The Marian Heritage of the Early Church
Abraha Taddesse, sdb.
The apocryphal writings regarding Mary includes just but the following:
Protoevangelium Jacobi: this is known as the proto-Gospel of James. This work is focused on the life of Mary and it is based on the Infancy Narratives of Matthew and Luke. This writing is concerned with given solutions to the many controversial issues raised against Mary as mother of Christ.
The Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel pseudo-Matthew: These are concern with the emphasis on the miraculous powers of Jesus in a very sensational way.
The Transitus Mariae: This refers in other words as the dormition-a term which means sleeping and it's figuratively applies to the death and assumption of Mary. These are said to be legends that originated from the Eastern Churches that turned to influence the doctrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. However, the Church's teachings on Mary are biblically rooted on the mysteries of Incarnation and Redemption in the life of Jesus. Mary's maternal role in these aforementioned mysteries is the yardstick to the Church's teachings regarding her.
2.3 The image of Mary in the African Father and Tertullian
Clement of Alexandria: Is Catholic - Gnostic, he discovered the importance of the knowledge of the salvific truth found in the scriptures. In his principle of typology, Clement speaks of the virgin Mary as type of the Church. With regards to the maternal function of Mary especially in relating with the mystery of the incarnation, he considers her as the virgin-mother who is the archetypal model of the mystery of the Church.
Origen, is one of the greatest of Christian antiquity. He wrote 89 texts in which he used the title theotokos for Mary. He considers virginity to be the most mysterious and marvelous aspect of Mary's motherhood. Origen is convinced that the virginal conception of Jesus was not a sort of privilege for his mother but, a service she owed to and he said Mary is ever-virgin. And he teach Mary's universal motherhood as well.
Tertullian, was the son of a centurion, the highest rank that a non- Roman could attain. He studied law and rhetoric, worked as an advocate in Rome and then returned to Africa, which was in his blood. He passed very severe harsh judgments of the holy Virgin interpreting poorly the Gospel passages that mention the brothers of Jesus (cf. Mt 12: 46-50;Mk 3:31-35; Lk 8: 19-21). According to him the Lord was reproving his Mother together with his brothers. He defend the real humanity of Christ that Chris's body is not heavenly but really born of the very substance of Mary, ex Maria, and he denied the virginity of Mary in partu and post partum. He states that Mary was a virgin when she conceived, she was a wife when she brought forth. He understands the brethren of Jesus as children of Mary according to the flesh. But many fathers rejected these teachings.
Cyprian of Carthage, was from a pagan family and studied literature and rhetoric. He converted at forty, distributed his property to the poor and became a priest and at the beginning of 249 was elected Bishop of Carthage. He write many surviving works like on scripture, unity of the Church, baptism, penitence and martyrdom. Only one passage which speaks of Mary by combining the texts of Gn.3:15 with Isaiah 7: 14.
Athanasius of Alexandria, was a convert to Christianity, later served as a deacon and was present at the Council of Nicaea as the secretary of the Bishop. In 325 AD, he become Bishop of Alexandra. Athanasius is devoted to the Virgin Mary in a persona manner. He sees Mary as the Virgin par excellence who is a model to be imitated by those committed to Virginity. He calls Mary our Sister (by virtue of her sharing in the patrimony of Adam), and as Theotokos, etc. He said for our sake he was made man having assumed flesh from Mary the Virgin Mother of our God.
Mary in the Early Church of Rome, the figure of Mary is clearly present in iconography. They said the virgin Mother present from the beginning. The Christian people of the early century gave important place to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Hippolytus of Rome, appreciated the importance of Mary's role in the mysteries of the incarnation and of human salvation.
The Great Western Theologians, saw the mystery of incarnation as prefigured and prepared for in the prophetic texts of Hebrew Scriptures. The lives of consecrated virgins, both men and women, led them to see in Mary as the model for the consecrated way of life as well.
Ambrose of Milan, the future bishop of Milan was born to an aristocratic Christian family. In his writings, Ambrose presented a threefold treatment regarding Mary: (A) Christocentric reflection, (B) Reflection on Mary in ecclesiology and finally, (C) Mary is seen as an exemplary model for the life of consecrated virginity. He also applies the title Daughter of Zion to Mary and to the Church providing greater insights into the virginal character of the Church. Ambrose convincingly argues that Mary is the model for the Church in her faith and integrity as the Virgin Mother that enables the faithful to see her as a model.
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