Virgin Birth (Christian doctrine)

:This article refers specifically to the virgin birth of Christ. For information on other legendary virgin births of other figures, please see the article Virgin birth.

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The Virgin Birth is a key doctrine of the Christian faith, and is also held to be true by Muslims.

Related Topics:
Doctrine - Christian - Muslim

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The doctrine asserts that Jesus was conceived in the womb of his mother, the Virgin Mary, without the participation of a human father. Instead, the Miraculous Conception (not the Immaculate Conception -- see below) took place when the Holy Spirit "overshadowed" Mary. This was not understood to mean that the human body of Christ was created ex nihilo (from nothing), for the tradition of the Church is that Christ "took his flesh from Mary." This is also understood to be a miracle, something not possible without divine intervention.

Related Topics:
Jesus - Conceived - Womb - Virgin Mary - Immaculate Conception - Holy Spirit - Miracle

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This doctrine is frequently confused with the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. The latter, held by Roman Catholics, states that the Virgin Mary was conceived "without the stain of original sin". Mary, however, unlike Christ, was conceived in the ordinary way: i.e. she had a human father as well as a human mother (whose names, according to Catholic and Orthodox tradition, were 'Joachim' and 'Anna'/'Anne' - or 'Jehoiakim' and 'Hannah' in Hebrew).

Related Topics:
Immaculate Conception - Roman Catholics - Virgin Mary - Joachim - Anna

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Another reason that Christians who accept the Virgin Birth consider it to be significant is that it shows Jesus' divine and human natures at once united, paving the way for all of humanity to be united with God. Eastern Orthodox tradition says that from the time Jesus was born, the flaming sword was removed from the Garden of Eden, making it possible for humanity to re-enter Paradise.

Related Topics:
Eastern Orthodox - Flaming sword - Garden of Eden - Paradise

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Some Christians reject the notion of the Virgin Birth. Research by many groups, including Christian Research indicates that among both the clergy and the laity (in all branches of Christianity) beliefs in central tenets of the faith such as Virgin Birth or bodily Resurrection is highly variable (for example, among male clergy in English Affirming Catholicism group less than 25% believe in Virgin Birth).

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