Questions on Intercession of the Saints

[Deblee]

The information I have originates with a teaching course titled "Warriors Queens etc" by Joyce Salisbury PHD. You can find it by the title on Google, but it looks like you would have to buy a DVD. They have it on Amazon. I can't find the article about it on Wondrium Daily that I somehow accessed last year. I printed out a copy of it at that time. But when I put the URL in, it comes up 404.

I'll check YouTube. Someone may have posted it there.

The point was made that Pulcheria influenced her brother Theodosius II to set the council in Ephesus, a city devoted to Mary, in a church dedicated to Mary. Apparently the women of Ephesus influenced the council by marching in the streets in support of Mary as mother of God.

I don't want to spend too much time researching this right now because I decided the smart thing to do was work through the writings of the early church chronologically. I've read Clement, Barnabas, Ignatius and Polycarp, so far.

The Council of Ephesus was held in a church dedicated to Mary. That much I have confirmed.

 

[prodromos]

The point was made that Pulcheria influenced her brother Theodosius II to set the council in Ephesus, a city devoted to Mary, in a church dedicated to Mary. Apparently the women of Ephesus influenced the council by marching in the streets in support of Mary as mother of God.

There were 250 bishops from all over at the Council. They're not going to be influenced by a group of women marching.

I don't want to spend too much time researching this right now because I decided the smart thing to do was work through the writings of the early church chronologically. I've read Clement, Barnabas, Ignatius and Polycarp, so far.

That's fine, and I recommend you stick to primary sources. The sources you have referred me to seem to have an agenda.

The Council of Ephesus was held in a church dedicated to Mary. That much I have confirmed.

Mary was highly revered in the Church, whether she was considered as Christotokos or Theotokos, but the Council was not about Mary, it was about Christ. The heresy of Nestorius was that he divided Christ into two persons, one human and one divine. The orthodox teaching is that Chist is a single person who is both human and divine, and that is why the Council declared Mary to be Theotokos, the birth giver of God, because Christ was both God and man from the moment Mary conceived in her womb. He did not become God at a later stage. The mistake Protestants make is in thinking the title "Theotokos" was elevating Mary when it is actually defending the fact that Jesus is both God and Man. It is entirely Christological and not about Mary at all.

 

[Deblee]

There were 250 bishops from all over at the Council. They're not going to be influenced by a group of women marching.

That's fine, and I recommend you stick to primary sources. The sources you have referred me to seem to have an agenda.

Mary was highly revered in the Church, whether she was considered as Christotokos or Theotokos, but the Council was not about Mary, it was about Christ. The heresy of Nestorius was that he divided Christ into two persons, one human and one divine. The orthodox teaching is that Chist is a single person who is both human and divine, and that is why the Council declared Mary to be Theotokos, the birth giver of God, because Christ was both God and man from the moment Mary conceived in her womb. He did not become God at a later stage. The mistake Protestants make is in thinking the title "Theotokos" was elevating Mary when it is actually defending the fact that Jesus is both God and Man. It is entirely Christological and not about Mary at all.

Well, primary sources are what I am investigating now, but I have learned it's better to begin at the beginning than to bounce around. I got distracted by Mary and the Eucharist when I was taking classes at the Catholic Church. Not their fault. I was trying to figure out if God wanted me to convert, and those were the stumbling blocks. I also learned about the early church fathers there and finally figured out I should begin at the beginning and make a thorough study of the Apostolic church. It's going to take awhile, but for me, it's quite important.

I just haven't gotten to 400AD yet, but when I do, I will study it just as thoroughly.