Addressing more objections to "mother of God"

The two most common huddles in my experience to people rejecting the Marian title "mother of God" is 1) poor education in logic, 2) poor education on Christology. The first is a fault of secular education, logic/philosophy is not generally taught in American education until college/university. The second is a general fault of Christian education, though Catholicism has a poorly educated laity, Protestant laity, with few exceptions like Lutheranism, have no real means of synthesizing doctrine. Consequently, Protestants will sometimes call Christ by terms high church Protestants, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox would generally object, but not necessarily out of heresy, but out of ignorance. For instance, I heard a radio Protestant preacher refer to Christ as a "human being," certainly he confessed Christ as fully God and fully man, but he likely lacked education behind the meaning of the term person. From experience, a more common issue is, many Protestants do not understand that Christ having two natures makes him both created and uncreated. As a man, Christ is a creature that was conceived of in time in the Virgin Mary. His flesh had a beginning in time and space. Colossians 1:15 recognizes Christ is a creature, the chapter also recognizes him as the Creator who always existed. Though, having a beginning, the created Flesh of Christ was divine itself by the Incarnation, John 1:14 says, "the Word became flesh." For this reason we can say "God died" since God experienced death in the person of the Son in His human nature. Luke 1:35 describes Mary not simply giving birth to the Messiah, but to the "son of God," which is a divine titles meaning He is born of God Himself (as God the Son, Christ is eternally born of the Father, hence the two births of Christ: temporal and eternal)

To deny the Virgin Mary as the mother of God, is to potentially imply a few things:

a) Christ is two persons, the Virgin birth the human one only, which was lately shared/replaced by the Divine person.

b) or that Christ sort of possesses a body in the sense a demon possess a body. Yet the Scriptures states, "the Word became Flesh." 

c) Christ is only "partly God" that is He is only the Son of God, but not God Himself, or that the three persons only collectively can be called "God"

Objection: Mary cannot be mother of God, since Christ is only one person of the Trinity, to be mother of God should have to birth the whole trinity, at most you can call her "mother of God the Son"

Reply: By this reasoning Jesus cannot be ever spoken of as "God" but only "God the Son" yet scripture at times simply calls him "God" as in John 1:1 and John 20:28. Likewise, this reasoning means the Father cannot be called God being only 1 of the 3 persons, same with the Spirit. Few Protestants will deny Christ is God, but they will redefine their terms for the sake of denying the term "mother of God."

To say Christ is only part of God or 1/3rd of God is partialism, which itself can be potentially tritheism.

Objection: God is eternal, Mary is not. She cannot give birth to an eternal being.

Reply: We recognize Mary is created and God is uncreated. We also recognize the Son to be eternally begotten of His Father, that is from before time began and without end into the future. In his humanity he made a birth in time of the Virgin. But since that flesh was the Word also according to John 1:14, and the flesh was brought forth from Mary, it can be said she bore God in a temporal manner, since in entering His creation the Divine joined himself to the created, he was born, suffered and died. 

By the same reasoning as the objection, Muslims say "God cannot die" "God cannot suffer" "God cannot poop" etc and conclude Jesus cannot be God. Yet in the incarnation the Word who is God became flesh, God experienced all these things including having a human mother.

Objection: Only "mother of Lord is biblical" since Luke 1:43 says "mother of my Lord." Again, a created being cannot birth the uncreated God!

Reply: Is the Lord uncreated? Why is it acceptable to say a created human woman is the mother of the uncreated Lord, but once you change the word Lord to God, it becomes objectionable? Lord and God are referring to the same thing, Deity. The terms are interchangeable in the Bible. Did the Spirit inspire Elizabeth to call Christ merely a human lord? The instances of Lord in Luke 1 are to the Lord God.

Objection: You built this doctrine around one single verse, Luke 1:43. Any doctrine should be established by more than one verse!

Reply: Read what the Angel Gabriel said to Mary:

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God"--Luke 1:35

The title "Son of God" when used in the New Testament for Christ is a term for his Deity, a son has the same nature as his father, likewise the Son of God shares the nature of the Father. 

The Angel said she will give birth to the Son of God, she is, therefore, "mother of the Son of God." Yet Mary is created and the Son of God is without beginning. The scripture did not object to terms like "mother of my Lord" yet those who object to "mother of God" pick at it accuse it of being imprecise, yet the Scriptures do not see the need to limit their words as some do. The scriptures could have said, "the flesh born to you will be called the son of man" which would be consistent with reasoning of some Baptists. 

