Student Lizzy Simmons reads Scripture aloud during the evening worship service. |
At a Glance
Theme:
Christ’s Incarnation: God Taking on Human Flesh
Faculty Speaker:
Dr. Richard Hays, George Washington Ivey Professor of New Testament
Lectionary Texts:
Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 150; Phillipians 2:5-11; Luke 1:26-38 (39-55)
Evening Worship:
Tonight’s service was based in the Anglican tradition, drawing on the Book of Common Prayer as the main resource for the liturgy. Rev. Canon Dr. Sam Wells, Dean of Duke Chapel and Research Professor of Christian Ethics, preached on the incarnation of God through Christ as a continuation of God’s action in the world, beginning with creation and continuing through the covenants made and prophets proclaimed throughout the Bible. Rev. Dr. Jo Bailey Wells, Associate Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry and Bible, led us in the Eucharist.
Reflections on the Lecture
Professor of New Testament Dr. Richard Hays lectured on the mysterious concept of Christ’s incarnation. By diving into Paul’s narration of the incarnation to the church at Phillipi, John’s introductory thoughts of the Word being made flesh, as well as Matthew’s account of Christ’s baptism, students explored the meaning of this radical concept of being both fully human and fully divine. Hays asserted a starting point by offering, “At the time of Christ’s baptism, we see Jesus as fully entering into the human condition.”
Students explored Greek etymology (and consulted a Spanish Bible for verb usage) to come to a greater understanding of what happened when Christ emptied himself and became flesh. Christ’s incarnation affirms the goodness of the world and allows humankind to remember that there is a ‘physical-ness’ of God’s saving grace. Salvation is not about an escape of the body; rather it is dependent upon incarnation. “One of the purposes of the resurrection,” offered Hays, “is that he became like
Quotable Quotes from the Plenary Lecture
Theological Jargon of the Day: kenosis
“One of the problems in the church is that we think we know what the Bible says, and therefore we don’t bother to read it.”
“In the event of Jesus’ baptism, we have an image of the three persons of God united and acting together in Jesus’ act of becoming part of humanity.”
“Through the Incarnation, God enters into the reality of physical existence in order to redeem us. Salvation is dependent on this act.”
“This action of Incarnation is not just something God did to us. We are caught up in this story of salvation.”
Overheard in the halls of the divinity school...
“Before Jesus was born, was there a Trinity?”
— Rossie Izlar
What’s ahead...
Tomorrow Dr. Stanley Hauerwas will help us explore the theme of Christ’s Passion.
Durham Mennonite Church will be serving us our Hospitality Lunch tomorrow. We welcome them and look forward to enjoying food and fellowship together.
Our second session in the Arts Village will take place tomorrow. Groups of students will work in pottery, visual arts, creative writing or storytelling and drama.
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