Many Christians find the virgin birth a difficult doctrine & are not sure how to handle it. This book examines why that is by addressing the whole range of issues that arise literary, historical & hermeneutical from a perspective that takes seriously creedal confession & theological & ecclesiological concerns. Lincoln’s investigation of the primary sources for the virgin birth leads him to consider the literary genre & distinctive characteristics of the New Testament birth narratives as part of ancient biography, & to reassess the likely historicity of the traditions that Matthew & Luke have in common. He then looks at how changes in our views of history & biology decisively affect any traditional understanding of the virgin birth, exploring what that means for the authority of Scripture & creed, & for our understanding of Christology.