Resurrection and Ascension
As taught in the Anglican / Episcopal tradition
The physical resurrection of Jesus and his session at the right hand of the Father as King and Intercessor.
Within the Anglican tradition, the doctrine of Christ the Word Incarnate does not find its conclusion at the foot of the cross, nor even within the silence of the garden tomb. Rather, the Anglican "Via Media" (Middle Way) asserts that the Incarnation reaches its necessary and glorious "telos" or goal in the physical Resurrection and the bodily Ascension of Jesus Christ. The central question this subtopic answers for the Anglican learner is this: What does it mean for humanity that the Word made flesh did not merely "visit" our condition, but has permanently woven our human nature into the life of the eternal Godhead? To the Anglican mind, the Resurrection is not just a "miracle" that proves Jesus was right; it is the "New Creation" breaking into the old.
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the specific claims of Article IV regarding the bodily nature of the Resurrection and its implications for human destiny.
- **Distinguish** between a "spiritualized" resurrection and the Anglican "New Creation" theology as articulated by N.T. Wright.
- **Explain** the relationship between the Ascension of Christ and His current role as the "Great High Priest" in the Anglican liturgical tradition.
- **Articulate** how the "Breaking of Bread" in Luke 24 serves as a foundational Anglican paradigm for recognizing the Risen Lord.
- **Trace** the movement from the "Word made flesh" to the "Man on the Throne," explaining why the Ascension is the completion of the Incarnation.
- **Defend** the historical and physical reality of the Resurrection against contemporary claims of "mythological" or "symbolic" interpretation.
- **Apply** the doctrine of the Ascension to the daily practice of prayer, understanding Christ as the empathetic Intercessor.
- **Compare** the Anglican "Via Media" reading of Christ’s session with other Reformation traditions (Lutheran and Reformed) regarding Christ’s localized presence.
Scripture
The full lesson, its study guide and questions, and an AI tutor that answers from Scripture with citations are free with an account.