Mary and the Fathers of the Church: The Blessed Virgin Mary in Patristic Thought

437 Pages·1999·7.714 MB·English

by  Luigi Gambero

LUIGI GAMBERO, S.M.
MARY AND THE FATHERS
OF THE CHURCH
The Blessed Virgin Mary in Patristic Thought
Translated by Thomas Buffer
IGNATIUS PRESS SAN FRANCISCO
Title of the Italian original:
Maria nel pensiero dei padri della Chiesa
© 1991 Edizione Paoline, S.R.L., Milan
Cover art:
Madonna and Child with Angels, detail
Duccio
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, Perugia, Italy
Scala/Art Resource, NY
Cover design by Roxanne Mei Lum
© 1999 Ignatius Press, San Francisco
ISBN 0-89870-686-6
Library of Congress catalogue number 98-7e12 59
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
Abbreviations 15
Introduction 17
PART ONE
FROM THE APOSTOLIC AGE
TO THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA (325)
Prologue 25
I THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS 27
Ignatius of Antioch 29
READINGS: Ignatian Prcifessions ifF aith 31
2 THE NEW TESTAMENT APOCRYPHA 33
The "Protoevangelium ofJ ames"
35
READING: The Virgin Birth according to the "Proto
evangelium ifJ ames" 41
3 THE SECOND-CENTURY APOLOGISTS 43
Justin Martyr 44
Eve-Mary 46
Melito of Sardis 48
READING: Easter Homily 49
4 IRENAEUS OF LYONS 51
Recapitulation in Christ 52
Mary's Role in the Economy of Salvation
53
READING: The New Adam and the New Eve 57
5 BEGINNINGS OF MARIAN DOCTRINE IN THE
LATIN CHURCH: TERTULLIAN 59
Tertullian's Personality 60
God Incarnate 61
Tertullian's Severity toward Mary 62
Mary Guarantees the Humanity of Christ 63
Mary Conceived Christ as a Virgin 64
Tertullian Denies Mary's Perpetual Virginity 65
READING: Mary the Virgin Earth 07
READING: In What Sense Mary Is Called "Woman JJ 68
6 TWO GREAT MASTERS OF THE SCHOOL
OF ALEXANDRIA: CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA
ANDORIGEN 69
Clement of Alexandria (d. ca. 2I5) 70
Origen (d. 253) 71
Mary, Mother of God 73
Mary, Virgin Mother 74
Mary, Ever-Virgin 75
Mary's Holiness 77
READING: Sub tuum praesidium 79
READING: Origen: My Soul Magnifies the Lord 79
READING: Origen: The Apostle John Receives Mary
as His Mother 80
READING: Ori,gen: Mary, Humble and Lowly 81
7 MARY IN THE EARLY CHURCH IN ROME 82
Mary in the Art of the Catacombs 83
A Witness to the Apostolic Tradition: Hippolytus of
Rome (d. 235) 85
Novatian, a Heretic Who Defends Mary's Maternity 88
READING: Hippolytus: Christ, Virginal Flower 90
READING: Hippolytus: Generated by the Father according
to the Spirit, by His Mother according to the Flesh 90
8 THE END OF THE ANTE-NICENE ERA 92
READING: Gregory of Nyssa: Mary Appears to the
Young Gregory the Wonderworker 93
PART TWO
FROM THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA
TO THE COUNCIL OF EPHESUS (431)
Prologue 97
l ATHANAS IUS OF ALEXANDRIA (d. 373) 99
An Important Anonymous Witness 100
Athanasius Defends Mary's Motherhood IOI
The Virgin's Child Is God I03
Mary Ever-Virgin I03
READING: Mary Greets Elizabeth I05
READING: In Praise if the Blessed Virgin I06
2 EPHREM THE SYRIAN (ca. 306-373) 108
In Love with the Beauty of the Virgin I09
The Mystery of the Mother of God I I I
The Exceptional Virgin I 13
Figure of the Church I I 5
