Despite the feverish pace of publishing in historical Jesus studies, biblical scholars and theologians have not notably progressed in addressing the meaning and significance of the figure of Jesus in ways credible for contemporary persons.
In this creative and insightful work, Burns seeks to understand the significance of Jesus and his incarnation through the category of participation. The central theological claims in the traditional concept of incarnation are anchored and illumined by Jesus' particular ability for empathy, sympathy, attunement, and entrainment. This notion, derived from the psychological research of Daniel Stern, allows Burns to show that incarnation - the capacity to participate in the life of others - is present not only in Jesus but to some extent in all people and in all religions. It further illumines features of God's trinitarian life and our lifelong journey into God (deification).
About the Author:
Charlene Embrey Burns received her doctorate in religion from Vanderbilt University. She is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She has taught courses in theology, religious studies, and ethics at Loyola University, New Orleans, and the University of New Orleans.
