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August 16, 2005
Ch. XVII. Q. 102. The Hypostatic Union
THE DOCTRINE of the hypostatic union, καθ' ὑπόστασιν ἕνωσις, is that, because of the Incarnation, two natures, Φύσεις, one truly, ἀληθῶς, divine, the other perfectly, τελέως, human, are inseparably, ἀδιαιρέτως, yet unconfusedly, ἀσυγχύτως, united in one Person, ὑπόστασις , or inner Self. These four particulars of Godhead, Manhood, union and distinction were severally affirmed by the first four Ecumenical Councils.THE DOCTRINE of the hypostatic union, καθ' ὑπόστασιν ἕνωσις, is that, because of the Incarnation, two natures, Φύσεις, one truly, ἀληθῶς, divine, the other perfectly, τελέως, human, are inseparably, ἀδιαιρέτως, yet unconfusedly, ἀσυγχύτως, united in one Person, ὑπόστασις , or inner Self. These four particulars of Godhead, Manhood, union and distinction were severally affirmed by the first four Ecumenical Councils.1
2. The Athanasian Symbol declares the right faith to be "that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the substance of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the substance of His mother, born in the world; perfect God, and perfect Man: of a reasonable soul amd human flesh subsisting; Equal to the Father, as touching His Godhead: and inferior to the Father, as touching His Manhood; Who although He be God and Man: yet He is not two but one Christ; One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh: but by taking of the Manhood into God; One altogether, not by confusion of substance: but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man: so God and Man is one Christ."
3. This doctrine either contains or involves the following truths: (a) the true Godhead of Jesus Christ; (b) His real and permanent Manhood; (c) the unity of His Person; (d) The abiding diversity of His natures; (e) His uninterrupted possession of the properties of operations proper respectively to God and man; (f) His humiliation on earth; (g) the supernatural endowments of His Manhood, continuing human; h His mediatorial offices.
1 Incarnation, ch. iv. 1-4; Rich. Hooker, Eccles. Polity, V. lii; liv. 10; H.P. Liddon Divinity of Our Lord, pp. 259-267; St. Thomas, III. ii. xviii; Archd. Wilberforce, Incarnation, ch. vi; D. Stone, Outlines of Christ. Dogma, pp. 73-86.
Posted by AKMA at August 16, 2005 11:37 AM