Eve-Mary 116
READING: Marvelous Mother I I 8
3 EPIPHANIUS OF SALAMIS (d. 403) 120
His Polemical Mariology 122
The Ever-Virgin Mother of God 123
The New Eve 124
Mary's Earthly End 125
Devotion to the Virgin 127
READING: Deathfrom Eve, Lifefrom Mary I28
READING: Virginal Workshop if the Incarnation 13 0
4 CYRIL OF JERUSALEM AND THE JERUSALEM
CAT ECHESES 131
Mary in Cyril's Catechetical Program 132
Mary, Virgin Mother of the Word Incarnate 133
Divine Character of Mary's Motherhood 136
The Virginal Birth of Christ 137
Mary, Wondrous Model of the Virginal Life 138
Mary and the Role of Women 139
READING: Mary, joseph's Virginal Spouse 139
5 THE CAPPADOCIAN FATHERS: BASIL OF
CAESAREA (d. 379) 141
Mary, Workshop of the Incarnation 143
Mary's Virginity and the Faith of Christians 146
Marriage to]o seph 147
Mary as a Moral Figure 148
READING: Basil: Christ's True Birthfrom Mary 149
READING: Basil:joseph's Conduct toward Mary 150
6 GREGORY OF NYSSA (d. ca. 394) 151
Mary's Role in the Incarnation 153
The Wonder of Mary's Virginity 154
Zechariah, Martyr for the Sake of Mary's Virginity 156
Did Mary Take a Vow of Virginity? 157
READING: Christ, Chosen Fruit if Virginity 158
7 GREGORY NAZIANZEN (d. 390) 160
A Criterion of the True Faith 161
The Divine-Human Exchange 162
Virginal Temple of the Incarnate Word 163
Prayer to Mary 164
Mary, Model of the Virginal Life 165
READING: The Virginjustina Calls upon Mary 166
8 AMPHILOCHIUS OF ICONIUM (d. after 394) 168
READING: The New Eve Gives Birth to the Salvation
if the World 169
9 JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (d. 407) 171
] ohn Chrysostom and the Blessed Virgin 172
The Mystery of the God Incarnate 174
The Miracle of the Virgin Mother 175
Mary's Perpetual Virginity 177
Virginity Prefigured in the Old Testament 178
READING: Christ, Who Had No Father and No Mother 179
10 LATIN CHRISTIANITY: HILARY OF POITIERS (d. 367) 181
Hilary's Marian Thought 182
Christ's Genealogy according to Matthew
183
The Gospel Speaks on Mary's Behalf 184
The Moral Figure of Mary 186
READING: Mary in the Economy if Salvation 187
READING: Pregnant Virgin 188
READING: Faith in the Incarnation 188
II AMBROSE OF MILAN (d. 397) 189
Mary and the Ideal of Virginity 190
Mary Is a Virgin Because She Is Mother of God 192
Mother of God the Savior
193
Mary, a Remarkable Woman 196
Mary and the Church 198
READING: Mary, Highest Model of the Virginal Life 199
READINGS: Mary at the Foot if the Cross 202
12 JEROME (d. 419) 204
Controversy over Mary's Virginity 205
Mary Ever-Virgin 209
Mary in the Prophecies of the Old Testament 210
Mary's Holiness 212
READING: My Mary Conceived Men She Was
Already Engaged
214
13 AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (d. 430) 216
A Mariology for the Future 217
Mary and the Predestination of Christ 218
Virgin Mother of the Incarnate God 219
Mary and the Church 222
Mary, Holiest of Creatures 225
READING: The Virginal Birth if Christ Is a Truth if the Faith 228
READING: The Dignity if Both Sexes Is Emphasized
by the Incarnation
229
PART THREE
FROM THE COUNCIL OF EPHESUS
TO THE FIFTH CENTURY
Prologue 233
The Homily ofProclus of Constantinople 234
The Council of Ephesus 236
