Theological Glossary
Six Christian traditions define Theotokos below — each in its own words, paraphrased from its official documents. These are attributed positions, not assertions of fact.
The Catholic Church teaches that Mary is truly the Mother of God (Theotokos, 'God-bearer'), because she conceived and bore the divine person of Jesus Christ. It holds that this title, defined at the Council of Ephesus in 431, safeguards the truth that Christ is one person who is truly God.
Source: CCC 495 ↗
The Orthodox Church venerates Mary as Theotokos — the Birth-giver of God — the title defended at the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus. It holds that calling Mary 'Mother of God' confesses that her son is one divine person, and honors her as the supreme example of human cooperation with grace.
Lutherans accept the title Theotokos as a correct confession that Mary bore the God-man Jesus Christ, and Luther himself called Mary the Mother of God. They hold, however, that Marian devotion must never obscure Christ as the sole mediator.
Source: Formula of Concord, Epitome, Art. VIII; Luther, Magnificat (1521), LW 21:326 ↗
The Reformed tradition affirms the substance of Theotokos — that Mary bore the one person who is truly God — as part of orthodox Christology, though the term is rarely used. It holds that all Marian honor must remain subordinate to Christ, and rejects any mediatorial role for Mary.
Source: Westminster Confession 8.2 ↗
Baptists rarely use the term Theotokos, but affirm its underlying truth: Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary, is fully God. They hold that Mary is honored as the mother of Jesus and an example of faith, while all worship and mediation belong to Christ alone.
Source: BFM 2000, II.B; Luke 1:45–48 ↗
Methodists rarely use the term Theotokos but affirm the virgin birth and that Mary bore Jesus Christ, true God and true man. They direct all worship to God and all trust for salvation to Christ alone.
Source: Articles of Religion, Art. II; UMC What We Believe ↗
See how the traditions compare on related topics: