box: view · edit ]2nd to 5th centuries devotion to Mary goes back to the 2nd century and predates the emergence of a specific Marian liturgical system in the 5th century , following the First Council of Ephesus in 431 . The Council itself was held at a church in Ephesus which had been dedicated to Mary about a hundred years before .[ 38 ] [ 39 ] [ 40 ] In Egypt the veneration of Mary had started in the 3rd century and the term Theotokos was used by Origen the Alexandrian Father of the Church .[ 41 ]
earliest known Marian prayer (the Sub tuum praesidium or Beneath Thy Protection is from the 3rd century (perhaps 270 ), and its text was rediscovered in 1917 on a papyrus in Egypt .[ 42 ] [ 43 ] Following the Edict of Milan in 313 , by the 5th century artistic images of Mary began to appear in public and larger churches were being dedicated to Mary , e .g . S . Maria Maggiore in Rome .[ 44 ] [ 45 ] [ 46 ]
Ages
Middle Ages saw many legends about Mary , and also her parents and even grandparents .[ 47 ]
the Reformation
the centuries , devotion and veneration to Mary has varied greatly among Christian traditions . For instance , while Protestants show scant attention to Marian prayers or devotions , of all the saints whom the Orthodox venerate , the most honored is Mary , who is considered "more honorable than the Cherubim and more glorious than the Seraphim ."[ 48 ]
theologian Sergei Bulgakov wrote: "Love and veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the soul of Orthodox piety . A faith in Christ which does not include his mother is another faith , another Christianity from that of the Orthodox church ."[ 49 ]
the Catholics and the Orthodox may honor and venerate Mary , they do not view her as divine , nor do they worship her . Catholics view Mary as subordinate to Christ , but uniquely so , in that she is seen as above all other creatures .[ 50 ] Similarly Theologian Sergei Bulgakov wrote that although the Orthodox view Mary as "superior to all created beings " and "ceaselessly pray for her intercession " she is not considered a "substitute for the One Mediator " who is Christ .[ 49 ] Let Mary be in honor , but let worship be given to the Lord " he wrote .[ 51 ] Similarly , Catholics do not worship Mary , but venerate her . Catholics use the term hyperdulia for Marian veneration rather than latria that applies to God and dulia for other saints .[ 52 ] The definition of the three level hierarchy of latria hyperdulia and dulia goes back to the Second Council of Nicaea in 787 .[ 53 ]
to artistic depictions of Mary vary among Christian traditions . There is a long tradition of Roman Catholic Marian art and no image permeates Catholic art as does the image of Madonna and Child .[ 54 ] The icon of the Virgin is without doubt the most venerated icon among the Orthodox .[ 55 ] Both Roman Catholics and the Orthodox venerate images and icons of Mary , given that the Second Council of Nicaea in 787 permitted their veneration by Catholics with the understanding that those who venerate the image are venerating the reality of the person it represents ,[ 56 ] and the 842 Synod of Constantinople established the same for the Orthodox .[ 57 ] The Orthodox , however , only pray to and venerate flat , two -dimensional icons and not three -dimensional statues .[ 58 ]
Anglican position towards Mary is in general more conciliatory than that of Protestants at large and in a book he wrote about praying with the icons of Mary , Rowan Williams the Archbishop of Canterbury said: "It is not only that we cannot understand Mary without seeing her as pointing to Christ ; we cannot understand Christ without seeing his attention to Mary ".[ 59 ] [ 60 ]
article: Titles of Mary to honor Mary or ask for her intercession are used by some Christian traditions such as the Eastern Orthodox or Catholics , but not others , e .g . the Protestants . Common titles for Mary include Mother of God Theotokos The Blessed Virgin Mary also abbreviated to "BVM "), Our Lady Notre Dame , Nuestra Señora , Nossa Senhora , Madonna and the Queen of Heaven Regina Caeli [ 61 ] [ 62 ]
titles vary among Anglican views of Mary Ecumenical views of Mary , Lutheran views of Mary Protestant views on Mary and Roman Catholic views of Mary Latter Day Saints ' views of Mary , Orthodox views of Mary . In addition to Islamic views on Mary .
is referred to by the Eastern Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodoxy the Anglican Church , and all Eastern Catholic Churches as Theotokos , a title recognized at the Third Ecumenical Council (held at Ephesus to address the teachings of Nestorius in 431 ). Theotokos (and its Latin equivalents , "Deipara " and "Dei genetrix ") literally means "Godbearer ". The equivalent phrase "Mater Dei ", (Mother of God ) is more common in Latin and so also in the other languages used in the Western Catholic Church but this same phrase in Greek (Μήτηρ Θεοῦ ), in the abbreviated form of the first and last letter of the two words (ΜΡ ΘΥ ), is the indication attached to her image in Byzantine icons . The Council stated that the Church Fathers "did not hesitate to speak of the holy Virgin as the Mother of God ".[ 63 ] [ 64 ] [ 65 ]
titles have a Biblical basis , for instance the title Queen Mother has been given to Mary since she was the mother of Jesus , who was sometimes referred to as the "King of Kings " due to his lineage of King David . The biblical basis for the term Queen can be seen in the Gospel of Luke 1:32 and the Book of Isaiah 9:6 , and Queen Mother from 1 Kings 2:19 -20 and Jeremiah 13:18 -19 [ 66 ] Other titles have arisen from reported miracles , special appeals or occasions for calling on Mary , e .g . Our Lady of Good Counsel Our Lady of Navigators or Our Lady of Ransom who protects captives .[ 67 ] [ 68 ] [ 69 ] [ 70 ]
three main titles for Mary used by the Orthodox are Theotokos i .e ., Mother of God Greek Θεοτόκος ), Aeiparthenos , i .e . Ever Virgin Greek ἀειπαρθὲνος ), as confirmed in the Fifth Ecumenical Council 553 , and Panagia i .e ., All Holy Greek Παναγία ).[ 48 ] A large number of titles for Mary are used by Roman Catholics , and these titles have in turn given rise to many artistic depictions , e .g . the title Our Lady of Sorrows has resulted in masterpieces such as Michelangelo s Pietà [ 71 ]
feasts
article: Marian feast days includes lists of feast days )
earliest feasts that relate to Mary grew out of the cycle of feasts that celebrated the Nativity of Jesus Given that according to the Gospel of Luke Luke 2:22 -40 forty days after the birth of Jesus , along with the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple Mary was purified according to Jewish customs , the Feast of the Purification began to be celebrated by the 5th century , and became the "Feast of Simeon in Byzantium [ 72 ]
decorations during the Feast of the Assumption in Għaxaq ,
Malta .
