The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

[Paul Younan]

Does the Assyrian Church of the East recognize Mary as Theotokos?

We do not use the term ourselves, although we do not object to others using it. If we were to use a Greek term, which we normally don't, we would prefer the term "Christo-Tokos", since the message is more complete.

Allow me to explain.

The strictest sense of the Greek term "Theo-tokos", literally "Bearer of God" or "God-bearer", we feel can be misinterpreted easily. We have no objection to the idea that Mary is "Christo-tokos", if by "Christos" we mean both God and Man in one Person of Messiah.

So the term "Theotokos" can be used in what we would consider an orthodox way, albeit with a great deal of explanation.

In summary, we all agree Messiah is at once God and Man in one Person.

The term "Theotokos" literally meaning "bearer of God", while not a false statement, we feel is really incomplete. "Christotokos" is a more complete term, since by "Christos" all orthodox churches understand is meant both God and Man in one Person. So our preference is not because "Theotokos" is a false statement, but that "Christotokos" is much more accurate and complete. Nestorius explains this in his book.

+Shamasha

PS - Since we really don't use Greek, the nearest equivalent in Aramaic would be "Yaldath-Alaha" which sounds really, really harsh to a Semitic ear (much harder than the English or Greek.) "YLD" is a Semitic root which carries the meaning of having originated something. Of course, no one originated God. So in Aramaic it's much more complicated than the innocent-enough sounding Greek term.