“The notion that Mary and her role in Salvation history was not reflected on in the early Church is not true. The Church Fathers starting in the 2nd century clearly reflected on her unique role.”
To take one point at a time, I’d like to say, I know Mary started getting a prominent place in the 2nd century or so. But my point is, it is not biblical to do so. There is no indication in the canon of Scripture that Mary got any sort of status that granted her assumption.
Persevero:
Well, I am glad to see that you recognize that the orthodox Church Fathers gave serious theological reflection with respect to Mary and her “unique role” in God’s plan of salvation and that this theological study started early in the 2nd century as attested to in the writings of St. Justin Martyr who died circa 155 AD and also St. Ireneaus’s writings circa 175 AD.
No offense, but Not biblical based on your 21st century Protestant Assumptions. The Church Fathers did not operate from the “Sola Scriptura” Protestant Doctrine that was not part of the Church’s Tradition prior to the 16th century. Also, it need to be pointed out that the 2nd century Church did not have a formally and finally defined NT canon, as that was a process that would not culminate until the late 4th century, as I noted in my earlier post.
Mary’s role was in salvation history is always tied to Christological Doctrines, so the new Eve parraellel is drawn from Genesis 3:15 which speaks of a woman whom the Devil will strike at. This Woman was seen by the Early Church as a prefigurement of Mary and the Church, as both can be true as the Fathers so Mary as an archetype of the Church.
In addition to Mary as the New-Eve, which was how the Fathers interpreted Mary as the woman spoken of in Genesis 3:15 and later in Revelation 11:9 to 12:16. The Fathers also saw her as the Ark of the Covenant as I pointed out in my previous post.
Another important passage in the OT canon of the Early Church that both the Catholic and Orthodox Church have is from Wisdom 1:4 which reads “Because into a Soul that plots evil, Wisdom enters not, nor does she dwell in a body under the debt of sin”. The passage is also seen as pointing to the Incarnation of Christ as in the Church, “Wisdom” was understood to mean the PreIncarnate Christ so it thus follows that Christ would not take residence in an “Ark” that was stained with Sin just as the OT Ark was made of Pure Gold as it held the Manna from heaven, the rod of the Priesthood and the Ten Commandements which also prefigure Christ who is the True Word of God made flesh, the true manna from heaven and the eternal high priest.
And the fact that the Church saw in Mary as the New Ark of the Covenant, the book of Revelation 11:9 points to the Ark being in Heaven [which is seen to be Mary] and the following passages in Revelation 12 once again speak of a Woman and a Son which most fully represent Christ and his Mother Mary.