the 7th and 8th centuries four more Marian feasts were established in the Eastern Church . In the Western Church a feast dedicated to Mary , just before Christmas was celebrated in the Churches of Milan and Ravenna in Italy in the 7th century . The four Roman Marian feasts of Purification , Annunciation , Assumption and Nativity of Mary were gradually and sporadically introduced into England by the 11th century .[ 72 ]
time , the number and nature of feasts (and the associated Titles of Mary and the venerative practices that accompany them have varied a great deal among diverse Christian traditions . Overall , there are significantly more titles , feasts and venerative Marian practices among Roman Catholics than any other Christians traditions .[ 71 ] Some such feasts relate to specific events , e .g . the Feast of Our Lady of Victory was based on the 1571 victory of the Papal States in the Battle of Lepanto [ 73 ] [ 74 ]
in feasts may also originate from doctrinal issues – the Feast of the Assumption is such an example . Given that there is no agreement among all Christians on the circumstances of the death , Dormition or Assumption of Mary the feast of assumption is celebrated among some denominations and not others . [ 62 ] [ 75 ] While the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption on August 15 , some Eastern Catholics celebrate it as Dormition of the Theotokos and may do so on August 28 , if they follow the Julian calendar The Eastern Orthodox also celebrate it as the Dormition of the Theotokos one of their 12 Great Feasts Protestants do not celebrate this , or any other Marian feasts .[ 62 ]
doctrines
is significant diversity in the Marian doctrines accepted by various Christian churches . The key Marian doctrines held in Christianity can be briefly outlined as follows:
of God: holds that Mary , as mother of Jesus is therefore Theotokos God -bearer ), or Mother of God .birth of Jesus : states that Mary miraculously conceived Jesus by action of the Holy Spirit while remaining a virgin .: the Orthodox understanding of the Assumption .: the doctrine which states that Mary was taken bodily into Heaven either at , or before , her death .Conception : states that Mary herself was conceived without original sin Virginity: holds that Mary remained a virgin all her life , even after the act of giving birth to Jesus .
acceptance of these Marian doctrines by Christians can be summarized as follows: [ 10 ] [ 76 ] [ 77 ] [ 78 ] [ 79 ]
action by
of God Council of Ephesus 431 Catholics , Eastern Orthodox , Anglicans , Lutherans , Methodists ,Day Saints (as Mother of Son of God )
birth of Jesus Council of Nicaea 325 Catholics , Eastern Orthodox , Anglicans , Lutherans ,Latter Day Saints
of Mary Deus encyclical Pius XII 1950 Catholics , Eastern Orthodox , some Anglicans , some Lutherans
Conception Deus encyclical Pius IX 1854 Catholics , some Anglicans , some Lutherans , early Martin Luther
Virginity of Constantinople 533 Articles 1537 Catholics , Eastern Orthodox , Some Anglicans , Some Lutherans ,Luther John Calvin John Wesley
title "Mother of God " (Theotokos for Mary was confirmed by the First Council of Ephesus held at the Church of Mary in 431 . The Council decreed that Mary is the Mother of God because her son Jesus is one person who is both God and man , divine and human .[ 63 ] This doctrine is widely accepted by Christians in general , and the term Mother of God had already been used within the oldest known prayer to Mary , the Sub tuum praesidium which dates to around 250 AD .[ 80 ]
Virgin birth of Jesus has been a universally held belief among Christians since the 2nd century ,[ 81 ] It is included in the two most widely used Christian creeds which state that Jesus "was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary " (the Nicene Creed in what is now its familiar form )[ 82 ] and the Apostles ' Creed The Gospel of Matthew describes Mary as a virgin who fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 The authors of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke consider Jesus ' conception not the result of intercourse and assert that Mary had "no relations with man " before Jesus ' birth .[Mt 1:18 [Mt 1:25 [Lk 1:34 This alludes to the belief that Mary conceived Jesus through the action of God the Holy Spirit , and not through intercourse with Joseph or anyone else .[ 83 ]
doctrines of the Assumption or Dormition of Mary relate to her death and bodily assumption to Heaven While the Roman Catholic Church has established the dogma of the Assumption , namely that the Mary directly went to Heaven without a usual physical death , the Eastern Orthodox Church believes in the Dormition , i .e . that she fell asleep , surrounded by the Apostles .[ 84 ] [ 85 ]
Catholics believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary , as proclaimed Ex Cathedra by Pope Pius IX in 1854 , namely that she was filled with grace from the very moment of her conception in her mother 's womb and preserved from the stain of original sin . The Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church has a liturgical feast by that name kept on 8 December .[ 86 ] The Eastern Orthodox reject the Immaculate Conception principally because their understanding of ancestral sin (the Greek term corresponding to the Latin "original sin ") differs from that of the Roman Catholic Church , but also on the basis that without original sin .[ 87 ]
Perpetual Virginity of Mary , asserts Mary 's real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made Man . The term Ever -Virgin (Greek ἀειπάρθενος is applied in this case , stating that Mary remained a virgin for the remainder of her life , making Jesus her biological and only son , whose conception and birth are held to be miraculous .[ 83 ] [ 84 ] [ 88 ]
on Mary
Virgin Mary
Philippe de Champaigne 1644
Mother of God , Queen of Heaven Mother of the Church Theotokos
in Eastern Orthodoxy Oriental Orthodoxy Anglicanism Lutheranism
Congregation
shrine Maria Maggiore (See Marian shrines )
Marian feast days
mantle , crown of 12 stars , pregnant woman , roses , woman with child
Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary
perspectives on Mary
Marian perspectves include a great deal of diversity . While some Christians such as Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox have well established Marian traditions , Protestants at large pay scant attention to Mariological themes . Roman Catholic Eastern Orthodox , Oriental Orthodox Anglican and Lutherans venerate the Virgin Mary . This veneration especially takes the form of prayer for intercession with her Son , Jesus Christ . Additionally it includes composing poems and songs in Mary 's honor , painting icons or carving statues of her , and conferring titles on Mary that reflect her position among the saints .[ 48 ] [ 60 ] [ 62 ] [ 71 ]
view
multiple churches that form the Anglican Communion and the Continuing Anglican movement have different views on Marian doctrines and venerative practices given that there is no single church with universal authority within the Communion and that the mother church (the Church of England understands itself to be both "catholic " and "Reformed [ 89 ] Thus unlike the Protestant churches at large , the Anglican Communion (which includes the Episcopal Church in the United States ) includes segments which still retain some veneration of Mary .[ 60 ]
s special position within God 's purpose of salvation as "God -bearer " (Theotokos is recognised in a number of ways by some Anglican Christians .[ 90 ] All the member churches of the Anglican Communion affirm in the historic creeds that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary , and celebrates the feast days of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple . This feast is called in older prayer books the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 2 February . The Annunciation of our Lord to the Blessed Virgin on March 25 was from before the time of Bede until the 18th century New Year 's Day in England . The Annunciation is called the "Annunciation of our Lady " in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer Anglicans also celebrate in the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin on May 31 , though in some provinces the traditional date of July 2 is kept . The feast of the St . Mary the Virgin is observed on the traditional day of the Assumption , August 15 . The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin is kept on September 8 .[ 60 ]
Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is kept in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer , on December 8 . In certain Anglo -Catholic parishes this feast is called the Immaculate Conception Again , the Assumption of Mary is believed in by most Anglo -Catholics , but is considered a pious opinion by moderate Anglicans . Protestant minded Anglicans reject the celebration of these feasts .[ 60 ]
and venerative practices vary a great deal . For instance , as of the 19th century , following the Oxford Movement Anglo -Catholics frequently pray the Rosary the Angelus Regina Caeli , and other litanies and anthems of Our Lady that are reminiscent of Catholic practices .[ 91 ] On the other hand , Low -church Anglicans rarely invoke the Blessed Virgin except in certain hymns , such as the second stanza of Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones [ 90 ] [ 92 ]
Anglican Society of Mary was formed in 1931 and maintains chapters in many countries . The purpose of the society is to foster devotion to Mary among Anglicans .[ 60 ] [ 93 ] The high -church Anglicans espouse doctrines that are closer to Roman Catholics , and retain veneration for Mary , e .g . official Anglican pilgrimages to Our Lady of Lourdes have taken place since 1963 , and pilgrimages to Our Lady of Walsingham have gone on for hundreds of years .[ 94 ]
there has been enough common ground between Roman Catholics and Anglicans on Marian issues that in 2005 a joint statement called Mary: grace and hope in Christ was produced through ecumenical meetings of Anglicans and Roman Catholic theologians . This document , informally known as the "Seattle Statement ", is not formally endorsed by either the Catholic Church or the Anglican Communion , but is viewed by its authors as the beginning of a joint understanding of Mary .[ 60 ] [ 95 ]
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the Catholic Church Mary is accorded the title "Blessed ," (from Latin beatus blessed , via Greek μακάριος , makarios and Latin facere make ) in recognition of her ascension to Heaven and her capacity to intercede on behalf of those who pray to her . Catholic teachings make clear that Mary is not considered divine and prayers to her are not answered by her , they are answered by God .[ 97 ] The five Catholic dogmas regarding Mary are: Mother of God , Virgin birth of Jesus Perpetual virginity of Mary Immaculate Conception of Mary ) and Assumption of Mary [ 84 ] [ 98 ] [ 99 ]
Blessed Virgin Mary the mother of Jesus has a more central role in Roman Catholic teachings and beliefs than in any other major Christian group . Not only do Roman Catholics have more theological doctrines and teachings that relate to Mary , but they have more festivals , prayers , devotional , and venerative practices than any other group .[ 71 ] The Catholic Catechism states: "The Church 's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship ."[ 100 ]
centuries , Roman Catholics have performed acts of consecration and entrustment to Mary at personal , societal and regional levels . These acts may be directed to the Virgin herself , to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to the Immaculata . In Catholic teachings , consecration to Mary does not diminish or substitute the love of God , but enhances it , for all consecration is ultimately made to God .[ 101 ] [ 102 ]
the growth of Marian devotions in the 16th century , Catholic saints wrote books such as Glories of Mary and True Devotion to Mary that emphasized Marian veneration and taught that "the path to Jesus is through Mary ".[ 103 ] Marian devotions are at times linked to Christocentric devotions , e .g . the Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary .[ 104 ]
Marian devotions include: Seven Sorrows of Mary , Rosary and scapular , Miraculous Medal and Reparations to Mary [ 105 ] [ 106 ] The months of May and October are traditionally "Marian months " for Roman Catholics , e .g . the daily Rosary is encouraged in October and in May Marian devotions take place in many regions .[ 107 ] [ 108 ] [ 109 ] Popes have issued a number of Marian encyclicals and Apostolic Letters to encourage devotions to and the veneration of the Virgin Mary .
place high emphasis on Mary 's roles as protector and intercessor and the Catholic Catechism refers to Mary as the "Mother of God to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs ".[ 110 ] [ 111 ] [ 112 ] [ 113 ] [ 114 ] Key Marian prayers include: Hail Mary Alma Redemptoris Mater Sub Tuum Praesidum , Ave Maris Stella Regina Coeli Ave Regina Coelorum and the Magnificat [ 115 ]
s participation in the processes of salvation and redemption has also been emphasized in the Catholic tradition , but they are not doctrines .[ 116 ] [ 117 ] [ 118 ] [ 119 ] Pope John Paul II s 1987 encyclical Redemptoris Mater began with the sentence: "The Mother of the Redeemer has a precise place in the plan of salvation ."[ 120 ]
the 20th century both popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI have emphasized the Marian focus of the Church . Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI ) wrote:
is necessary to go back to Mary if we want to return to that "truth about Jesus Christ ," "truth about the Church " and "truth about man ".[ 121 ]
he suggested a redirection of the whole Church towards the program of Pope John Paul II in order to ensure an authentic approach to Christology via a return to the "whole truth about Mary ".[ 121 ]
view
Lady of Vladimir ,
one of the holiest medieval representations of the Theotokos
Christianity includes a large number of traditions regarding the Ever Virgin Mary , the Theotokos [ 122 ] The Orthodox believe that she was and remained a virgin before and after Christ 's birth .[ 48 ] The Theotokia i .e . hymns to the Theotokos are an essential part of the Divine Services in the Eastern Church and their positioning within the liturgical sequence effectively places the Theotokos in the most prominent place after Christ .[ 123 ] Within the Orthodox tradition , the order of the saints begins with: The Theotokos , Angels , Prophets , Apostles , Fathers , Martyres , etc . giving the Virgin Mary precedence over the angels . She is also proclaimed as the "Lady of the Angels ".[ 123 ]
views of the Church Fathers still play an important role in the shaping of Orthodox Marian perspective . However , the Orthodox views on Mary are mostly doxological rather than academic: they are expressed in hymns , praise , liturgical poetry and the veneration of icons . One of the most loved Orthodox Akathists i .e . standing hymns ) is devoted to Mary and it is often simply called the Akathist Hymn [ 124 ] Five of the twelve Great Feasts in Orthodoxy are dedicated to Mary .[ 48 ] The Sunday of Orthodoxy directly links the Virgin Mary 's identity as Mother of God with icon veneration .[ 125 ] A number of Orthodox feasts are connected with the miraculous icons of the Theotokos .[ 123 ]
Orthodox view Mary as "superior to all created beings ", although not divine .[ 49 ] The Orthodox venerate Mary as conceived immaculate and assumed into heaven , but they do not accept the Roman Catholic dogmas on these doctrines .[ 126 ] The Orthodox celebrate the Dormition of the Theotokos rather than Assumption .[ 48 ]
Protoevangelium of James , an extra -canonical book , has been the source of many Orthodox beliefs on Mary . The account of Mary 's life presented includes her consecration as a virgin at the temple at age three . The High Priest Zachariah blessed Mary and informed her that God had magnified her name among many generations . Zachariah placed Mary on the third step of the altar , whereby God gave her grace . While in the temple , Mary was miraculously fed by an angel , until she was twelve years old . At that point an angel told Zachariah to betroth Mary to a widower in Israel , who would be indicated . This story provides the theme of many hymns for the Feast of Presentation of Mary and icons of the feast depict the story .[ 26 ] The Orthodox believe that Mary was instrumental in the growth of Christianity during the life of Jesus , and after his Crucifixion , and Orthodox Theologian Sergei Bulgakov wrote: "The Virgin Mary is the center , invisible , but real , of the Apostolic Church "
from the Orthodox tradition have made prominent contributions to the development of Marian thought and devotion . John Damascene (c 650─c 750 ) was one of the greatest Orthodox theologians . Among other Marian writings , he proclaimed the essential nature of Mary 's heavenly Assumption or Dormition and her mediative role .
was necessary that the body of the one who preserved her virginity intact in giving birth should also be kept incorrupt after death . It was necessary that she , who carried the Creator in her womb when he was a baby , should dwell among the tabernacles of heaven .[ 127 ]
her we have harvested the grape of life ; from her we have cultivated the seed of immortality . For our sake she became Mediatrix of all blessings ; in her God became man , and man became God .[ 128 ]
recently , Sergei Bulgakov expressed the Orthodox sentiments towards Mary as follows: [ 49 ]
is not merely the instrument , but the direct positive condition of the Incarnation , its human aspect . Christ could not have been incarnate by some mechanical process , violating human nature . It was necessary for that nature itself to say for itself , by the mouth of the most pure human being: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord , be it unto me according to Thy word ."
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in general reject the veneration and invocation of the Saints .[ 10 ] :1174 Protestants typically hold that Mary was the mother of Jesus , but was an ordinary woman devoted to God . Therefore , there is virtually no Marian veneration , Marian feasts , Marian pilgrimages , Marian art , Marian music or Marian spirituality in today 's Protestant communities . Within these views , Roman Catholic beliefs and practices are at times rejected , e .g ., theologian Karl Barth wrote that "the heresy of the Catholic Church is its Mariology [ 129 ]
early Protestants venerated and honored Mary . Martin Luther wrote that: "Mary is full of grace , proclaimed to be entirely without sin . God 's grace fills her with everything good and makes her devoid of all evil ".[ 130 ] However , as of 1532 Luther stopped celebrating the feast of the Assumption of Mary and also discontinued his support of the Immaculate Conception [ 131 ] but mary did not consider herself to be entirely without sin .
the text of the Magnificat recorded in Luke 1:46 -55 Mary proclaims "My soul rejoices in God my Savior ". The personal need of a savior is seen by Protestants as expressing that Mary never thought herself "sinnless ".[citation needed
Calvin said , "It cannot be denied that God in choosing and destining Mary to be the Mother of his Son , granted her the highest honor .[ 132 ] However , Calvin firmly rejected the notion that anyone but Christ can intercede for man .[ 133 ]
Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli honored Mary as the Mother of God in the 16th century , they did so less than Martin Luther .[ 134 ] Thus the idea of respect and high honor for Mary was not rejected by the first Protestants ; but , they came to criticize the Roman Catholics for venerating Mary . Following the Council of Trent in the 16th century , as Marian veneration became associated with Catholics , Protestant interest in Mary decreased . During the Age of the Enlightenment and residual interest in Mary within Protestant churches almost disappeared , although Anglicans and Lutherans continued to honor her .[ 10 ]
acknowledge that Mary is "blessed among women "[Luke 1:42 but they do not agree that Mary is to be venerated . She is considered to be an outstanding example of a life dedicated to God .[ 135 ]
the 20th century , Protestants reacted in opposition to the Catholic dogma of the Assumption of Mary The conservative tone of the Second Vatican Council began to mend the ecumenical differences , and Protestants began to show interest in Marian themes . In 1997 and 1998 ecumenical dialogs between Catholics and Protestants took place , but to date the majority of Protestants pay scant attention to Marian issues and often view them as a challenge to the authority of Scripture [ 10 ]
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Martin Luther s harsh polemics against his Roman Catholic opponents over issues concerning Mary and the saints , theologians appear to agree that Luther adhered to the Marian decrees of the ecumenical councils and dogmas of the church . He held fast to the belief that Mary was a perpetual virgin and the Theotokos or Mother of God .[ 136 ] [ 137 ] Special attention is given to the assertion that Luther , some three -hundred years before the dogmatization of the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX in 1854 , was a firm adherent of that view . Others maintain that Luther in later years changed his position on the Immaculate Conception , which , at that time was undefined in the Church , maintaining however the sinlessness of Mary throughout her life .[ 138 ] [ 139 ] For Luther , early in his life , the Assumption of Mary was an understood fact , although he later stated that the Bible did not say anything about it and stopped celebrating its feast . Important to him was the belief that Mary and the saints do live on after death .[ 140 ] [ 141 ] [ 142 ] Throughout his career as a priest -professor -reformer , Luther preached , taught , and argued about the veneration of Mary with a verbosity that ranged from childlike piety to sophisticated polemics . His views are intimately linked to his Christocentric theology and its consequences for liturgy and piety ."[ 143 ] Luther , while revering Mary , came to criticize the "Papists " for blurring the line , between high admiration of the grace of God wherever it is seen in a human being , and religious service given to another creature . He considered the Roman Catholic practice of celebrating saints days and making intercessory requests addressed especially to Mary and other departed saints to be idolatry [ 144 ] [ 145 ] His final thoughts on Marian devotion and veneration are preserved in a sermon preached at Wittenberg only a month before his death:
