The Ascension is both elevated a central tenet of the faith, central in the Creeds, Catechism, and commemorations of the Church, while also seemingly being one of the more eyebrow-raising, seemingly mythic events described in the New Testament. This post looks into the underlying significance of Jesus departing to fully inhabit the New Creation after his resurrection as well as how we may, even while remaining adherents to a modern cosmology, affirm the possibility of a historical Ascension as described in the Bible.

The Catechism moves from Christ as Icon of God to talking about his being born of a virgin. It is necessary to look at this doctrine often neglected and uncomfortable for many modern Christians to see the importance of the Virgin Birth not to indicate disgust at sexuality, but to see the radicality of the new humanity pioneered by Christ.

The section on God the Son begins with an explanation of how Jesus is the perfect icon or image of God and how this reveals God’s character as above all love. This post turns to how this is profoundly true and deceptively simple in its explanation.