Grace, Theotokos (was: Ave Maria)

Vasiliy Chernov wrote:

> I don't think
> 'Grace' would be the proper translation, linguistically (but
> I can't speak for theological uses).
"Grace" is indeed the standard translation in theological uses.
The rather old-fashioned adjective "graceless" means "lacking in
divine grace" = "immoral", as opposed to "ungraceful" which means
"lacking in aesthetic grace" = "ugly, awkward, crude".

As for "Theotokos" = "Mother of God", the fact that there is no
Western equivalent of this does not reflect a difference in doctrine,
only a reluctance in the Latin Church to *call* the Second Person
"God" without further modification.  So although Jesus is God, and
Mary is the mother of Jesus, it is uncustomary (not incorrect) to
call her the mother of God.

--

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