Two “Mothers” in 5 Ezra 2:1-32

The early Christian apocryphon 5 Ezra (2 Esdras) 2:1-32 describes two distinct but unidentified “mothers.” The first (2:1-7) is desolate, forlorn, and consigned to “destruction”; the second (2:15-32) is encouraged, glorified, and triumphant. It is generally recognized that the first “mother” represents the city of Jerusalem, “Mother Jerusalem.” The identity of and literary/thematic inspiration(s) behind the second “mother,” however, are uncertain. The main thesis of this paper is that the “mother” in 2:15-32 represents the Christian church, “Mother Church.” The primary evidence for this identification is the remarkable thematic and verbal parallels between 5 Ezra’s descriptions of the “mother” and the characterizations of “Mother Church” in the writings of Cyprian. Furthermore, the writings of Zeno of Verona and Lactantius contain lists of Christian ecclesiastical “works of mercy” that are close to 5 Ezra 2:20-22. Our findings suggest that 5 Ezra is a post-250 Latin composition of North African origin.

O aborto numa perspectiva pastoral

O tema do aborto no Brasil é, no momento, especialmente polêmico e a sociedade tem se colocado numa situação dual: ser a favor ou contra. Este trabalho pretende analisar os documentos da Igreja Católica em busca de uma posição que possa ir além destas posições assumidas pela sociedade. Por meio da pesquisa bibliográfica e de campo, o trabalho indica que a posição da Igreja Católica sobre o aborto pode ser melhor compreendida, se analisada à luz da auto-compreensão da Igreja como Mestra e Mãe. O texto explora os documentos do Magistério que apresentam a posição da Igreja Mestra e da Igreja Mãe sobre o aborto e conclui com uma visão propositiva sobre a questão, ressaltando a dimensão pastoral e o papel da teologia em relação a este tema.Abstract: Abortion is, at the time being, a especially polemic issue in Brazil, and the society has been put it in a dichotomist way: being a favor or against it. This work pretends to analyze the Catholic Church’s documents searching for a position that could go beyond these two society’s positions. By bibliographic and field research this paper points out that the position of the Church about abortion could be better acknowledge if analyzed from the light of the self-comprehension of the Church as Master and Mother. The paper explores the Magisterium documents that present the position of a Church Master and of a Church Mother about abortion and concludes with a propositive vision about the issue, valorizing the pastoral dimension and the role of theology related to the theme studied.

Mothering Souls: A Vocation of Intercession

Intercession can constitute the heart of one's prayer life and even become a defining mark of one's vocation. Such is the case for the “church mother,” a distinct role held by esteemed elderly lay-women in African American congregations. This article consists of an introduction to the church mother's vocation. The piece begins with an examination of the roots of the role in American slavery and follows with an exploration of the ways race, gender, and advancing age shape the church mother's unique form of spiritual authority. I examine two key qualifications for the role: divine call and longevity in the parish. Then, I delve into the church mother's robust understanding of prayer and explain how theodicy and hope fuel her intercessions. The article closes with a brief profile of a beloved Episcopal church mother from the twentieth century, Mattie Hopkins.