Incarnation

Incarnation, which literally means embodied in flesh, refers to the conception, and live birth of a sentient creature (generally human being) who is the material manifestation of an entity or force whose original nature is immaterial.

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.

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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, however, from reincarnation, since the Buddhist teaching of anatta implies that there is no fixed soul that could move from one life to another.

See also: Rebirth (Buddhist) and Zurmang gharwang

Christianity

Main article: Incarnation (Christianity)

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 Christ, some churches believe was both 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

For discussion of the incarnation concept in Hinduism, see avatar.

Rastafari

For the Rastafari movement, Haile Selassie is God incarnate in flesh, much in the same way as seen by Christians with Jesus, and dealing with the same problem of how someone can be human and God at the same time for Rastas Selassie is a reincarnation of Jesus Christ.