Mother of God- Mater Dei- (the God of all Abrahamic religions)

[Vigilans]

This thread is for analyzing this theological expression; I want to hear the opinions not only from Christians, but from whoever believes in the monotheistic God, so even Jews and Muslims.
This is the way we call Mary, mother of Jesus (given that Jesus is God, Mary is God's mother). A Dogma without which, I think,it is hard to define Christianity. A dogma that is present in Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Anglicanism.

Does this expression bother you? I mean...to know that God has a mother, and this mother is made of flesh. In this perspective God becomes equal to man...and it is impossible to say that God is superior to mankind. Given that Mary, represents the possibility for man to become as divine as God.

Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, is rightfully called Theotokos; Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit in her womb. Mary was indeed flesh as was her Son, our saviour. Christ was both man and God in infinite measure, therefore he was both equal and superior to mankind. I'm a member of the Church of England btw.

 

[pearl]

This thread is for analyzing this theological expression; I want to hear the opinions not only from Christians, but from whoever believes in the monotheistic God, so even Jews and Muslims.
This is the way we call Mary, mother of Jesus (given that Jesus is God, Mary is God's mother). A Dogma without which, I think,it is hard to define Christianity. A dogma that is present in Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Anglicanism.

Does this expression bother you? I mean...to know that God has a mother, and this mother is made of flesh. In this perspective God becomes equal to man...and it is impossible to say that God is superior to mankind. Given that Mary, represents the possibility for man to become as divine as God.

Then a good place to begin is with the theology of Nativity accounts in Mt and Lk. Their purpose to present Mary as fulfilling
Scripture, which could be a problem for anyone who does not believe the OT. has anything significant to say concerning,
especially, Catholic Christianity. But in reality the image of Mary in the NT is woven entirely of OT threads. The likeness to
great OT mothers; Sarah, Hannah the mother of Samuel, the theology of daughter of Zion. Even the "The Holy Spirit will come upon you....' , God's creative spirit, Gen, "the power of the Most High will overshadow you", refers to the cloud which overshadows the
temple, indicating the presence of God, Mary, the sacred tent over whom God's hidden presence becomes effective.

The Divine Sonship to which faith refers, is not a biological but an ontological fact, an event not in time but in God's eternity as God
is always Father, Son and Holy Spirit, not that Jesus conception meant a new God- the -Son comes into being, it means that God
as Son in the "the man Jesus draws man to himself so that he himself is man."

 

[Estro Felino]

Then a good place to begin is with the theology of Nativity accounts in Mt and Lk. Their purpose to present Mary as fulfilling
Scripture, which could be a problem for anyone who does not believe the OT. has anything significant to say concerning,
especially, Catholic Christianity. But in reality the image of Mary in the NT is woven entirely of OT threads. The likeness to
great OT mothers; Sarah, Hannah the mother of Samuel, the theology of daughter of Zion. Even the "The Holy Spirit will come upon you....' , God's creative spirit, Gen, "the power of the Most High will overshadow you", refers to the cloud which overshadows the
temple, indicating the presence of God, Mary, the sacred tent over whom God's hidden presence becomes effective.

The Divine Sonship to which faith refers, is not a biological but an ontological fact, an event not in time but in God's eternity as God
is always Father, Son and Holy Spirit, not that Jesus conception meant a new God- the -Son comes into being, it means that God
as Son in the "the man Jesus draws man to himself so that he himself is man."

the extraordinary thing is that Jesus's DNA is exactly the same as Mary's. Because Jesus was created only with a woman's egg and with no male seed.

I can see female centrality in this miracle

 

[Sabour]

This thread is for analyzing this theological expression; I want to hear the opinions not only from Christians, but from whoever believes in the monotheistic God, so even Jews and Muslims.
This is the way we call Mary, mother of Jesus (given that Jesus is God, Mary is God's mother). A Dogma without which, I think,it is hard to define Christianity. A dogma that is present in Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Anglicanism.

Does this expression bother you? I mean...to know that God has a mother, and this mother is made of flesh. In this perspective God becomes equal to man...and it is impossible to say that God is superior to mankind. Given that Mary, represents the possibility for man to become as divine as God.

Let me quote the Quraan on that.

5:116
And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, 'Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah ?'" He will say, "Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen.

 

[Salek Atesh]

Does this expression bother you?

Does this expression bother me?? Not really. The ethical beliefs are more important than the metaphysical ones.

I mean...to know that God has a mother, and this mother is made of flesh. In this perspective God becomes equal to man...and it is impossible to say that God is superior to mankind. Given that Mary, represents the possibility for man to become as divine as God.

To "know" that God has a Mother?? Well, I don't know that to be the case, since as a Baha'i, I don't believe that "Son of God" == "God". But you opened this up to all (presumably Semitic) Monotheists, so there's my answer. I don't know why you wanted non-Christians to weigh in, considering that only Trinitarian Christians "know" that God has a mother.

Does this expression bother me?? Not really.

 

[Estro Felino]

Let me quote the Quraan on that.

5:116
And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, 'Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah ?'" He will say, "Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen.

