mariologydogmati00pohl - Carmel Apologetics

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