incarnation, nature, and person, and the need for clarity and precision in discussing these concepts.
The danger of using subtraction and addition language in Christology
The podcast discusses and critiques two common approaches in understanding the incarnation: subtraction and addition. The subtraction view suggests that the word of God subtracted or gave up certain attributes in order to take on human form. On the other hand, the addition view implies that the word of God added human nature or characteristics to his divine nature. Both views are rejected for various reasons, including the implications they have on the Orthodox doctrine of God. The hosts highlight the importance of biblically and historically grounding our understanding of the incarnation.
The Orthodox position on the incarnation
The podcast emphasizes the Orthodox position on the incarnation, which highlights that the word of God became flesh without any subtraction or addition to his divine nature. The hosts present an alternative perspective to the subtraction and addition views, emphasizing that the incarnation does not involve a change in God or a loss of divine attributes. Rather, the focus is on the word of God taking on human nature while remaining fully divine. This understanding upholds the richness and mystery of the incarnation, affirming the true divinity of Jesus Christ while embracing the fullness of his humanity.
Rejecting the notion of addition to God's divine nature
The podcast challenges the language of addition in explaining the incarnation, highlighting that the traditional Orthodox position has never used such terminology. The hosts point out that the concept of addition runs into metaphysical problems and contradicts key aspects of Orthodox theology, such as divine simplicity, impassibility, and infinity. They emphasize the need to avoid introducing temporalism and mutability into the understanding of God. The hosts urge listeners to acknowledge the absence of evidence biblically and historically for the addition language and embrace the Orthodox belief that the divine nature of Jesus was fully present in the incarnation.
In Episode 124 of Theology In Particular, Dr. James Dolezal joins me to talk about the incarnation, especially the manner of the Word’s assumption of a human nature. Two episodes will be devoted to this subject. In the first, Dr. Dolezal warns against two flawed ways of speaking about the Son’s assumption of a human nature (nothing was subtracted from or added to the person of the Son). The second is a positive proposal of how to think and speak more accurately concerning the mystery of the incarnation.
