John Behr

This article examines how the Fathers of the early centuries attributed to the Church the titles of Virgin and Mother, before these qualifiers were gradually transferred to the Mother of God, particularly following the Council of Ephesus in 431. Through a patristic and historical study, John Behr traces this semantic and theological evolution by drawing on sources from the early Christian centuries. The central idea is that the Church, understood as Virgin and Mother, does not designate a community separate from the world, but a reality already united to Christ and called to bear witness to him within creation itself. The contribution of the article lies in shedding light on an ancient ecclesiology, distinct from later Marian representations, capable of renewing the theological understanding of the nature and mission of the Church.

This article examines the question of theological freedom in the elaboration of discourse about God, drawing on the Johannine verse "If the Son sets you free, you will be truly free" (Jn 8:36). Belonging to the genre of conference address and theological reflection, the text explores creativity as a condition proper to patristic thought. The central idea argues that fidelity to the evangelical proclamation does not exclude originality in theological discourse, but rather constitutes its foundation. Drawing on the example of Irenaeus of Lyon, John Behr shows how this Church Father was able to construct a theology rigorously anchored in Scripture while demonstrating genuine conceptual inventiveness. The contribution of the article lies in its illumination of a patristic model of theological freedom, one capable of guiding contemporary dogmatic reflection.