Affirms
Christ existed eternally as divine Word before the Incarnation
Mennonites affirm the eternal pre-existence of Christ, consistent with John 1:1–3 and Colossians 1:15–17. Christ is the eternal Word who became flesh in the Incarnation. This is embedded in the Mennonite Confession of Faith's Christology.
The Anabaptist tradition's emphasis on following Jesus does not diminish his divine identity. The one whose life disciples follow is the eternal Son of God who took on human form — which is precisely what makes his self-emptying and willingness to suffer so profound a model.
Key Distinctions
- Preexistence affirmed:
- affirmed — the Son/Logos eternally pre-existed the Incarnation
- Ot identity:
- the eternal Word and agent of creation (John 1:1-3); identified with YHWH in various OT theophanies
Scripture References
Sources
- Mennonite Confession of Faith (1995), Article 2 (Jesus Christ)