Objection: The term mother of God is pagan.

Reply: This doesn't stop you from using pagan titles and terms for YHVH and Christ in the Bible. The Pagans also had people that were "sons of God." The pagans also has a god named "El." They also had a god they called "he who rides the clouds." The pagans also had people that were "the image of a god." There are many more examples. Pagan also had gods that could die, gods that were born of virgins, men that were divine,. This object is absurd and conveniently ignores the issue for titles found in the Bible.

Suggestionem anafora in Councils

An anonymous Orthodox apologist stated that the use of the word suggestionem in conciliar documents precludes any sense of a dogmatic statement. Suggestion in the councils are proposals. The Papal suggestions are forceful--the pope does give options. One is to obey the Pope's decision and the other is to be a heretic.

Constantinople II:

The "suggestion" of Pope Agatho at Constantinople III:

Moreover, most pious and God-instructed sons and lords, if the Archbishop of the Church of Constantinople shall choose to hold and to preach with us this most unblameable rule of Apostolic doctrine of the Sacred Scriptures, of the venerable synods, of the spiritual Fathers, according to their evangelical understanding, through which the form of the truth has been set forth by us through the assistance of the Spirit, there will ensue great peace to them that love the name of God, and there will remain no scandal of dissension, and that will come to pass which is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, when through the grace of the Holy Spirit the people had come to the acknowledging of Christianity, all of us will be of one heart and of one mind. But if (which God forbid!) he shall prefer to embrace the novelty but lately introduced by others; and shall ensnare himself with doctrines which are alien to the rule of orthodox truth and of our Apostolic faith, to decline which as injurious to souls' these have put off, despite the exhortation and admonitions of our predecessors in the Apostolic See, down to this day, he himself should know what kind of an answer he will have to give for such contempt in the divine examination of Christ before the judge of all, who is in heaven, to whom when he cometh to judgment also we ourselves are about to give an account of the ministry of preaching the truth which has been committed to us, or for the toleration of things contrary to the Christian religion: and may we (as I humbly pray) preserve unconfusedly and freely, with simplicity and purity, whole and undefiled, the Apostolic and Evangelical rule of the right faith as we have received it from the beginning. And may your most august serenity, for the affection and reverence which you bear to the Catholic and Apostolic right faith, receive the perfect reward of your pious labours from our Lord Jesus Christ himself, the ruler with you of your Christian empire, whose true confession you desire to preserve undefiled, because nothing in any respect has been neglected or omitted by your God-crowned clemency, which could minister to the peace of the churches, provided always that the integrity of the true faith was maintained: since God, the Judge of all, who disposes the ending of all matters as he deems most expedient, seeks out the intent of the heart, and will accept a zeal for piety. Therefore I exhort you, O most pious and clement Emperor, and together with my littleness every Christian man exhorts you on bended knee with all humility, that to all the God-pleasing goodnesses and admirable imperial benefits which the heavenly condescension has vouchsafed to grant to the human race through your God-accepted care, this also you would order, for the redintegration of perfect piety, to offer an acceptable sacrifice to Christ the Lord your fellow-ruler, granting entire impunity, and free faculty of speech to each one wishing to speak, and to urge a word in defence of the faith which he believes and holds, so that it may most manifestly be recognized by all that by no terror, by no force, by no threat or aversion any one wishing to speak for the truth of the Catholic and Apostolic faith, has been prohibited or repulsed, and that all unanimously may glorify your imperial (divinam) majesty, throughout the whole since of their lives for so great and so inestimable a good, and may pour forth unceasing prayers to Christ the Lord that your most strong empire may be preserved untouched and exalted. The Subscription. May the grace from above keep your empire, most pious lords, and place beneath its feet the neck of all the nations. --Pope Agatho Letter to Emperor Constantine IV on the Third Council of Constantinople

Notice the Pope formed his own dogmatic letter, then there was a separate letter, less forceful done by the synod with the Pope. So certainly the Pope's letter was not that of the synod! The text is very forceful, it appears to give the Greeks an option, either obey or disobey and be out of the Church.

