The printing press obviously led to more people knowing what exactly was in the Bible. So, to any extent the Councils were inconsistent with what was in the Bible, a greater number of people had difficulty. The historical "trust us" of the Church began to weaken.
But what I was really getting at is word and phrase usage over time. Apparently, there was a time in the Church when "Mother of Christ" only referred to Nestorianism and heresy. Given the normal use of those words today, that conclusion is counter intuitive. It wouldn't occur to anyone outside the Apostolic Church to take offense at that title today, as no one would use it in the Nestorian sense. At least I think that's safe to say in America.
FK: "... the distribution of the Bible has far surpassed the Apostolic Church's ability to personally explain it."
One evident result was growth in Protestant denominations. As you yourself admit, there has been no corresponding growth in understanding.
Actually, I would say there has been a huge growth in understanding. I don't think it's any accident that the Reformation happened soon after the advent of the printing press. Whenever the Bible is allowed to speak for itself, there is greater understanding. I thank God for the gift of the invention.
You got audio books? :)
If this book only method causes "greater understanding" why didn't our Lord send forth scribes instead of teachers?
"The printing press obviously led to more people knowing what exactly was in the Bible. So, to any extent the Councils were inconsistent with what was in the Bible, a greater number of people had difficulty. The historical "trust us" of the Church began to weaken."
and
"I don't think it's any accident that the Reformation happened soon after the advent of the printing press. Whenever the Bible is allowed to speak for itself, there is greater understanding. I thank God for the gift of the invention."
Maybe in the West, but in the East even common people could read and collections of scripture were widely available in public libraries, churches, even private homes and, believe it or not, the caves of monastic ascetics. In your COE course you've been reading many of the sermons of the Fathers. You will note how they harp on having their listeners read the scriptures ( I suspect in great measure because people didn't generally.). They weren't asking them to do something which was impossible because there were now scriptures available or the people couldn't read. I know it was different in the West, but you also know that there was nothing even approaching the Reformation in the East. Apparently reading the scriptures there didn't have the effect on the laity and lower clergy that it did in the West. Perhaps that's because in the East the practices of The Church, Holy Tradition and the scriptures are seen as a seamless garment.
Mother of Christ is fine. Mother of God is more precise, that is all. We do not object to the first, but you object to the second.
huge growth in understanding
Christian disunity of cosmic proportions thank to your Sola Scriptura superstition is not what I would call growth in understanding.