Marian Doctrines

[Enda]

I just got back from an adult religious ed class where we were studying Mary, and I think I'm confused.

I [i]believe[/i] they said Mary was only the mother of Jesus' human nature and in no way had any connection with His divinity. They said she didn't mother His divine person, or divine nature. I was always under the inmpression that she had to be the mother of his divine person, but not His nature or else you would fall into that age old heresy that there were to Christs. Have I got my Mariology screwed up or do they?

I was also told that Mary had already been defined as "Mediatrix" by the Church, and it's the idea that she's "Co-Redemptrix" that controversial. If this is true why is there so much debate of the latter? If God wouldn't have chosen anyone but Mary to mother His Son wouldn't she be Co-Redemptrix by default at the crucifixion anyway?

Thank you.

[Pio Nono]

JMJ
7/15 - St. Bonaventure

Enda,

Good questions. First, Mary was the earthly mother of the entirety of Christ. To say that she mothered only Christ's human nature is to fall into the Nestorian heresy (I think...I'm not up on my early Church heresies), and it facilitates one to fall into the heresy of Apollinarism (that Christ wasn't divine, but that His Divinity rested in a human body similiar to a hand inside of a sock puppet). The Council of Ephesus defined Mary as [i]theotokos[/i] - God-bearer.

Second, it is accepted by the Church that Mary is the Mediatrix of all Graces. However, the Church is still trying to work through the issue of her being the Co-Redemptrix. As I see it, the confusion regarding this matter is twofold:

1.) There is an issue with the prefix "co-". It comes from the ancient "cum", meaning with - so in the ancient sense, "Co-Redemptrix" means nothing more than "with the Redeemer". However, the idea of "Co-Redemptrix" may be an ancient one, but its formulation is not ancient - so the Church is still trying to figure out what exactly is meant by "Co-"Redemptrix.

2.) Another problem is that, as you mention, Mary is a Co-Redemptrix by the action of Christ on the Cross. However, by that same action, we are all, in a certain sense, "co-redeemers" - we are all required to carry on the work of Redemption. The Church is still trying to figure out whether there is anything special about Mary's capacity in this regard and, if there is, what exactly it is.

Again, a convoluted answer (for which I am famous), but I hope it helps somewhat.

Yours,
Pio Nono