The Akathist Hymn was written in a time when the interest around Mary was focused closely on her pregnancy. This was in response to a number of controversies in the fourth and fifth centuries over when, precisely, the Son of God came to be.
Arius, a priest, began teaching around AD 320 that Christ existed before the universe, and that he created it and everything in it. However, he himself was created by God the Father. In other words, Christ had not always existed, from eternity. "There was a time when he was not", Arius said.
This, of course, aroused great controversy. In AD 325 Emperor Constantine called together the clergy for the first Ecumenical Council. They met in Nicea and after much debate produced the Nicene Creed, a statement of faith which was signed by all but three of the 318 bishops present. The creed states that Christ was not created by God. Rather, he is "begotten, not made" and "of one being with the Father." Arianism hung around as a heresy for centuries.
In the fifth century, Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople, began to teach that Christ had two separate natures: human and divine. He taught that it was wrong to say that 'God suffered' or 'God was crucified' because those events were only experienced by Christ's human nature, not his divine nature.
Likewise, the child Mary carried in her womb could not have been God, because "no one can bring forth a son older than herself". He opposed calling her Theotokos (though the title had been in use at that point for at least 200 years). Instead, he wished her to be titled Christotokos, indicating that she gave birth to Christ's human nature alone. The third Ecumenical Council, in Epehsus, AD 431 rejected Nestorius' argument. The son of Mary was both human and divine, and she properly deserved the title of Theotokos.
Theotokos is often translated 'Mother of God'. However, it more properly means 'Birthgiver of God'. While Mary is the only Theotokos, we can all hope to become Theophorus, or God-bearers. We desire and aim to carry God within us, through the Holy Spirit.
I know people who have problems with the title Theotokos because, well, how can Mary be the mother of God? How could she give birth to God? Is she a goddess? Is she older than a being that has no beginning and no end? No. Of course not. Stop being silly.
Mary did, quite literally, give birth to God in the only kind of birth He has ever experienced. The Son was born onto earth in a mortal, human form. He has two natures, both human and divine, but they are inextricably and permanently joined. You cannot have one without the other. If Mary gave birth to Christ's human nature here on earth, then she also gave human form, human birth to his divine nature. But that doesn't imply that she created the divine nature. Just that she, and only she as Christ had no human father, gave Him His mortal, human flesh.
Nice explanation! Thanks for pointing out these theological differences of thought.
ReplyDeletetheological differences of thought.
ReplyDeleteaka: heresies...
Arius, a priest, began teaching around AD 320 that Christ existed before the universe, and that he created it and everything in it. However, he himself was created by God the Father. In other words, Christ had not always existed, from eternity. "There was a time when he was not", Arius said.
ReplyDeleteHmm, but is there such a thing as "time" before the universe? :D Poor Arius. This is the sort of thing people at my school actually say in response to things like that. We don't know the difference between theology, physics, and philosophy. We know what he meant but this is more fun.
I sort of get Nestorius' point with the son older than herself comment. I mean, I also get that that's not what the term means, and that she gave birth to a child that was fully God as well as human. But I can see what he was getting at, probably trying to wrap his head around what it really meant to be mother of God, and whether she gave birth to the God part as well, if it came into existence at Christ's birth or if she could give birth to someone who could then exist retroactively. (With my love of crazy-physics, I like that last explanation a lot.)
But this is part of why I dislike the whole idea of heresy. I get that it's about trying to prevent bad theology that goes against the core of Christianity. But I think that's what he was trying to do, too. He was probably concerned with the idea that saying Mary gave birth to God meant that God was created by a human and hadn't always existed. He words it differently, but it's a decent point, and I think gets at what is actually meant by "theotokos." As far as birth means the same as creation, it isn't right (according to Orthodoxy) that Mary gave birth to (created) God, right? I just feel like the need to get the words right shuts down conversation and stops people from sharing ideas and helping each other to learn and grow.
But it is interesting seeing the stages it took for the Church to pin down an official stance. And it helps me to think of things that never occurred to me before. :) Thanks for sharing! I've really only seen this before from the liberal perspective of my heretic-filled school, where some of these beliefs are still held. I don't remember to hear from the other side often, and this helps me see the whole picture a lot more easily.
Hmm, but is there such a thing as "time" before the universe?
ReplyDeleteActually not a bad question. How is time defined/experienced outside of creation? God exists outside of time, so does it hold any meaning for Him at all?
someone who could then exist retroactively.
Probably not what you meant, but this is how I explain how people could be walking and talking with God in the OT when we're told experiencing God the Father smashes your brain flat and sets you on fire. Or something like that. But, if the Lord that they're walking around with is the Son in His physical body, that of Jesus, then it explains how He can interact with creation without, you know, breaking it.
I think Nestorius *meant well*, but he went too far. That's the whole thing, really. Not that people who create or teach heresy mean to lead people astray, but more that they go to one extreme and lose the thread of the faith.
As far as words go, if we don't have the terminology down, if we don't have defined terms in as much as we are able to, then how can we have a conversation at all? We might be agreeing and not realize it because the wording seems contradictory.
As far as birth means the same as creation, it isn't right (according to Orthodoxy) that Mary gave birth to (created) God, right?
Right. It's not right in any kind of Christianity to believe that Mary gave birth to/created God. Mary gave birth to the human body of Jesus. The uncreated Son was born into the world through her, but He existed as long as God has existed. So, you know, for all eternity. Or whatever that looks like for a being who is apart from time. :D