Mariology is both Christology and Israelology—or should be, anyway. In this episode Dad and I work through the biblical witness about Mary, patristic affirmations of her as the God-bearer, what the doctrine of the virgin birth does and, perhaps more importantly, doesn't mean, and conclude with some suggestions for expanding and developing Mary's theological significance as not only birth mother of God but also adoptive mother of the church of both Jews and Gentiles.

Notes:

1. Quotes from Cyril of Alexandria and the christological formula of the Council of Chalcedon come from Christology of the Later Fathers

2. See also the discussion of Theotokos in Pelikan, The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition, and also his book Mary through the Centuries

3. Check out my article "Maria Adoptrix"

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