when we preach faith , that we should worship nothing but God alone , the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ , as we say in the Creed: 'I believe in God the Father almighty and in Jesus Christ ,' then we are remaining in the temple at Jerusalem . Again ,'This is my beloved Son ; listen to him .' 'You will find him in a manger '. He alone does it . But reason says the opposite:
What , us ? Are we to worship only Christ ? Indeed , shouldn ’t we also honor the holy mother of Christ ? She is the woman who bruised the head of the serpent . Hear us , Mary , for thy Son so honors thee that he can refuse thee nothing . Here Bernard went too far in his Homilies on the Gospel: Missus est Angelus [ 146 ] God has commanded that we should honor the parents ; therefore I will call upon Mary . She will intercede for me with the Son , and the Son with the Father , who will listen to the Son . So you have the picture of God as angry and Christ as judge ; Mary shows to Christ her breast and Christ shows his wounds to the wrathful Father . That ’s the kind of thing this comely bride , the wisdom of reason cooks up: Mary is the mother of Christ , surely Christ will listen to her ; Christ is a stern judge , therefore I will call upon St . George and St . Christopher . No , we have been by God ’s command baptized in the name of the Father , the Son , and the Holy Spirit , just as the Jews were circumcised .[ 147 ] [ 148 ]
Lutheran churches such as the Anglo -Lutheran Catholic Church however , continue to venerate Mary and the saints in the same manner that Roman Catholics do , and hold all Marian dogmas as part of their faith .[ 149 ]
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information: Saints in Methodism
United Methodist Church as well as other Methodist churches , have no official writings or teachings on the Virgin Mary except what is mentioned in Scripture and the ecumenical Creeds , mainly that Christ was conceived in her womb through the Holy Spirit and that she gave birth to Christ as a virgin John Wesley the founder of the Methodist Movement within the Church of England which later led to the Methodist Church , believed that the Virgin Mary was a perpetual virgin , meaning she never had sex .[ 150 ] [ 151 ] Many Methodists reject this concept , but some Methodists believe it . The church does hold that Mary was a virgin before , during , and immediately after the birth of Christ .[ 152 ] [ 153 ]
Wesley stated in a letter that:
"
The Blessed Virgin Mary ,
who ,
as well after as when she brought him forth ,
continued a pure and unspotted virgin ."
[ 151 ]
II of the Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church states that:
Son ,
who is the Word of the Father ,
the very and eternal God ,
of one substance with the Father ,
took man '
s nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin ;
so that two whole and perfect natures ,
that is to say ,
the Godhead and Manhood ,
were joined together in one person ,
never to be divided ;
whereof is one Christ ,
very God and very Man ,
who truly suffered ,
was crucified ,
dead ,
and buried ,
to reconcile his Father to us ,
and to be a sacrifice ,
not only for original guilt ,
but also for actual sins of men .
[ 154 ]
this , the Virgin Mary is believed to be the Theotokos or Mother of God , in the Methodist Church , although the term is usually only used by those of High Church and Evangelical Catholic tradition .
II of The Confession of Faith from The Book of Discipline states:
We believe in Jesus Christ , truly God and truly man , in whom the divine and human natures are perfectly and inseparably united . He is the eternal Word made flesh , the only begotten Son of the Father , born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit . As ministering servant he lived , suffered and died on the cross . He was buried , rose from the dead and ascended into heaven to be with the Father , from whence he shall return . He is eternal Savior and Mediator , who intercedes for us , and by him all persons are to be judged .”
this statement , Methodists reject the Catholic ideas of Mary as a Co -Redemptrix and Mediatrix of the Faith . The Methodist Churches disagree with veneration of saints , of Mary , and of relics ; believing that reverence and praise are for God alone . However , studying the life of Mary and the biographies of saints is deemed appropriate , as they are seen as heroes and examples of good Christians .[ 155 ] The Methodist churches reject the doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of Mary stating that Christ was the only person to live a sinless life and to ascend body and soul into Heaven .[ 156 ]
Day Saints
article: Mary (Latter Day Saints )
the first edition of the Book of Mormon (1830 ), Mary was referred to as "the mother of God , after the manner of the flesh ," a reading that was changed to "the mother of the Son of God " in all subsequent editions (1837 –).
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such as Unitarians , Christadelphians and Jehovah 's Witnesses [ 157 ] consider Mary as the mother of Jesus Christ . Because they do not consider Jesus as God , they do not consider Mary as the Mother of God or the Theotokos . Since Nontrinitarian churches are typically also mortalist , the issue of praying to Mary , whom they would consider "asleep ," awaiting resurrection , does not arise .[ 158 ]
perspective
article: Islamic views on Mary
the mother of Jesus , is mentioned as Maryam , more in the Qur 'an than in the entire New Testament [ 159 ] [ 160 ] She enjoys a singularly distinguished and honored position among women in the Qur 'an A chapter in the Qur 'an is titled "Maryam Mary ), which is the only chapter in the Qur 'an named after a woman , in which the story of Mary (Maryam ) and Jesus (Isa is recounted according to the Islamic view of Jesus .[ 161 ]
(
Mary )
with her son Isa (
Jesus ),
Persian miniature .
