Both the ‘Did God die?’ question and the ‘mother of God’ debate turn on definitions which the opposing sides do not seem to agree on. What is death? What is a mother?
Mary is the mother of God. “Mother” is an earthly, human term. It does not mean creator. Your mother did not create you; she participated in the creation of your earthly body. Your soul was created by God, before you were ‘knitted’ in the womb. Mary participated in the creation of Jesus’ and thus God’s, human body. That is what being the ‘mother of God’ means. The idea that Mary created God is valid only to those who believe mothers create their children. Since I don’t think anyone really believes that, this entire argument is pointless. There really is no disagreement, there are only people trying to assign to Catholics beliefs that they don’t hold.
As far as God dying goes, death is also an earthly construct. It is the separation of the soul from the human, earthly body. Jesus did die in the manner of humans, because He was fully human. His being was separated from His earthly form, just as our soul will be separated from our body when we die. Our souls never die (unless going to hell is considered death), and the being of God will never die. The only way Jesus’ death is a problem is if God is limited to the earthly plane, which I think we all agree He is not. Jesus suffered death. His being left His human body and then returned, precisely because God, in any of His persons, is not constrained to earth or human limitations.
Love,
O2
While I appreciate your explanations, did it not occur to you that if you have to go to such lengths to explain what is meant by more ambiguous terms or statements, perhaps they are not the best to use?
For example, changing *mother of Jesus* to *mother of God* does nothing except foster confusion and leave the door open for misunderstanding who Mary is and the nature of God.
The more specific term *mother of Jesus* requires no verbal gymnastics to clear up misconceptions about who Mary is. There’s no need for convoluted explanations about how Mary isn’t REALLY “GOD’S” mother cause God doesn’t have a mother, etc.
*Mother of Jesus* doesn’t need any further explanation of who Mary is. It’s concise, accurate, succinct, beautiful in its simplicity.
Not to mention, the term of choice by the Holy Spirit.
If I have to choose between going with what the Holy Spirit inspired or what man changed it to, I’ll take the Holy Spirit’s version.
I think He knows a little bit better which term to use than man does.