11 The Doctrine of the Incarnation

After the Nicene doctrine of the Trinity was established, key developments in the doctrine of Christs Incarnation could take shape. The key concept is that the same person who was eternally begotten from God the Father is born from the Virgin Mary, who is thus the mother of God, though not the originator of his divine essence. As Son of the Father, he is truly God, while as son of Mary he is truly humanand he did not cease to be divine when he became human, but remaining what he was, he assumed what he was not. This means that just as God was born of the Virgin Mary, he also suffered and died on the cross. But this is said of the Son, one of the Trinity, not of the Father or the Spirit, who are beyond all suffering.