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>>To me, the Incarnation is a major, if not the major, defining moment for Christianity.

How would you rank the Resurrection in comparison?

What and get struck by lightning?

But.. if you're sure you want me to open this can of worms, I will. If you or others will join in the theological/spiritual mental experiment.

The Resurrection (separating it from the sacrafice/death on the cross) is a proving moment, a sign of all signs, that Christ was Who He was and what this meant to mankind in perspective of life/death/time/space/eternity.

Obviously, no incarnation and all of the following vanishes from history.

The Incarnation is the defining moment of Christianity. Cosmos-shaking, The Word was God, the Word became flesh. This, fully contemplated, cannot be fully comtemplated. It goes on forever - a true mystery (defined as something we can always know more about but never know completely.)

The Incarnation is inseparable from the Trinity; it defines the Diety for Christianity, it is unique. It unites God and Man like no other event, like no other religion.

For another thought experiment, imagine the Sacrafice and Resurection without the Incarnation (either a spirit being or an only human being) - and I think we can begin to see its cornerstone in our faith.

Ok.... your turn. :)

While the Incarnation is a defining point in Christianity, it isn't about the devotion of Mary as much as the act of God. I believe this was in response to post #6217 in which you stated:

You're [HarleyD] ok with birthgiver of God, but not mother of God. It would seem to wish Mary gave birth, then walked away without mothering the infant Jesus or caring for her son or weeping at His death. To me, the Incarnation is a major, if not the major, defining moment for Christianity.

Your statement indicates the incarnation hinged upon Mary-e.g since Mary did not walk away from infant Jesus this was all part of the Incarnation. Protestants view the Incarnation as strictly God's action. God could have chosen Jane, Agnus, or Gertrude if He had desired to do so. And God would have given them the desire to stick it out. There was nothing that Mary did that she did not receive from God. All of her devotion and love stemmed from the humulity God gave her.

I would agree that the Incarnation is a great event in Christian history. But the action was solely God's-not man (or woman). INCARNATION GOD SENT HIS SON, TO SAVE US by J.I. Packer

... if you're sure you want me to open this can of worms, I will. If you or others will join in the theological/spiritual mental experiment.

I will, albeit late. Since this is my first Christmas vs. Easter debate I have to warn you that my arguments are very unpolished. :)

The Incarnation is the defining moment of Christianity. Cosmos-shaking, The Word was God, the Word became flesh. This, fully contemplated, cannot be fully contemplated. ...

The Incarnation cannot be the defining moment of "Christianity". Think of it this way: in order for Christianity to even exist, the Incarnation was necessary, but not sufficient. Christ could have been incarnated, walked around for a while, said "hello" to some folks, and then went back to heaven. The result is no Christianity. God doesn't "need" Christianity, we do. So, its existence and meaningfulness has to be taken from our POV.

Only the Resurrection was both necessary AND sufficient for Christianity to exist. You agreed that it was the proof of what Christ claimed. If He had not risen, then He would have been rightfully exposed as a liar, and Christianity would have fallen on its face immediately. This makes the Resurrection superior to the Incarnation, even though the latter is still necessary. The "birth" of Christianity was much more tied to His being risen than to His being born.

The Incarnation is inseparable from the Trinity; it defines the Diety for Christianity, it is unique. It unites God and Man like no other event, like no other religion.

But the only value that definition has owes itself completely to the Resurrection. If Christ does not rise, then there is no definition. We can play chicken/egg which I assume many do. I ask myself, which was the bigger event from man's POV? Christ could have been born and walked among us, but that doesn't mean there ever would have been Christianity. Only the resurrection meant, as absolute proof, that Christianity was real and true.