Pre-existence of Christ

The Old Catholic Church affirms that Jesus Christ, as the eternal Son of God, existed before his incarnation as the divine Logos through whom all things were created. John 1:1-3 is foundational: 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him.' This establishes Christ's eternal existence and his role in creation.

The pre-existent Christ is identified with Old Testament theophanic manifestations and with divine wisdom personified. He is the one who spoke through the prophets and appeared in visions and theophanies throughout Israel's history. The incarnation represents the taking on of human flesh by the eternally existing Son, not the beginning of his existence.

Christ's pre-existence is affirmed to protect the coherence of redemption: the God who became incarnate in Jesus is the same eternal God present throughout creation and history. His resurrection and ascension represent the continuation of his eternal divine existence in glorified human form. This doctrine is essential to Christian faith in the incarnation as the self-revelation of the eternal God.