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What does the hypostatic union teach about Jesus Christ?
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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 hypostatic union is a central Christian doctrine teaching that the divine and human natures of Jesus Christ are joined in one single person, or hypostasis.123
Key aspects of this teaching include:
- Personal Unity: The divine and human natures do not exist side-by-side in an unconnected way; rather, they are united in a single, personal identity.2
- Integrity of Natures: The union does not result in the mixture or diminution of either nature. The Council of Chalcedon affirmed that Jesus is perfect in both deity and humanity, with the identity of each nature preserved.23
- True God and True Man: The doctrine asserts that Christ is simultaneously fully divine and fully human. This belief is foundational to the Incarnation, which maintains that God assumed a human nature to become a man.32
- Single Personhood: As defined by the Second Council of Constantinople, Christ is a unique, single person and one member of the Trinity.3
This doctrine was developed by the early church to refute various theological challenges, ensuring that Christ’s humanity and divinity were both fully recognized within his singular personhood.23