The definition of suggestio:

suggestĭo(subg- ), ōnis, f. suggero. * 

I. Lit., an adding to, addition: “potus suggestione auctus,” Cael. Aur. Tard. 2, 13, 182.— 

II. Trop. * A. A rhet. fig., where the orator puts a question and answers it himself, a suggestion: “quod schema quidam per suggestionem vocant, i. e. per subjectionem,” Quint. 9, 2, 15.—B. A hint, intimation, suggestion (late Lat.), Vop. Aur. 14; 19; Symm. Ep. 9, 20; Inscr. Orell. 2. 

A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879

What does anafora ἀναφορά mean?

The following is taken from Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon

άναφορ-ά , ἡ, (ἀναφέρομαι)

A.coming up, rising, “ἀ. ποιεῖσθαι” rise, Arist.HA622b7; of vapours or exhalations, Placit.3.7.4, Theol.Ar. 31, cf. Orib.9.16.3, etc.

2. Astron., ascent of a sign measured in degrees of the equator, Ptol.Tetr.134.

b. Astrol., = ἐπαναφορά, τόπος next to a κέντρον, Vett.Val.19.18.

c. ascendant, Cat.Cod.Astr.8(3).100; opp. ἀπόκλιμα, Serapion in Cat.Cod.Astr. 1.99, S.E.M.5.20, etc.

d. rising of a sign, Ach.Tat.Intr.Arat. 39.

II. (ἀναφέρω) carrying back, reference of a thing to a standard, “διὰ τὸ γίνεσθαι ἐπαίνους δι᾽ ἀναφορᾶς” Arist.EN1101b20; in Law, recourse, “ἐκείνοις εἶναι εἰς τοὺς ἔχοντας ἀναφοράν” D.24.13: abs., Thphr. Char.8.5 (pl.), IG5(1).1390.111 (Andania, i B.C.); “ἡ ἀ. ἐστι πρός τι” Arist.Cat.5b20, al.; ἀ. ἔχειν πρός or ἐπί τι to be referable to . ., Epicur. Fr.409, Plb.4.28.3, Plu.2.290e, al.; ἀ. τινος γίγνεται πρός or ἐπί τι, Plb.1.3.4, Plu.2.1071a; “ἐπ᾽ ἀναφορᾷ τῇ πρὸς τὸν δῆμον” BCH46.312 (Teos); ἀ. ἔχειν ἐπί τι, of writings, refer to, Alex.Aphr.in Mete.4.1; τούτων εἰς Κυναίγειρον ποιήσασθαι τὴν ἀναφοράν assign to, give credit for . ., Polem.Call.23.

2. way of retreat, “ὑπέλιπε ἑαυτῷ ἀναφοράν” D.18.219; “νῦν δὲ αὑτοῖς μὲν κατέλιπον τὴν εἰς τὸ ἀφανὲς ἀναφοράν” Aeschin. 2.104, cf. Plb.15.8.13, etc.

3. means of repairing a fault, defeat, etc., “ἀλλ᾽ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἀ. τῆς ξυμφορᾶς” E.Or.414; “ἀ. ἁμαρτήματος ἔχειν” way to atone for . ., Plu.Phoc.2; “ἀ. ἔχειν” means of recovery, Id.Fab. 14.

4. offering, LXX Ps.50(51).21; “ἡ ἀ. τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ λεκτικοῦ” PMag.Par.2.281.

5. report, PLond.1.17.34 (ii B.C.), etc.

6. petition, PRyl.119.28(i A.D.).

7. payment on account, instalment, OGI225 (Milet.), PEleph.14.26 (iii B.C.), PRev.Laws16.10 (iii B.C.), etc.

8. Rhet., repetition of a word, Longin.20.1, Demetr.Eloc, 141.

9. office of ἀναφορεύς, LXX Nu.4.6,10.

