is translated into English as 'Mother of God'. However, Greek-speaking
Christians also used the equivalent Meter Theiou. The latter form
offers a more comprehensive vision of Mary's motherhood in line with a
personalist point of view.
The title, Mother of God, seems to have first been used in liturgical and
devotional practice by Christians in Egypt. It appears in an ancient prayer, Sub
Tuum Praesidium which dates back to the third century. There was some
controversy about the use of this title since the pagan goddess, Isis, was
referred to as Mother of God. However, there are radical differences between
the myths about divine births to pagan goddesses (e.g. Isis, mother of Horus)
and the gospel accounts of Jesus' incarnation in Mary. For example, the
Gospels portray Jesus as conceived by Mary in Spirit while pagan myths portray
the conception of gods in passion and removed from the mysterious destiny of
the Incarnation.
Nevertheless, the title, Mother of God, was used in an Alexandrian credal
formula. When challenged in 322, Patriarch Peter of Alexandria defended its
legitimacy. Use of the title, Theotokos was formally sanctioned by
the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus in 431. The Church declared that both Divine
and human natures were united in the person of Jesus, the son of Mary. Hence,
Mary may be called Theotokos, since the son she bore according to the
flesh, Jesus, is truly one of the Divine persons of the Trinity. This Marian
title is really a Christological statement, which affirms that the second
person of the Trinity, who was born into history as fully human, is really
'God with us'.
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