Theotokos
Theology
Theology
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Theologically, the terms "Mother of God", "Mother of Incarnate God" (and its variants) should not be taken to imply that Mary is the source of the divine nature of Jesus, who Christians believe existed with the Father from all eternity.

Within the Orthodox and Catholic tradition, *Mother of God* has not been understood, nor been intended to be understood, as referring to Mary as Mother of God *from eternity* — that is, as Mother of God the Father — but only with reference to the birth of [Jesus](/wiki/Jesus "Jesus"), that is, the [Incarnation](/wiki/Incarnation "Incarnation").
To make it explicit, it is sometimes translated *Mother of God Incarnate*."We recognize the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Theotókos, the mother of God incarnate, and so observe her festivals and accord her honour among the saints." *Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ* by the Anglican\-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC II) (cf. the topic of [Christology](/wiki/Christology "Christology"), and the titles of [God the Son](/wiki/God_the_Son "God the Son") and [Son of man](/wiki/Son_of_man_%28Christianity%29 "Son of man (Christianity)")).

The [Niceno\-Constantinopolitan Creed](/wiki/Nicene_Creed%23History "Nicene Creed#History") of 381 affirmed the Christian faith on "one Lord Jesus Christ, the only\-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father [before all worlds](/wiki/Pre-existence_of_Christ "Pre-existence of Christ") (æons)", that "came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the [Holy Ghost](/wiki/Holy_Ghost "Holy Ghost") and of the Virgin Mary, and was made man". Since that time, the expression "Mother of God" referred to the [Dyophysite](/wiki/Dyophysitism "Dyophysitism") doctrine of the [hypostatic union](/wiki/Hypostatic_union%23Through_history "Hypostatic union#Through history"), about the uniqueness with the twofold nature of Jesus Christ God, which is both human and divine (nature distincted, but not separable nor mixed). Since that time, Jesus was affirmed as true Man and true God from all eternity.

The status of Mary as *Theotokos* was a topic of theological dispute in the 4th and 5th centuries and was
the subject of the decree of the [Council of Ephesus](/wiki/First_Council_of_Ephesus "First Council of Ephesus") of 431 to the effect that, in opposition to those who denied Mary the title *Theotokos* ("the one who gives birth to God") but called her *Christotokos* ("the one who gives birth to Christ"), Mary *is* *Theotokos* because her son Jesus is one person who is both God and man, divine and human. This decree created the [Nestorian Schism](/wiki/Nestorian_Schism "Nestorian Schism"). [Cyril of Alexandria](/wiki/Cyril_of_Alexandria "Cyril of Alexandria") wrote, "I am amazed that there are some who are entirely in doubt as to whether the holy Virgin should be called *Theotokos* or not. For if our Lord Jesus Christ is God, how is the holy Virgin who gave \[Him] birth, not \[*Theotokos*]?" (Epistle 1, to the monks of Egypt; [PG](/wiki/Patrologia_Graeca "Patrologia Graeca") 77:13B). But the argument of [Nestorius](/wiki/Nestorius "Nestorius") was that divine and human natures of Christ were distinct, and while Mary is evidently the *[Christotokos](/wiki/Christotokos "Christotokos")* (bearer of Christ), it could be misleading to describe her as the "bearer of God". At issue is the interpretation of the [Incarnation](/wiki/Incarnation_%28Christianity%29 "Incarnation (Christianity)"), and the nature of the [hypostatic union](/wiki/Hypostatic_union "Hypostatic union") of Christ's human and divine natures between Christ's [conception](/wiki/Annunciation "Annunciation") and [birth](/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus "Nativity of Jesus").

Within the Orthodox doctrinal teaching on the [economy](/wiki/Economy_%28Eastern_Orthodox_Church%29 "Economy (Eastern Orthodox Church)") of salvation, Mary's identity, role, and status as *Theotokos* is acknowledged as indispensable. For this reason, it is formally defined as official [dogma](/wiki/Dogma "Dogma"). The only other [Mariological](/wiki/Mariology "Mariology") teaching so defined is that of her virginity. Both of these teachings have a bearing on the identity of Jesus Christ. By contrast, certain other [Marian](/wiki/Blessed_Virgin_Mary%23Marian_theology "Blessed Virgin Mary#Marian theology") beliefs which do not bear directly on the doctrine concerning the person of Jesus (for example, her sinlessness, the circumstances surrounding her [conception](/wiki/Feast_of_the_Immaculate_Conception%23Eastern_Orthodoxy "Feast of the Immaculate Conception#Eastern Orthodoxy") and [birth](/wiki/Nativity_of_the_Theotokos "Nativity of the Theotokos"), her [Presentation in the Temple](/wiki/Presentation_of_Mary "Presentation of Mary"), her continuing [virginity](/wiki/Perpetual_virginity_of_Mary "Perpetual virginity of Mary") following the birth of Jesus, and her [death](/wiki/Dormition_of_the_Virgin "Dormition of the Virgin")), which are taught and believed by the Orthodox Church (being expressed in the Church's liturgy and patristic writings), are not formally defined by the Church.


What is the significance of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed in affirming Jesus as true Man and true God?