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