Why is Mary called the Mother of God if God has no beginning?
Calling Mary the 'Mother of God' (in Greek, Theotokos) is not a statement that Mary created the eternal divinity of God. God has no beginning and no creator. Rather, it is a statement about who Jesus is.
Mothers do not give birth to a nature; they give birth to a person. Because Jesus Christ is a single divine Person with two natures (divine and human), and because Mary is the genuine mother of that Person according to his human nature, she is truly the Mother of God.
The Council of Ephesus solemnly defined this title in AD 431 to defend the full divinity and humanity of Christ against false teachings that attempted to divide him into two separate persons. Calling Mary Mother of God protects the profound mystery of the Incarnation.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 495
- Luke 1:43
- Galatians 4:4
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.