READING: Cyril of Alexandria: Mary's Role in the
Mystery cifthe Incarnation 238
I CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA (d. 444) 24I
Passionately Devoted to the Blessed Virgin 242
Mary's Role as Mediatrix 244
Mary at the Wedding in Cana 245
Mary at the Foot of the Cross 245
Cyril's Complex Personality 247
READING: The "Theot6kos", Cause cifJoy for
the Whole World 247
2 PROCLUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE (d. 446) 249
A Staunch Devotee of Mary 249
Enthusiastic Defender of the Theot6kos 250
Mary, Virginal Workshop 252
Salvific Character of Mary's Motherhood 254
Mary, Boast of the Female Sex 255
The Value ofProclus 257
READING: Mary in the Mystery if the Incarnation 257
READING: Mary in the Choir cif All Creatures Who Offer
Gifts to the Lord 258
3 THEODOTUS OF ANCYRA (d. before 446) 260
The Mother of God's Only Begotten Son 260
Virgin Mother 262
Mary's Preparation for the Incarnation 263
Virginal Birth and Resurrection 265
The Role of Joseph 265
The Sword of Simeon 266
Praise for the Holy Virgin 267
READING: The Incarnation, Mystery if Virginity 269
READING: A Moral Portrait if the Virgin 270
4 A HOMILY ON THE ANNUNCIATION (Fourth Century) 272
The Problem of Authorship 272
Content of the Homily 273
READING: Pseudo-Chrysostom: From the Homily on
the Annunciation by Pseudo-Chrysostom 275
5 CAELIUS SEDULIUS (d. ca. 440-450) 282
Mother of the Lamb 283
The New Eve 284
The Incarnation 286
The Angel's Prophetic Greeting 288
Mary and the Paschal Mystery 289
READING: In Praise ift he Divine Motherhood 291
6 PETER CHRYSOLOGUS (ca. 380-ca. 450) 292
Mother of God and Our Lady 293
The Miracle of Mary's Virginity 294
Mary, God's Spouse 296
The Eve-Mary Parallel 298
Devotion to Mary 300
READING: Peter Chrysologus: "When His Mother Mary
Was Betrothed . .. (Mt. 1 :18) 300
JJ
7 LEO THE GREAT (d. 461) 302
The Tomus ad Flavianum 303
Mary in the Prophecies of the Old Testament 306
Mary's Faith and the Incarnation 308
READING: Why Christ Was Born ifa Virgin 309
8 SEVERUS OF ANTIOCH (ca. 465-ca. 538) 310
Mary Is a Marvelous Mystery 311
The Miracle of Mary's Virginal Motherhood 313
The Blessed Virgin's Role in Salvation 315
READING: Mary's Intervention at the Wedding Feast at Cana 316
PART FOUR
THE END OF THE PATRISTIC PERIOD
(SIXTH-EIGHTH CENTURY)
Prologue 323
1 ROMANOS THE MELODIST (d. ca. 560) 325
Romanos and the Mother of God 326
The Birth of Mary 328
The Annunciation 329
Christ's Birth at Bethlehem 331
The Sword of Simeon 332
The Virgin Mother on Calvary 333
READING: Mary at the Cross 333
2 THE "AKAT HIST" HYMN (fifth-sixth century) 338
Compositional Structure 339
The Narrative Stanzas 340
The Doctrinal Stanzas 340
READING: The "A kathist" Hymn 342
3 GREGORY OF TOURS (d. 594) 352
Mary's Glorious End 353
Miraculous Interventions of the Mother of God 354
Mary's Concern for Christians 356
READING: Miraculous Relics ofM ary 357
4 VENANTIUS FORTUNATUS (d. ca. 600) 359
The Vision of the Prophets 360
Mary's Divine and Saving Motherhood 361
The Human Idyll of Mary's Motherhood 362
The Miracle of Mary's Virginity 363
READING: Hymn on the Incarnation 365
5 GREGORY THE GREAT (ca. 540-604)
Greatness of the Mother of God
The Virgin Appears to Little Musa