Britannica Sources used in this answer

How does the doctrine of the Incarnation describe Jesus as both divine and human?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Christology The Transfiguration, the nature of Jesus as the Son of God being revealed to the apostles Peter, James, and John, mosaic icon, early 13th century; in the Louvre, Paris.

The doctrine of the Incarnation asserts that Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly man. This central tenet of Christianity maintains that the preexistent Word (the second person of the Trinity) assumed a human nature, becoming flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.12

The relationship between these two aspects is defined by the hypostatic union, which holds that the divine and human natures are joined in a single, personal unity. Crucially, this union does not result in the mixture or diminution of either nature; rather, the identity of each is preserved.12

The Council of Chalcedon (451 ce) formally articulated this by declaring that Jesus was "perfect in deity and in humanity," being both "consubstantial with the Father" and "consubstantial with us". By affirming that Christ is one person with two distinct natures, the doctrine rejects views that would emphasize one nature at the expense of the other, maintaining that his full humanity was necessary for the redemption of humanity.12