Theotokos or Mother of God or Godbearer or what?

[Justin Kissel]

Why wasn't the Methodius post where he said "Theotokos!" about 100 times brought over to this thread? That's the post that my last post was responding to. My post tried to use some friendly sarcasm, but the setup for that sarcasm is lost if Methodius' post isn't directly before mine. I don't think we should use homoousion in the creed, I just wonder why people who fight tooth and nail for Theotokos don't do the same thing for words of equal (if not greater) theological importance.

[尼古拉前执事]

Why wasn't the Methodius post where he said "Theotokos!" about 100 times brought over to this thread? That's the post that my last post was responding to. My post tried to use some friendly sarcasm, but the setup for that sarcasm is lost if Methodius' post isn't directly before mine. I don't think we should use homoousion in the creed, I just wonder why people who fight tooth and nail for Theotokos don't do the same thing for words of equal (if not greater) theological importance.

It was supposed to have. Oops!

If you would like, I could just say, "Theotokos! Theotokos! Theotokos! Theotokos! Theotokos!" over and over and over again to make up for it.

[Justin Kissel]

Nah, you are too much of an even-headed person: you lack the bluntness of Methodius! It's ok, no harm, no foul. :mrgreen:

[Justin Kissel]

Regarding different renderings of prayers, differences between Theotokos and Mother of God, and so forth, perhaps an examination of some of the prayers in the Jordanville Prayer Books would be helpful. There are quite a few changes in wordings between the different editions, but this doesn't mean that the content of the prayers have changed. If we were to follow this prayer book in our own practice, it would seem that the differences are not especially important (since the different words, in the end, are filled with the same content). For an example of this, here's a short comparison of some of the differences between the Canon of Repentance in the 1979 and 1996 editions.

Song 3, Eirmos
There is none holy as Thou, O Lord my God, Who hast exalted the power of thy faithful, O Good one - 1979

There is none holy as Thou, O Lord my God, Who has exalted the horn of Thy faithful, O Good one - 1996

Song 3, Theotokion
Lo, thy Son calls, O Lady, and teaches us what is good. - 1979

Behold, thy Son calleth, O Lady, and directeth us to what is good. - 1996

Song 4, Troparia
...Why do you run after pride and lust? And so, stop these things, my soul, and repent for the sake of the Kingdom of God. - 1979

...Why dost thou pursue lust and pride? Therfore, abandon thse things, my soul, and repent for the sake of the kingdom of God. - 1996

Song 4, Theotokion
O Lady, Mother of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. - 1979

O lady Theotokos, have mercy on me, a sinner - 1996

Song 6, Troparia
Virgin Mother of God, protect me from evil visible and invisible, O immaculate one - 1979

O Virgin Theotokos, protect me from evil visiible and invisible, O immaculate one - 1996

Song 8, Theotokion
Most pure Mother of God, accept my unworthy prayer and preserve me from sudden death - 1979

O most pure Theotokos, accept mine unworthy prayer and preserve me from sudden death - 1996

[尼古拉前执事]

DOUBLE POST!

[Justin Kissel]

Lol, well the post was relevant to both threads. So nyah!