Kierkegaard on the Incarnation: God is Like an Artist

I recently stumbled across a quote from Kierkegaard, in his journals, where he reflects on the incarnation via an analogy. God is like an artist who inserts himself into the work of art.

Here one rightly sees the subjectivity in Christianity. Generally the poet, the artist, etc., is criticized for introducing himself into his work. But this is precisely what God does; this he does in Christ. And precisely this is Christianity. Creation is really fulfilled only when God has included himself in it. Before Christ God was included, of course, in the creation but as an invisible mark, something like the water-mark in paper. But in the Incarnation creation is fulfilled by God’s including himself in it (JP 2, 1391).

Kierkegaard is known for a lot of things, but less so perhaps for his reflections on Jesus and the incarnation. But Christ occupies much of his thought, such that he might even be considered a Christocentric theologian.

And Kierkegaard aside, you gotta like the baby burrito swaddling job in that icon!