Musing with psychotherapist, philosopher & writer Mark Vernon on the iconography of the Nativity, assisted by some of the early Eastern Fathers of the Church:
- St Gregory Nazianzus “He who Is, comes into being, and the Uncreated is created” (Oration 38.13)
- St Irenaeus “He sanctified every age by the resemblance we have with him” (Against Heresies 2.22.4)
- St Athanasius “He became man that we might become God” (On the Incarnation 54)
The humanification of God enables the deification of humanity. Salvation understood as recapitulation rather than punishing atonement. The divine sanctifying humanity through indwelling the various stages of life and sharing fully in our human experience.
The icon we’re discussing is shown below…