10. Medic., = ἀνάδοσις, opp. πέψις, Aret.SD2.7.

III. ceiling of a wine-press, Gp.6.1.3.

For better context, this dissertation explains the terms: 

"The term ἀναφορά is often a translation for suggestio, or relatio  an official report or petition to the imperial chancery.  Its use in these canons is somewhat looser." --The Nature of Law and Legality in the Byzantine Canonical Collections 381-883

Also, 

The Byzantine usage builds on this classical and Hellenistic terminology: by the late antique period, επιστολη is firmly established as generic name, while γραμματα continues to be used as a synonym, although it had a broader semantic field and its meaning could therefore be ambivalent. (The plural does not help either: the modern reader in particular, lacking context, often has to guess whether a writer refers to one or several pieces of correspondence.) With the exception of the vernacular χαρτι(ν) or χαρτιτσι (from χαρτηψ: "piece of papyrus", see above, or later "paper", hence "document"), ancient terms derived from the writing support were gradually abandoned, while new names emerged either as synonyms for επιστολη/  γραμματα or to designate specific epistolary types or subgenres. For example, συλλαβη / συλλαβι (literally "syllable(s)") and πιτταχι(ον) fall into the first category. The latter originally designated a writing tablet and in the middle Byzantine period especially imperial and patriarchal documents, and would become a standard term for letter in vernacular Greek. In the second category of terms signifying particular epistolary types belong, for instance, αντιγραμμα or αντιγραφον for a letter-response; ἀναφορά ("report") for a petition to an emperor; and σάχρα--derived from Latin sacra -- for an official letter issued by the emperor or an ecclesiaσtical authority, which from the Greek found its way also into Syria, as did τομοσ(originally "papyrus roll", "book") for a synodical letter and εγχυχλιοσfor an encyclical.--A Companion to Byzantine Epistolography, Introduction, p. 7

This fits the definition of anafora/ἀναφορά, since Pope Agatho's letter was addressed to the Emperor, not the council directly:

Agatho a bishop and servant of the servants of God to the most devout and serene victors and conquerors, our most beloved sons and lovers of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Emperor Constantine the Great, and to Heraclius and Tiberius, Augustuses.--Pope Agatho's letter to the Emperor concerning Constantinople III.

This is more useful than the dictionary definitions of the term. though ἀναφορά does have petition as one of its wide range of meanings.  

The suggestion of the synod of Rome presented the faith as presented by Pope Martin and his council stating this is the Faith and those who reject it error.

 [ The Emperor said] 

Let George, the most holy archbishop of this our God-preserved city, and let Macarius, the venerable archbishop of Antioch, and let the synod subject to them [i.e., their suffragans] say, if they submit to the force ( ei stoikousi dunamei ) of the suggestions sent by the most holy Agatho Pope of Old (1) Rome and by his Synod.

[The answer of George, with which all his bishops, many of them, speaking one by one, agreed except Theodore of Metilene (who handed in his assent at the end of the Tenth Session).] 

I have diligently examined the whole force of the suggestions sent to your most pious Fortitude, as well by Agatho, the most holy Pope of Old(1) Rome, as by his synod, and I have scrutinized the works of the holy and approved Fathers, which are laid up in my venerable patriarchate, and I have found that all the testimonies of the holy and accepted Fathers, which are contained in those suggestions agree with, and in no particular differ from, the holy and accepted Fathers. Therefore I give my submission to them and thus I profess and believe. 

[The answer of all the rest of the Bishops subject to the See of Constantinople. (Col. 735.)]

And we, most pious Lord, accepting the teaching of the suggestion sent to your most gentle Fortitude by the most holy and blessed Agatho, Pope of Old Rome, and of that other suggestion which was adopted by the council subject to him, and following the sense therein contained, so we are minded, so we profess, and so we believe that in our one Lord Jesus Christ, our true God, there are two natures unconfusedly, unchangeably, undividedly, and two natural wills and two natural operations; and all who have taught, and who now say, that there is but one will and one operation in the two natures of our one Lord Jesus Christ our true God, we anathematize. 

Notice the suggestions are spoken of as having to be "submitted to" and as having "force" or "power"

Nicea II:

We see the mention of suggestion/anafora again at the 7th ecumenical council of Nicea II:

And when the most blessed Pope heard it, he said: Since this has come to pass in the days of their reign, God has magnified their pious rule above all former reigns. And this suggestion ( anaforan ) which has been read he sent to our most pious kings together with a letter to your holiness and with his vicars who are here present and presiding. --Nicea II, Session II 

The suggestionem to the Emperor was, in part, the following:

