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IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding the human nature and the divine nature of Jesus

Examining the Gospels from the Catholic perspective

Looking at some nasty rumors about Jesus that ran wild

Like all Christians, Catholics share the core belief that Jesus of Nazareth is Lord and Savior. The term Lord is used because Christians believe Jesus is divine — the Son of God. The term Savior is used because Christians believe that Jesus saved all humankind by dying for our sins.

Some people may think that Catholicism considers Jesus a hybrid — half human and half divine. That’s not the case at all. Catholicism doesn’t see Jesus as having a split personality or as a spiritual Frankenstein, partly human and partly divine. He’s regarded as fully human and fully divine — true man and true God. He’s considered one divine person with two equal natures, human and divine. This premise is the cornerstone of all Christian mysteries. It can’t be explained completely but must be believed on faith. (See Chapter 2 for the scoop on what faith really means.)

The Nicene Creed, a highly theological profession of faith, says volumes about what Christianity in general (and the Catholic Church in particular) believes about the person called Jesus. (You can read the Nicene Creed in Chapter 10 and the Apostles’ Creed in Chapter 2.) This chapter doesn’t say volumes, but it does tell you the need-to-know points for understanding Catholicism’s perspective on Jesus.