Incarnation 78215 223506500 2008-07-04T10:51:13Z 148.87.1.172 /* Islam */ {{wiktionarypar|incarnation|incarnate}} {{redirect6|Incarnate|the roleplaying game character class|Incarnate (Dungeons & Dragons)|the album by The Obsessed|Incarnate (album)}} '''Incarnation''' which literally means ''embodied in flesh'', refers to the [[conception]] and birth of a [[Sentience|sentient]] creature (generally a human) who is the material manifestation of an [[entity]] or force whose original nature is immaterial. In its religious context the word is used to mean the descent of a divine being or the Supreme Being (God) in human form on Earth. While [[Christianity]], [[Hinduism]] and [[Buddhism]] are perhaps the most widely-known traditions to employ this concept within the context of their respective belief systems, they are by no means the only ones to do so. ==Ancient Egypt== The [[Pharaoh]]s of Ancient Egypt were sometimes said to be incarnations of the gods [[Horus]] and [[Ra]]. == Buddhism == {{see also|Rebirth (Buddhism)}} In the Buddhist tradition, an incarnation is a person believed to be the next rebirth of someone deceased, in most cases a [[lama]] or other important master/teacher. This concept differs from [[Reincarnation and Hinduism|reincarnation in Hinduism]], however, since the [[Buddhist]] teaching of [[anatta]] (non-self) implies that there is no fixed soul that could move from one life to another. == Christianity == {{main|Incarnation (Christianity)|God-man (mystic)}} The doctrine of the Incarnation of [[Christ]] is central to the traditional Christian faith as held by the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], and most [[Protestants]]. Briefly, it is the belief that the Second Person of the [[Holy Trinity]], also known as the Son or the ''[[Logos]]'' (Word), "became flesh" when he was miraculously conceived in the womb of [[the Virgin Mary]]. In the Incarnation, the divine nature of the Son of God was perfectly united with human nature in one divine Person. This person, [[Jesus]], some churches believe was both [[hypostatic union|truly God and truly man]]. This doctrine is specifically referenced in the Bible in John 1:14 and Colossians 2:9. It is known as the [[hypostatic union]]. == Hinduism == {{main|Avatar|Svayam bhagavan}} The term avatara literally means "descent" and usually implies a deliberate descent into lower realms of existence for special purposes. It is not a synonym of incarnation, as the incarnation presumes taking a material body, but the word avatara also assumes descent in the original form. <ref name = Mat>Matchett, Freda, ''Krsna, Lord or Avatara? the relationship between Krsna and Visnu: in the context of the Avatara myth as presented by the Harivamsa, the Visnupurana and the Bhagavatapurana'', Routledge, 2000</ref>{{Clarifyme}} Many denominations of Hinduism, such as [[Vaishnavism]] and [[Saivism]], teach that occasionally God comes to Earth as a human being to help humans in their struggle toward enlightenment and salvation ([[moksha]]). Such an incarnation or discent of God is called an [[avatar]]. In some respects, the Hindu concept of avatar is similar to the belief found in [[Christianity]] that God came to the earth in the form of [[Jesus]]. However, whereas most Christians believe that God has assumed a human body only once, Hinduism teaches that there have been ''multiple'' avatars throughout history and that there will be more and does not assume material body, thus some disagree with this assumption.<ref name = Mat/>{{Clarifyme}} Thus [[Krishna]], who is not only viewed as an incarnation but also source of all incarnations, ''[[svayam bhagavan]]'', says: <blockquote> Whenever righteousness declines <br/> And unrighteousness increases, <br/> I make myself a body; <br/> In every age I come back <br/> To deliver the holy, <br/> To destroy the sin of the sinner, <br/> To establish righteousness.<ref>Bhagavad Gita, IV 7-8</ref> </blockquote> The most famous of the divine incarnations are [[Rama]], whose life is depicted in the [[Ramayana]], and [[Krishna]], whose life is depicted in the [[Mahabharata]] and the [[Bhagavata Purana]]. The [[Bhagavad Gita]], which contains the spiritual teachings of [[Krishna]], is one of the most widely-read scriptures in Hinduism. ==Islam== [[Islam]] completely rejects the doctrine of the incarnation of God in any form. In Islam God is one and neither begets nor is begotten.<ref>Qur'an, (112:1-4).</ref> Islam specifically rejects the Christian idea of Jesus as a divine incarnation, but rather sees Jesus as a prophet (''[[nabi|nabī]]'') and messenger (''[[rasul|rasūl]]'') of God. ==Judaism== Rabbinic Judaism rejects this doctrine.<ref>L. Jacobs 1973 ''A Jewish Theology'' p. 24. N.Y.: Berman House</ref> ==Rastafari== The [[Rastafari movement]] views [[Haile Selassie]] as God incarnate. ==References== {{Reflist}} == External links == *[http://mb-soft.com/believe/text/incarnat.htm Detailed information on Incarnation in Christianity] *[http://www.geocities.com/coolpoete/black_savior.htm Article on Incarnation in Rastafari] [[Category:Ayyavazhi philosophical concepts]] [[Category:Buddhist philosophical concepts]] [[Category:Christian philosophy]] [[Category:Hindu philosophical concepts]] [[Category:Rastafari]] [[Category:Spirituality]] [[Category:Trinitarianism]] [[ar:تجسد]] [[bg:Инкарнация]] [[ca:Encarnació]] [[da:Inkarnation]] [[de:Menschwerdung Gottes]] [[el:Ενσάρκωση]] [[es:Encarnación (cristiandad)]] [[eo:Enkarniĝo]] [[fr:Incarnation (christianisme)]] [[ia:Incarnation]] [[nl:Incarnatie]] [[ja:受肉]] [[no:Inkarnasjon]] [[nn:Inkarnasjon]] [[pl:Inkarnacja]] [[pt:Encarnação (religião)]] [[fi:Inkarnaatio]] [[sv:Inkarnation]] [[sk:Inkarnácia]]