Mary and the Early Church

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Hi Steve,

The author "Chadwick."  Do you know what theological bent he hails from? 
Mary as "theotokos," after the Council of Nicea, was pretty much accepted
as truth, when the "Arians" were slowly (but not completely) squashed to
silence.  I've left the quotes that you found below, stand, in case someone
else wanted to comment.  Helen's main bone of contention was found in her
statement that "Mary was a major part of worship in the early church.  I
still vehemently disagree and will continue to do so until I find written
evidence to the contrary.

In Santa,   ;-)

Doug Larson


____________________________
STEVE CR
I've not got much further with this question but I said I'd think about it
for a few weeks. Here's a couple of bits I dug up.

"To Apollinaris (of Laodicea) the virgin birth was of the first importance
for dogma and there was profound truth in the epithet 'Mother of God'
(Theotokos) which individual devotion had been applying to Mary since the
third century..." 
Chadwick, The Early Church (p192)

"But at the same time (440AD) the mosaics (of St Mary Major in Rome) are
the earliest evidence in art for the tendency to accord her an independent
position" 
Chadwick, The Early Church (p282).

However, Chadwick gives no sources for these comments. The art one is
interesting though, because Helen said that there was very early evidence
in Christian art for a high position of Mary - Chadwick puts the first
evidence in the 5th century.

The status of the Protevangelium of James, which was discussed a few weeks
ago, is the most interesting, as it elevates Mary. However, it's hard to
know whether the POJ is referred to by Justin (2nd century) in Dialogue
with Trypho or there is a common story which the author of POJ incorporates
into his work. Who knows?

If I find out anything else I'll post it. I don't really give a hoot but
it's still interesting
_______________________-

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