ABSTRACT
This chapter examines Barth's construal of the 'inner necessity' of the form of Christ's birth and focuses Christ conceived by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit exists eternally as the bond of love between the Father and the Son, uniting them together and preserving their distinction. As the agent of the eternal distinction-in-unity within God himself, the Spirit is also the agent of the unity and distinction of the Word of God and human flesh. Barth describes the spiritual conception of Jesus as an event that fits with his understanding of the identity of the Holy Spirit as the bond of love within the eternal Trinity. Barth's description of the subjective reception of revelation as a miracle and mystery in correspondence to the miracle and mystery of Christmas the virgin birth and the incarnation. The work of Holy Spirit in the reception of revelation gives us some insight into how Barth conceives of human agency in relation to divine grace.
