The Dogma of Mary Mother of God

Mary, Mother of God

Mary Mother of God was one of the first dogma of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
A dogma is doctrine of our faith officially proclaimed by the church. With reference to Mary, there are four Marian Dogmas namely: 1. Mary Mother of God 2. The Virginity of Mary 3. The Immaculate Conception of Mary 4. The Assumption of Mary.




The first Marian Dogma, which was defined by the Council of Ephesus in 431, states that " The Virgin Mary is the Theotokos." This Marian title, which is compound of two greek words Teos (God) and Tokos (bearer) or the one who give births to God; however in liturgical use, it is paraphased as Mother of God. Nonetheless, the church has never meant to refer to Mary as Mother of God the Father from eternity, lest she herself would be God, but only as Mother of the Incarnate son of God.

Some objective that Mary should be called Mother of Christ ( Christotokos) and not mother of God, since God is eternal and cannot have any beggining. However, the Council of Ephesus asserted that the title Christotokos would reduce Christ into a mere man, no longer as God. Therefore, as Mary was the mother of Jesus, who is God she can be truly Venerated as Mother of God., Moreover, the council clarified that the Divine nature of Jesus Christ is begotten of God the Father from eternity; while his human nature was conceived in the womb of Mary in time.