mariologydogmati00pohl - Carmel Apologetics
mariologydogmati00pohl - Carmel Apologetics
mariologydogmati00pohl - Carmel Apologetics
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MARY THE MOTHER OF GOD 13<br />
may be dismissed with the remark that such a being falls<br />
squarely under the philosophical definition of animal<br />
rationale.<br />
If we except Christ from the general law of nature<br />
and postulate unnecessary miracles, we divest the mother-<br />
hood of the Blessed Virgin of its true meaning and teach<br />
a refined Docetism. For the gradual development of a<br />
child under the influence of the plastic powers of nature<br />
constitutes one of the essential notes of maternity.<br />
b) As there are two natures in Christ, a dis-<br />
tinction must be made between His eternal gen-<br />
eration from the Father and His temporal birth<br />
from the Virgin Mother. This basic dogma of<br />
Christology 36 necessarily entails a twofold son-,<br />
ship. By His eternal ye'w^ow from the Father,<br />
Jesus is the true Son of God; by His temporal<br />
birth from the Virgin He is the true Son of<br />
Mary. Being one undivided person, the Son of<br />
God is therefore absolutely identical with the child<br />
of the Virgin, and Mary is consequently in very<br />
truth the mother of God. It follows that the<br />
dogma of Christ's twofold sonship does not in-<br />
volve the Nestorian and Adoptionist implication<br />
that there are two Sons of God.<br />
Theologians have raised the question whether the rela-<br />
tion between Christ's Divine Sonship and the motherhood<br />
of Mary is real or merely logical. 37<br />
36 Cfr. Pohle-Preuss, Christology, Thomas, Summa TheoL, 3a, qu. 35,<br />
pp. 61 sqq. art. 5; Suarez, De Myst, Vitae<br />
37 On this subtle problem cfr. St. Christi, disp. 12, sect. 2.