The centrality of the incarnation

Everything in Christianity centres on the incarnation of the Son of God, an invasion of God among men and women in time bringing and working out a salvation not only understandable by them in their own historical and human life and existence, but historically and concretely accessible to them on earth and in time, in the midst of their frailty, contingency, relativity and sin. Whatever christology does it cannot depreciate or minimise historical existence with its stark factuality. It stands or falls with the fact that here in our actual history and existence is the saviour God. The historical element is absolutely essential, for apart from it the whole mystery of Christ is dissolved into thin air, and the incarnation means nothing at all.—T. F. Torrance, Incarnation: The Person and Life of Christ, 8