[Invincibly Ignorant]

Jerome's reply to Helvidius the the best answer to you, but the simply reply is that the teaching of the Church is the true interpretation of Scripture and that Helvidius' interpretation was wrong, in part because in a century tainted by Ariansm it casts doubt on the Virgin birth, or at least its significance. For if his mother had other children, then the birth narratives can be taken only as meaning that he was a great man or a prophet, but not the son of God, and Mary was in no sense Theotokos

Man can you imagine having to keep all this stuff tidy? No wonder narrow is the way. I'm beginning to think all the intelectuals and scholars make it and nobody else. And don't flatter yourself Robby I'm not saying you a scholar.

[RobbyS]

Try putting yourself, at least in thought, amidst the tumult of real religious controversy,as in the 4th and fifth centuries which goes beyond mere scholastic squabbling, and results in the establishment of dogmas and the doctrines that flow logically from those dogmas. Thus, no Theotokos; no Christianity.