Incarnate Earth: Deep Incarnation and the Face of Christ

Incarnate Earth reimagines the doctrine of Incarnation by extending the unity between Creator and creation to the entire world, arguing that the face of Christ is encountered in the cruciform demand for justice embodied in the creaturely finitude and vulnerability that grounds ethics. This requires renewed discussions of ecological and animal ethics, calling for compassionate care for all vulnerable bodies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 202 pages
Publication date: 10 March 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Incarnate Earth is a groundbreaking exploration of the concept of incarnation that goes beyond the teachings of Jesus to encompass the entire world. By engaging with contemporary theologies of deep incarnation and the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, the author presents a compelling argument that the face of Christ can be found in the cruciform demand for justice that arises from the creaturely finitude and vulnerability that underpins ethics. At the heart of this vision lies the recognition that the religious role-functions that characterized Jesus' life—the revelation of God and the redemption of the world—are carried out throughout the physical world, transcending the limitations of humanity or any single heroic representative of the species. Instead, the human encounter with the divine Christ takes place in and as the face of any vulnerable thing, whether it be an animal, a plant, an element, or otherwise. This radical reimagining of incarnation necessitates a renewed focus on ecological and animal ethics, urging compassionate care for all vulnerable bodies to the extent possible. Scholars in the fields of Christian theology and the philosophy of religion, particularly those interested in ecotheology, religious naturalism, and environmental ethics, will find this work of immense interest.

Weight: 550g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032249414