Dear Friend...I deeply respect the Qur'an and the Holy books of any religion.
although for a Christian like me , it is very difficult to understand that concept.
Given that I believe that the human nature is divine. so any person is a deity in my eyes. Not only Jesus or Mary

 

[Salek Atesh]

Dear Friend...I deeply respect the Qur'an and the Holy books of any religion.
although for a Christian like me , it is very difficult to understand that concept.
Given that I believe that the human nature is divine. so any person is a deity in my eyes. Not only Jesus or Mary

Ah, Psalm 82:6??

 

[Sabour]

Dear Friend...I deeply respect the Qur'an and the Holy books of any religion.
although for a Christian like me , it is very difficult to understand that concept.
Given that I believe that the human nature is divine. so any person is a deity in my eyes. Not only Jesus or Mary

I was replying to your question in the OP. I am explaining the standpoint of muslims.

I am sure you know that from the stand point of muslims there is no Deity except Allah ....

So now your response leaves me clueless as to what you have been asking in the OP

 

[Salek Atesh]

Dear Friend...I deeply respect the Qur'an and the Holy books of any religion.
although for a Christian like me , it is very difficult to understand that concept.
Given that I believe that the human nature is divine. so any person is a deity in my eyes. Not only Jesus or Mary

I think it stems from a difference in definition of "deity". To a Muslim or Baha'i view, "deity" refers to an omnipotent, omniscient, infinite being. Which philosophical analysis says can only be singular.

This is different then the idea of a deity that you and Psalm 82:6 use, wherein a "deity" is any divine entity.

 

[Estro Felino]

I was replying to your question in the OP. I am explaining the standpoint of muslims.

I am sure you know that from the stand point of muslims there is no Deity except Allah ....

So now your response leaves me clueless as to what you have been asking in the OP

I meant that I would have preferred a personal comment, not some quotes from the Qur'an or the Bible.
But it's okay

 

[Estro Felino]

I think it stems from a difference in definition of "deity". To a Muslim or Baha'i view, "deity" refers to an omnipotent, omniscient, infinite being. Which philosophical analysis says can only be singular.
.

In fact I believe that humans are potentially omnipotent and omniscient. Potentially, of course

 

[Salek Atesh]

In fact I believe that humans are potentially omnipotent and omniscient. Potentially, of course

Fair enough. On a philosophical level I don't know how that is possible, but fair enough.

 

[Sabour]

I meant that I would have preferred a personal comment, not some quotes from the Qur'an or the Bible.
But it's okay

As a believer in the Quraan and one who knows it is the word of God, I have to say that I feel sad more than annoyed and I deeply wish that that would change.

 

[gsa]

If you read the bible, you will see how God has dealt with mankind and how he has blessed some for making the right choices in life. And how he has chosen people for special tasks and to represent him before others.

Its a shame the catholic church dont encourage bible reading... you will learn a lot about God by doing so.

It is only because you are a Protestant (or primativist/restorationist or whatever) that you have this "sola scriptura" view, although many Protestant denominations reject it (i.e., Anglican, Wesleyan (United Methodist)). In the Methodist tradition, we were taught prima scriptura, which in practice is clearly very different from what the Lutherans and others are doing. When you combine the Orthodox, the Catholics and the Protestant traditions that reject sola scriptura, you have a clear if not vast majority of Christians worldwide.

The Catholic Church does encourage members to read the scriptures, but only in light of tradition, which is held to be of equal value. In fact they read them at every mass. And it is not like other traditions encourage anarchic readings of the bible that allow believers to deviate from the creeds: Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, for example, have governing bodies responsible for ensuring the proper interpretation and application of scripture to their membership. Even the most minimalist congregationalist traditions (i.e., Disciples of Christ) require a basic faith in Jesus as the Christ, and in practice have more nuanced approaches to the proper interpretation of scripture.

 

[pearl]

the extraordinary thing is that Jesus's DNA is exactly the same as Mary's. Because Jesus was created only with a woman's egg and with no male seed.

I can see female centrality in this miracle

Of course there was no male seed, the conception was not biological. Mary has no significance aside from Christ. When we speak
of God, it is God the Father. Mary is the mother of God the Son. Jesus' conception was a miracle, God's creative power. Mary represented the Anawim of Israel,

 

[Salek Atesh]

the extraordinary thing is that Jesus's DNA is exactly the same as Mary's.

This would not be correct. Unless Jesus was biologically female (THERE'S an interesting conspiracy theory). Because he would've had to get the Y chromosome from somewhere, and Mary wouldn't have had a Y Chromosome... unless Mary was a XY female which... google says is apparently possible...
Girl with Y chromosome sheds light on maleness - life - 09 April 2009 - New Scientist
But then if she passed on that same Y chromosome to Jesus, Jesus would still have developed into a woman...

 

[syo]

This thread is for analyzing this theological expression; I want to hear the opinions not only from Christians, but from whoever believes in the monotheistic God, so even Jews and Muslims.
This is the way we call Mary, mother of Jesus (given that Jesus is God, Mary is God's mother). A Dogma without which, I think,it is hard to define Christianity. A dogma that is present in Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Anglicanism.

Does this expression bother you? I mean...to know that God has a mother, and this mother is made of flesh. In this perspective God becomes equal to man...and it is impossible to say that God is superior to mankind. Given that Mary, represents the possibility for man to become as divine as God.

true, in orthodoxy Mary is viewed as the most holy saint and she is named as mother of God.