is mentioned in the Qur 'an with the honorific title of "our lady " (syyidatuna as the daughter of Imran and Hannah .[ 162 ]
is the only woman directly named in the Qur 'an ; declared (uniquely along with Jesus ) to be a Sign of God to mankind ;[Quran 23:50 as one who "guarded her chastity [Quran 66:12 an obedient one [Quran 66:12 chosen of her mother and dedicated to God whilst still in the womb ; [Quran 3:36 uniquely (amongst women ) Accepted into service by God [Quran 3:37 cared for by (one of the prophets as per Islam ) Zakariya Zacharias );[Quran 3:37 that in her childhood she resided in the Temple and uniquely had access to Al -Mihrab understood to be the Holy of Holies and was provided with heavenly 'provisions ' by God .[Quran 3:37 [ 162 ]
is also called a Chosen One [Quran 3:42 a Purified One [Quran 3:42 a Truthful one [Quran 5:75 her child conceived through "a Word from God " ;[Quran 3:45 and "exalted above all women of The Worlds /Universes (the material and heavenly worlds )" . [Quran 3:42
Qur 'an relates detailed narrative accounts of Maryam (Mary ) in two places Sura 3 [Quran 3:35 and Sura 19 .[Quran 19:16 These state beliefs in both the Immaculate Conception of Mary and the Virgin birth of Jesus .[ 163 ] [ 164 ] [ 165 ] The account given in Sura 19 [Quran 19:1 of the Qur 'an is nearly identical with that in the Gospel according to Luke and both of these (Luke , Sura 19 ) begin with an account of the visitation of an angel upon Zakariya (Zecharias ) and Good News of the birth of Yahya (John )followed by the account of the annunciation . It mentions how Mary was informed by an angel that she would become the mother of Jesus through the actions of God alone .[ 166 ]
the Islamic tradition , Mary and Jesus were the only children who could not be touched by Satan at the moment of their birth , for God imposed a veil between them and Satan .[ 167 ] According to author Shabbir Akhtar , the Islamic perspective on Mary 's Immaculate Conception is compatible with the Catholic doctrine of the same topic .[ 168 ] [ 169 ]
Qur 'an says that Jesus was the result of a virgin birth . The most detailed account of the annunciation and birth of Jesus is provided in Sura 3 and 19 of The Qur 'an wherein it is written that God sent an angel to announce that she could shortly expect to bear a son , despite being a virgin .[ 170 ]
views
Rome
the early stages of Christianity , belief in the virginity of Mary and the virgin conception of Jesus , as stated in the gospels , holy and supernatural , was used by detractors , both political and religious , as a topic for discussions , debates and writings , specifically aimed to challenge the divinity of Jesus and thus Christians and Christianity alike .[ 171 ] In the 2nd century , as part of the earliest anti -Christian polemics , Celsus suggested that Jesus was the illegitimate son of a Roman soldier named Panthera .[ 172 ] The views of Celsus drew responses from Origen the Church Father in Alexandria , Egypt who considered it a fabricated story .[ 173 ] How far Celsus sourced his view from Jewish sources remains the subject of discussion .[ 174 ]
Judaism
issue of the parentage of Jesus in the Talmud affects also the view of his mother . However the Talmud does not mention Mary by name and is considerate rather than only polemic .[ 175 ] [ 176 ] The story about Panthera is also found the Toledot Yeshu the literary origins of which can not be traced with any certainty and given that it is unlikely to go before the 4th century , it is far too late to include authentic remembrances of Jesus .[ 177 ] The Blackwell Companion to Jesus states that the Toledot Yeshu has no historical facts as such , and was perhaps created as a tool for warding off conversions to Christianity .[ 178 ] The name Panthera may be a distortion of the term parthenos virgin ) and Raymond E . Brown considers the story of Panthera a fanciful explanation of the birth of Jesus which includes very little historical evidence .[ 179 ]
Century Arabia
to the 4th century heresiologist Epiphanius of Salamis the Virgin Mary was worshipped as a Mother goddess in the heretical Christian sect Collyridianism which was found throughout Arabia sometime during the 300s AD . Collyrdianism was made up mostly of women and even had women priests . They were known to make bread offerings to the Virgin Mary , along with other practices . The group was condemned as heretical by the Roman Catholic Church and was preached against by Epiphanius of Salamis who wrote about the group in his writings titled Panarion [ 180 ]
of the Historical Jesus
date , scholars continue to debate the accounts of the birth of Jesus from several perspectives , including textual analysis , historical records and post -apostolic witnesses .[ 181 ] Bart D . Ehrman has suggested that the historical method can never comment on the likelihood of supernatural occurrences .[ 182 ]
statement in Matthew 1:25 that "Joseph did not know Mary until she has given birth to a son " has been debated among scholars , some suggesting that she did not remain perpetually virgin [ 183 ] Other scholars contend that the Greek word hoes i .e . until ) denotes a state up to a point , but does not mean that the state ended after that point , and that Matthew 1:25 does not confirm or deny the virginity of Mary after the birth of Jesus .[ 184 ] [ 185 ] [ 186 ]
biblical verses have also been debated , e .g . that the reference in Romans 1:3 of Jesus coming "of the seed of David according to the flesh " may be hypothesized as St . Joseph being the father of Jesus .[ 187 ] However , most scholars reject this interpretation in the context of virgin birth given that Paul used the Greek word genomenos i .e . becoming ) rather than the word gennetos and the reference to "seed of David " is likely to Mary 's lineage .[ 188 ] [ 189 ] [ 190 ]
portrayals
has been portrayed in various films , including:
gallery
also : Life of the Virgin a larger gallery , please see : Marian image gallery
from the St Vaast Altarpiece by Jacques Daret 1434 –1435
statue , 1808 Ghaxaq , Malta
of the Tomb of Mary
View ,Tomb of Mary
caressed by her parents mosaic , Chora Church c . 12th century
also
"Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary " . Newadvent .org . 1911 -10 -01 . http: //www .newadvent .org /cathen /10712b .htm . Retrieved 2010 -03 -02 . The Life of Jesus of Nazareth By Rush Rhees , (BiblioBazaar , LLC , 2008 ), page 62 a b Ruiz , Jean -Pierre . "Between the Crèche and the Cross: Another Look at the Mother of Jesus in the New Testament ." New Theology Review Aug2010 , Vol . 23 Issue 3 , pp3 -4 a b Ronald Brownrigg , Canon Brownrigg Who 's Who in the New Testament 2001 ISBN 0415260361 page T -62 Matthew 1:23 uses Greek parthénos virgin , whereas only the Hebrew of Isaiah 7:14 from which the New Testament ostensibly quotes , as Almah young maiden . See article on parthénos in Bauer /(Arndt )/Gingrich /Danker , "A Greek -English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature ", Second Edition , University of Chicago Press , 1979 , p . 627 .Browning , W . R . F . A dictionary of the Bible 2004 ISBN 019860890X page 246 Dale C . Allison , "Matthew: A Shorter Commentary ", p .12 Christian belief and practice by Gordon Geddes , Jane Griffiths 2002 ISBN 043530691X page 12 Mary , the mother of Jesus ." The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy , Houghton Mifflin Boston: Houghton Mifflin , 2002 . Credo Reference . Web . 28 September 2010 .a b c d e Encyclopedia of Protestantism , Volume 3 2003 by Hans Joachim Hillerbrand ISBN 0415924723 page 1174 [1 ] Behind the Name Ruiz , Jean -Pierre . "Between the Crèche and the Cross: Another Look at the Mother of Jesus in the New Testament ." New Theology Review .Aug 2010 , Vol . 23 Issue 3 , pp . 5 -15 Jestice , Phyllis G . Holy people of the world: a cross -cultural encyclopedia , Volume 3 2004 ISBN 1576073556 page 54 Douglas ; Hillyer ; Bruce (1990 ). New Bible Dictionary Inter -varsity Press . p . 746 . ISBN 0851106307 . An event described by some Christians as the Annunciation Luke 1:35 Mills , Watson E ., Roger Aubrey Bullard . Mercer dictionary of the Bible 1998 ISBN 0865543739 page 429 Compare Luke 1:39 -40 with Joshua 21:11 The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge says , "This was most probably Hebron , a city of the priests , and situated in the hill country of Judea , (Jos 11:21 ; 21:11 , 13 ,) about 25 miles south of Jerusalem , and nearly 100 from Nazareth ."Brown , Raymond Edward . Mary in the New Testament 1978 ISBN 9780809121687 Walvoord , John F ., Roy B . Zuck . The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament edition 1983 ISBN 0882078127 Gaventa , Beverly Roberts . Mary: glimpses of the mother of Jesus .1995 ISBN 1570030723 p .70 de Bles , Arthur . How to Distinguish the Saints in Art by Their Costumes , Symbols and Attributes ', 2004 ISBN 141790870X page 35 Jameson , Anna . Legends of the Madonna: as represented in the fine arts 2006 ISBN 1428634991 page 37 De Obitu S . Dominae as noted in ; Holweck , F . (1907 ). The Feast of the Assumption . In The Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company .a b Munificentissimus Deus on the Assumption Coptic Church website Accessed 2010 /10 /6 .a b Wybrew , Hugh Orthodox feasts of Jesus Christ & the Virgin Mary: liturgical texts 2000 ISBN 0881412031 pages 37 –46 Taylor , Joan E . Christians and the Holy Places: The Myth of Jewish -Christian Origins Oxford University Press 1993 , p . 202 , ISBN 0198147856 Google Scholar : [2 ] ).Rainer Riesner . Paul 's early period: chronology , mission strategy , theology . http: //books .google .com /books ?id =7mAqa7PYr4kC &pg =PA120 &lpg =PA120 &dq =Hippolytus +of +Thebes #v =onepage &q =Hippolytus %20of %20Thebes &f =false . Retrieved August 20 , 2011 . The Oxford handbook of early Christian studies by Susan Ashbrook Harvey , David G . Hunter 2008 ISBN 9780199271566 page 527 The reception and interpretation of the Bible in late antiquity by Lorenzo DiTommaso , Lucian Turcescu 2008 ISBN 9004167153 page 507 Maximus 's Mary by Sally Cuneen , Commonweal Magazine December 04 , 2009 Frommer 's Turkey by Lynn A . Levine 2010 ISBN 0470593660 pages 254 -255 Home of the Assumption: Reconstructing Mary 's Life in Ephesus by V . Antony John Alaharasan 2006 ISBN 1929039387 page 38 The Ancient Traditions of the Virgin Mary 's Dormition and Assumption by Stephen J . Shoemaker 2006 ISBN 0199210748 page 76 Mary 's House by Donald Carroll (Apr 20 , 2000 ) Veritas , ISBN 0953818802 Irenaeus Adversus haereses III ,1 ,1 ; Eusebius of Caesarea Church History , III ,1 Catholic encyclopedia Baldovin , John and Johnson , Maxwell , Between memory and hope: readings on the liturgical year 2001 ISBN 0814660258 page 386 Dalmais , Irénée et al . The Church at Prayer: The liturgy and time 1985 ISBN 0814613667 page 130 McNally , Terrence , What Every Catholic Should Know about Mary ISBN 1441510516 page 186 Benz , Ernst The Eastern Orthodox Church: Its Thought and Life 2009 ISBN 0202362981 page 62 Burke , Raymond et al . Mariology: A Guide for Priests , Deacons , Seminarians , and Consecrated Persons 2008 ISBN 9781579183554 page 178 The encyclopedia of Christianity , Volume 3 by Erwin Fahlbusch , Geoffrey William Bromiley 2003 ISBN 9004126546 page 406 Catholic encyclopedia Osborne , John L . "Early Medieval Painting in San Clemente , Rome: The Madonna and Child in the Niche " Gesta 20 .2 (1981:299 –310 ) and (note 9 ) referencing T . Klauser , Rom under der Kult des Gottesmutter Maria , Jahrbuch für der Antike und Christentum 15 (1972:120 –135 ).Vatican website Toronto Star article - In December 2010 , Catherine Lawless of the University of Limerick stated that by analyzing 15th -century Florentine manuscripts , she had concluded that Ismeria was the maternal grandmother of Mary . Toronto Star Dec 2010 Discovery News a b c d e f Eastern Orthodoxy through Western eyes by Donald Fairbairn 2002 ISBN 0664224970 page 99 -101 a b c d The Orthodox Church by Serge ? Nikolaevich Bulgakov 1997 ISBN 0881410519 page 116 Miravalle , Mark . Introduction to Mary '’. 