Dear xzins,
It isn't "gotcha" if one insists on saying that Mary is the Mother of Jesus, but ought not be called the Mother of God.
And the fact is, there seems to be some opposition here on this thread to calling Mary the Mother of God. Period. Full stop.
That is precisely what the early Church was getting at with the title "Mother of God."
Part of the difficulty in my view, is that to the Catholic and the Orthodox (perhaps to redgolum's Lutheran) eye, the title "Mother of God" isn't as much about Mary as about Jesus. It's an issue of Christology. When we say, "Mary, Mother of God," we're focused on Who Jesus is, not so much who Mary is. Our focus is on Jesus.
sitetest
Sitetest
I think the matter is further complicated by some other titles that Mary has acquired over the years
Co-Redemtrix
Our Mediator
Mother of the Church
Mother of divine grace
Virgin most merciful
Cause of our joy
Gate of heaven
Morning star
Health of the sick,
Refuge of sinners
Queen of angels,
Queen of Heaven,
Queen of patriarchs,
Queen of prophets,
Queen of apostles,
Queen of martyrs,
Queen of confessors,
Queen of virgins,
Queen of all saints,
Queen conceived without original sin,
Queen assumed into heaven,
Queen of the most holy Rosary,
Queen of families
Queen of peace.
Mary is called NONE of these things in Scripture, or are they implied. When you add Mother of God to the equation with all of her other titles, it makes her seem divine.
It is "gotcha" when someone tosses heresy charges at someone just because they're specific regarding the relationship of the Son to Mary.
I have no problem with "Mary the Mother of God" provided the person is honest about meaning the Incarnate, 2d Person of the Trinity.
They demonstrate their honesty by assuming the best about someone who calls Mary the mother of Jesus. It makes no sense to assume a person doesn't believe in the Trinity and to immediately begin throwing the word "heresy" around.
In those cases, it makes as much sense to assume that the accuser does not believe that the Father is divine.