| Abbreviations | p. 15 |
| Introduction | p. 17 |
| From the Apostolic Age to the Council of NICAEA (325) | |
| Prologue | p. 25 |
| The Apostolic Fathers | p. 27 |
| Readings: Ignatian Professions of Faith | p. 31 |
| The New Testament Apocrypha | p. 33 |
| Reading: The Virgin Birth according to the "Proto-evangelium of James" | p. 41 |
| The Second-Century Apologists | p. 43 |
| Reading: Easter Homily | p. 49 |
| Irenaeus of Lyons | p. 51 |
| Reading: The New Adam and the New Eve | p. 57 |
| Beginnings of Marian Doctrine in the Latin Church: Tertullian | p. 59 |
| Reading: Mary the Virgin Earth | p. 67 |
| Reading: In What Sense Mary Is Called "Woman" | p. 68 |
| Two Great Masters of the School of Alexandria: Clement of Alexandria and Origen | p. 69 |
| Reading: Sub tuum praesidium | p. 79 |
| Reading: Origen: My Soul Magnifies the Lord | p. 79 |
| Reading: Origen: The Apostle John Receives Mary as His Mother | p. 80 |
| Reading: Origen: Mary, Humble and Lowly | p. 81 |
| Mary in the Early Church in Rome | p. 82 |
| Reading: Hippolytus: Christ, Virginal Flower | p. 90 |
| Reading: Hippolytus: Generated by the Father according to the Spirit, by His Mother according to the Flesh | p. 90 |
| The End of the Ante-Nicene Era | p. 92 |
| Reading: Gregory of Nyssa: Mary Appears to the Young Gregory the Wonderworker | p. 93 |
| From the Council of Nicaea to the Council of Ephesus (431) | |
| Prologue | p. 97 |
| Athanasius of Alexandria (d. 373) | p. 99 |
| Reading: Mary Greets Elizabeth | p. 105 |
| Reading: In Praise of the Blessed Virgin | p. 106 |
| Ephrem the Syrian (ca. 306-373) | p. 108 |
| Reading: Marvelous Mother | p. 118 |
| Epiphanius of Salamis (d. 403) | p. 120 |
| Reading: Death from Eve, Life from Mary | p. 128 |
| Reading: Virginal Workshop of the Incarnation | p. 130 |
| Cyril of Jerusalem and the Jerusalem Catecheses | p. 131 |
| Reading: Mary, Joseph's Virginal Spouse | p. 139 |
| The Cappadocian Fathers: Basil of Caesarea (d. 379) | p. 141 |
| Reading: Basil: Christ's True Birth from Mary | p. 149 |
| Reading: Basil: Joseph's Conduct toward Mary | p. 150 |
| Gregory of Nyssa (d. ca. 394) | p. 151 |
| Reading: Christ, Chosen Fruit of Virginity | p. 158 |
| Gregory Nazianzen (d. 390) | p. 160 |
| Reading: The Virgin Justina Calls upon Mary | p. 166 |
| Amphilochius of Iconium (d. after 394) | p. 168 |
| Reading: The New Eve Gives Birth to the Salvation of the World | p. 169 |
| John Chrysostom (d. 407) | p. 171 |
| Reading: Christ, Who Had No Father and No Mother | p. 179 |
| Latin Christianity: Hilary of Poitiers (d. 367) | p. 181 |
| Reading: Mary in the Economy of Salvation | p. 187 |
| Reading: Pregnant Virgin | p. 188 |
| Reading: Faith in the Incarnation | p. 188 |
| Ambrose of Milan (d. 397) | p. 189 |
| Reading: Mary, Highest Model of the Virginal Life | p. 199 |
| Readings: Mary at the Foot of the Cross | p. 202 |
| Jerome (d. 419) | p. 204 |
| Reading: Why Mary Conceived When She Was Already Engaged | p. 214 |
| Augustine of Hippo (d. 430) | p. 216 |
| Reading: The Virginal Birth of Christ Is a Truth of the Faith | p. 228 |
| Reading: The Dignity of Both Sexes Is Emphasized by the Incarnation | p. 229 |
| From the Council of Ephesus to the Fifth Century | |
| Prologue | p. 233 |
| Reading: Cyril of Alexandria: Mary's Role in the Mystery of the Incarnation | p. 238 |
| Cyril of Alexandria (d. 444) | p. 241 |
| Reading: The "Theotokos", Cause of Joy for the Whole World | p. 247 |
| Proclus of Constantinople (d. 446) | p. 249 |
| Reading: Mary in the Mystery of the Incarnation | p. 257 |
| Reading: Mary in the Choir of All Creatures Who Offer Gifts to the Lord | p. 258 |
| Theodotus of Ancyra (d. before 446) | p. 260 |
| Reading: The Incarnation, Mystery of Virginity | p. 269 |
| Reading: A Moral Portrait of the Virgin | p. 270 |
| A Homily on the Annunciation (Fourth Century) | p. 272 |
| Reading: Pseudo-Chrysostom: From the Homily on the Annunciation by Pseudo-Chrysostom | p. 275 |
| Caelius Sedulius (d. ca. 440-450) | p. 282 |
| Reading: In Praise of the Divine Motherhood | p. 291 |
| Peter Chrysologus (ca. 380-ca. 450) | p. 292 |
| Reading: Peter Chrysologus: "When His Mother Mary Was Betrothed ..." (Mt. 1:18) | p. 300 |
| Leo the Great (d. 461) | p. 302 |
| Reading: Why Christ Was Born of a Virgin | p. 309 |
| Severus of Antioch (ca. 465-ca. 538) | p. 310 |
| Reading: Mary's Intervention at the Wedding Feast at Cana | p. 316 |
| The End of the Patristic Period (Sixth-Eighth Century) | |
| Prologue | p. 323 |
| Romanos the Melodist (d. ca. 560) | p. 325 |
| Reading: Mary at the Cross | p. 333 |
| The "Akathist" Hymn (fifth-sixth century) | p. 338 |
| Reading: The "Akathist" Hymn | p. 342 |
| Gregory of Tours (d. 594) | p. 352 |
| Reading: Miraculous Relics of Mary | p. 357 |
| Venantius Fortunatus (d. ca. 600) | p. 359 |
| Reading: Hymn on the Incarnation | p. 365 |
| Gregory the Great (ca. 540-604) | p. 366 |
| Reading: Mary, the Mountain That Reaches the Heights of Divinity | p. 371 |
| Isidore of Seville (ca. 560-636) | p. 373 |
| Reading: The Woman's Offspring | p. 378 |
| The Iconoclast Crisis (725-843) | p. 379 |
| Germanus of Constantinople (d. ca. 733) | p. 381 |
| Reading: Mary's Spiritual Presence among the Faithful | p. 389 |
| Andrew of Crete (d. ca. 740) | p. 391 |
| Reading: The Cult of Sacred Icons | p. 398 |
| John Damascene (d. ca. 750) | p. 400 |
| Reading: Mary's Tomb, Place of Grace | p. 408 |
| Select Bibliography | p. 411 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 413 |
| Index of Biblical References | p. 415 |
| Index of Names and Subjects | p. 419 |
| Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved. |