The Virgin Birth is a non-negotiable belief in our faith

Philippe de Champaigne, “The Annunciation,” 1644.

Today, The New York Times published an insightful opinion interview with Dr. Elaine Pagels, Ph.D., the renowned Princeton University scholar of religion, where she raised thought-provoking questions about the doctrine of the Virgin Birth of Jesus.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/21/opinion/virgin-birth-jesus.html

While I hold deep respect for Dr. Pagels’ scholarship, I grew up watching her interviews in many historical documentaries, as an elder of the Church, I must assert that:

The Virgin Birth is a non-negotiable tenet of the Christian faith.

Dr. Pagels’ work has been admired for its intellectual rigor and her capacity to challenge assumptions, particularly about early Christianity. She invites believers and skeptics to examine the stories that shape our Christian faith.

But just like our Catholic siblings, as a Presbyterian, I believe there are core doctrines that define our theological framework, and the Virgin Birth is one of them.

The Virgin Birth is not just a theological detail.

It speaks to the heart of who we believe Jesus to be.

In the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke, the Virgin Birth is presented as a miracle of Jesus’ divine origin, affirming that He is both fully God and fully human.

This belief is foundational to the mainline Church’s understanding of Christ’s incarnation, His role as Savior, and His unique identity as the Son of God.

Our Book of Confessions, our denomination’s constitution, upholds the authority of Scripture.

The Apostles’ Creed, which is a central affirmation of faith for us, explicitly states:

I believe in Jesus Christ … who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.

This confession is not a matter of interpretation or flexibility. It is an essential declaration of our shared faith!

While modern scholarship, like that of Dr. Pagels, encourages us to wrestle with difficult questions—which we should—our faith often calls us to embrace mystery.

The Virgin Birth is a profound mystery that cannot be fully explained by human reasoning.

But it is a testament to the power of God to work beyond the natural order!

To question the Virgin Birth is to question the very essence of who Jesus is.

Without His divine conception, the claim that Jesus is Emmanuel—God with us—becomes untenable.

It is not merely a symbolic story! It is a statement of God’s direct intervention in history to bring about salvation for humanity.

Dr. Pagels’ scholarship serves as a valuable reminder that faith and critical thought can coexist—but they also have their boundaries.

For Presbyterians, the Virgin Birth is a sacred truth that anchors our faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

While we can and should engage with challenging perspectives, our commitment to the core tenets of our faith must remain steadfast.

The beauty of our Presbyterian tradition is its openness to discussion and exploration of ideas—but it also calls us to remain rooted in the truths revealed in Scripture.

The Virgin Birth is not simply a doctrine—it is a cornerstone of the Gospel that defines who we are as followers of Christ.

I did like this The New York Times interview. I especially liked Dr. Pagels’ response to an atheist about believing what she does.

“A professor friend said to me: ‘I’m an atheist. How can you believe all that stuff?’ First of all, as I see it, believing all that stuff is not the point,” Dr. Pagels shared.

“The Christian message, as I experienced it, was transformational. It encouraged me to treat other people well and opened up a world of imagination and wonder.“