 If the ancient orthodoxy be perfected and restored by your means in those regions, and the venerable icons be placed in their original state, you will be partakers with the Lord Constantine, Emperor of old, now in the Divine keeping, and the Empress Helena, who made conspicuous and confirmed the orthodox Faith, and exalted still more your holy mother, the Catholic and Roman and spiritual Church, and with the orthodox Emperors who ruled after them, and so your most pious and heaven-protected name likewise will be set forth as that of another Constantine and another Helena, being renowned and praised through the whole world, by whom the holy Catholic and Apostolic Church is restored. And especially if you follow the tradition of the orthodox Faith of the Church of the holy Peter and Paul, the chief Apostles, and embrace their Vicar, as the Emperors who reigned before you of old both honoured their Vicar, and loved him with all their heart: and if your sacred majesty honour the most holy Roman Church of the chief Apostles, to whom was given power by God the Word himself to loose and to bind sins in heaven and earth. For they will extend their shield over your power, and all barbarous nations shall be put under your feet: and wherever you go they will make you conquerors. For the holy and chief Apostles themselves, who set up the Catholic and orthodox Faith, have laid it down as a written law that all who after them are to be successors of their seats, should hold their Faith and remain in it to the end of the kingdom of heaven as chief over all...--Pope Hadrian's Letter to the Emperor at the Second Council of Nicea (Greek reading of the text)

We see that anafora/suggsetionem is both forceful and a choice. If the Emperor follows through with restoring orthodoxy in his realm God will bless him.

As a side note, according to the Vita of Pope Zachary, after his election he sent a letter to Constantinople and sent a suggestionem to the emperor of his time requesting he cease iconoclasm.

"simulque et aliam suggestionem dirigens serenissimo Constantino principi."--Vita Zacharias 901

In Pope Hadrian's anafora to the Emperor at Nicea II, some have suggested alludes to Zachary's anafora as a plea from the Pope Zachary to the Emperor's ancestor to restore iconography. 

"After this Gregory and Gregory, most blessed Pontiffs of our Apostolic Throne, were greatly grieved, and did oftentimes most earnestly beseech this ancestor of your religious Serenity that venerable images might be restored to their wonted station; but never would be any ear to their salutary request. And after this, Zachary, Stephen, Paul, and another Stephen, our predecessors in the Pontifical Chair, did no less earnestly beseech the Grandfather and Father of your pious Royalty on the same subject of this restoration of holy images...."--Pope Adrian to the Emperor as read at Nicea II, Mansi Concilia 12:1061 as translated here 

Council of Carthage AD 419 

In the council of Carthage AD 419 we see suggestionem used in a different sense, not referring necessarily to Imperial letters, its translated as "edict," "story" and "suggestion":

Aurelius, the bishop, said: The cupidity of avarice (which, let no one doubt, is the mother of all evil things), is to be henceforth prohibited, lest anyone should usurp another's limits, or for gain should pass beyond the limits fixed by the fathers, nor shall it be at all lawful for any of the clergy to receive usury of any kind. And those new edicts (suggestiones) which are obscure and generally ambiguous, after they have been examined by us, will have their value fixed (formam accipiunt); but with regard to those upon which the Divine Scripture has already most plainly given judgment, it is unnecessary that further sentence should be pronounced, but what is already laid down is to be carried out. And what is reprehensible in laymen is worthy of still more severe censure in the clergy. The whole synod said: No one has gone contrary to what is said in the Prophets and in the Gospels with impunity.--Council of Carthage AD 419, Canon 5 Latin

Aurelius the bishop said: Your worthiness has heard the suggestion (suggestionem) of our brother and fellow bishop Fortunatus; What answer will you give?--Council of Carthage AD 419, Canon 6 Latin

and therefore, brethren, receive our story with alacrity of mind (atque, ideo, frates, suggestionem nostram libenter admitteite)--Council of Carthage AD 419, Canon 47. (Greek li.)  Latin text

 All which things, if they please your sanctity, pray set forth, that I may be assured that my suggestion (suggestionem) has been ratified by you and that their sincerity may freely accept our unanimous action.--Council of Carthage AD 419, Canon 64. (Greek lxvii.)

Concerning the word anaphora's usage in ecclesiastical documents there is the Ἀναφορὰ πρὸς Ἰωάννην πατριάρχην , which in 518 was signed.

Conclusion: 

The ἀναφορά of the Pope and the synod under him were petitionary letters or reports to the emperor, instructing him what the orthodox position is on the matter, and any deviation is to fall outside the Church. Had the letter's doctrinal statements been rejected, Constantinople III would have been a failed ecumenical council or a robber council that taught heresy.