Wednesday, December 20, 2006

An Immaculate Conception

So, speaking of virgin births...did you know that the whole immaculate conception term is a horribly misapplied in colloquial chit chat? I've often heard it used to describe the role of God in Jesus' conception - ie Jesus was immaculately conceived because God was his Father and therefore no actual sex took place. When you add to that the literal meaning of the word: without stain or blemish, you're left with this horribly Victorian sense that it is the act of sexual intercourse that is the issue. Jesus was immaculately conceived, without stain or blemish, because there was no sex involved. Which is actually quite wrong as it turns out!

Its the identify of the mother, Mary that fuels the CATHOLIC doctrine of immaculate conception - MARY was the one given special grace by God so that the taint of original sin did not pass to Jesus. Interesting huh?

Protestants still go for the virgin birth mostly, but opt for the idea of Incarnation - the miraculous conception of Jesus - but not the immaculate.

All this to say it's Christmas soon...

...And: we're expecting our second child in July 2007. The world's worst kept secret!

4 comments:

Deur said...

CONGRATS!
I heard, but didn't know if I was supposed to know. :)

Another immaculate conception!

BJ said...

Thanks...

You know what I mean then about it being the "world's worst-kept secret"! So who did you hear from?!?!

We did tell a couple of people - accompanied by specific words like" "We're not making this public just yet but wanted you to know because bla bla"

The funniest upshot of that was when one relative of one of these people is happily telling me about her new baby as if I was supposed to spill in response! So, I'm like completely inscrutable, only to find out later she already knew...

Deur said...

Everyone has that one person who we tell and so you tell me... with a promise for me to not tell, but that doesn't include someone in my life who I KNOW I can trust - so I tell them... But, wait! They have one person they just KNOW they can trust - so on and on it goes!

Jesus told me.

BJ said...

It was worth a try...

;)