1993 Queenship Publishing ISBN 9781882972067 pages 92 –93 The Orthodox word Volumes 12 –13 , 1976 page 73 Trigilio , John and Brighenti , Kenneth The Catholicism Answer Book 2007 ISBN 1402208065 page 58 The History of the Christian Church by Philip Smith 2009 ISBN 1150722452 page 288 The Celebration of Faith: The Virgin Mary by Alexander Schmemann 2001 ISBN 0881411418 page 11 [3 ] De Sherbinin , Julie Chekhov and Russian religious culture: the poetics of the Marian paradigm 1997 ISBN 0810114046 page 15 [4 ] Pope John Paul II , General Audience , 1997 Kilmartin Edward The Eucharist in the West 1998 ISBN 0814662048 page 80 Ciaravino , Helene How to Pray 2001 ISBN 0757000126 page 118 Williams , Rowan Ponder these things: praying with icons of the Virgin 2002 ISBN 185311362X page 7 a b c d e f g Schroedel , Jenny The Everything Mary Book 2006 ISBN 1593377134 pages 81 –85 Encyclopedia of Catholicism by Frank K . Flinn J . Gordon Melton 2007 ISBN 081605455X pages 443 –444 a b c d Hillerbrand , Hans Joachim . Encyclopedia of Protestantism , Volume 3 2003 . ISBN 0415924723 page 1174 a b The Canons of the Two Hundred Holy and Blessed Fathers Who Met at Ephesus M 'Corry , John Stewart Theotokos: Or , the Divine Maternity 2009 ISBN 1113183616 page 10 The Christian theology reader by Alister E . McGrath 2006 ISBN 140515358X page 273 What Every Catholic Should Know about Mary by Terrence J . McNally ISBN 1441510516 page 128 Legends of the Madonna by Anna Jameson 2009 1406853380 page 50 Ann Ball , 2003 Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices ISBN 087973910X page 515 Candice Lee Goucher , 2007 World history: journeys from past to present ISBN 0 -415 -77137 -4 page 102 Ann Ball , 2003 Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices ISBN 087973910X page 525 a b c d Flinn , Frank K ., J . Gordon Melton Encyclopedia of Catholicism 2007 ISBN 081605455X pages 443 –444 a b Clayton , Mary . The Cult of the Virgin Mary in Anglo -Saxon England 2003 ISBN 0521531152 pages 26 –37 EWTN on Battle of Lepanto (1571 )[5 ] by Butler , Alban , Peter Doyle . Butler 's Lives of the Saints 1999 ISBN 0860122530 page 222 Jackson , Gregory Lee , Catholic , Lutheran , Protestant: a doctrinal comparison 1993 ISBN 9780615166353 page 254 Jackson , Gregory Lee .Catholic , Lutheran , Protestant: a doctrinal comparison 1993 ISBN 9780615166353 page 254 Miravalle , Mark . Introduction to Mary '’. 1993 Queenship Publishing ISBN 9781882972067 page 51 Camille Fronk , "Mary , Mother of Jesus ," Encyclopedia of Mormonism (New York , NY: Macmillan Publishing Co ., 1992 ), 2:863 –64 .Doctrinal Insights to the Book of Mormon by Doug Bassett 2007 ISBN 1599550512 page 49 Miravalle , Mark Introduction to Mary 1993 , ISBN 9781882972067 pages 44 –46 Virgin Birth britannica .com '.' Retrieved October 22 , 2007 .Translation by the ecumenical English Language Liturgical Consultation given on page 17 of Praying Together a literal translation of the original ,σαρκωθέντα ἐκ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου καὶ Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου "a b Miravalle , Mark Introduction to Mary 1993 , ISBN 9781882972067 pages 56 –64 a b c Fahlbusch , Erwin , et al . The encyclopedia of Christianity , Volume 3 2003 ISBN 9004126546 pages 403 –409 Pope Pius XII: "Munificentissimus Deus ─Defining the Dogma of the Assumption " , par . 44 . Vatican , November 1 , 1950 "Catholic Encyclopedia: Immaculate Conception " . Newadvent .org . http: //www .newadvent .org /cathen /07674d .htm . Retrieved 2010 -03 -02 . Ware , Timothy . The Orthodox Church Penguin Books , 1963 , ISBN 0 -14 -020592 -6 pp . 263 –4 .Catechism of the Catholic Church 499 Milton , Anthony Catholic and Reformed 2002 ISBN 0521893291 page 5 a b Braaten , Carl , et al . Mary , Mother of God 2004 ISBN 0802822665 page 13 Burnham , Andrew A Pocket Manual of Anglo -Catholic Devotion 2004 ISBN 1853115304 pages 1 , 266 ,310 , 330 Duckworth , Penelope , Mary: The Imagination of Her Heart 2004 ISBN 1561012602 page 3 -5 Church of england yearbook: Volume 123 2006 ISBN 0715110209 page 315 Perrier , Jacques , Lourdes Today and Tomorrow 2008 1565483057 ISBN page 56 Mary: grace and hope in Christ: the Seattle statement of the Anglican -Roman Catholics " by the Anglican /Roman Catholic International Group 2006 ISBN 0826481558 pages 7 –10 Camiz , Franca Trinchieri , Katherine A . McIver . Art and music in the early modern period .ISBN 0754606899 page 15 Miegge , Giovanni , The Virgin Mary: Roman Catholic Marian Doctrine pgs . 15 –22 , Westminister Press , Philadelpia , 1963 .Merriam -Webster 's encyclopedia of world religions by Wendy Doniger , 1999 ISBN 0877790442 page 696 "Encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam . Vatican . http: //www .vatican .va /holy _father /pius _xii /encyclicals /documents /hf _p -xii _enc _11101954 _ad -caeli -reginam _en .html . "Item 971 – Devotion to the Blessed Mary " . Catechism of the Catholic Church Vatican . http: //www .vatican .va /archive /ccc _css /archive /catechism /p123a9p6 .htm . Retrieved 01 Oct 2010 . The Catholicism Answer Book by John Trigilio , Kenneth Brighenti 2007 ISBN 1402208065 page 325 Vatican website: Marian consecration and entrustment , item 204 Schroede , Jenny , The Everything Mary Book 2006 ISBN 1593377134 page 219 O 'Carroll , Michael , The Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary 2007 , ISBN 1 -882972 -98 -8 pages 10 –15 Catholic encyclopedia Zenit News 2008 Cardinal Urges Devotion to Rosary and Scapular Handbook of Prayers by James Socías 2006 ISBN 0879735791 page 483 The encyclopedia of Christianity , Volume 4 by Erwin Fahlbusch , Geoffrey William Bromiley 2005 ISBN 0802824161 page 575 Pope Leo XIII . "Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII on the Rosary " . Octobri Mense Vatican . http: //www .vatican .va /holy _father /leo _xiii /encyclicals /documents /hf _l -xiii _enc _22091891 _octobri -mense _en .html . Retrieved 04 Oct 2010 . Cateechism at the Vatican website A Beginner 's Book of Prayer: An Introduction to Traditional Catholic Prayers by William G . Storey 2009 ISBN 0829427929 page 99 Ann Ball , 2003 Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices ISBN 087973910X page 365 Our Sunday Visitor 's Catholic Almanac by Matthew Bunson 2009 ISBN 159276441X page 122 The Catholic Handbook for Visiting the Sick and Homebound by Corinna Laughlin , Sara McGinnis Lee 2010 ISBN 9781568548869 page 4 Geoghegan . G .P . A Collection of My Favorite Prayers 2006 ISBN 1411694570 pages 31 , 45 , 70 , 86 , 127 Mary , mother of the redemption by Edward Schillebeeckx 1964 ASIN B003KW30VG pages 82 –84 Mary in the Redemption by Adrienne von Speyr 2003 ISBN 0898709555 pages 2 –7 Salvation Through Mary by Henry Aloysius Barry 2008 ISBN 1409731723 pages 13 –15 The mystery of Mary by Paul Haffner 2004 ISBN 0852446500 page 198 Redemptoris Mater at the Vatican website a b Burke , Raymond L .; et al . (2008 ). Mariology: A Guide for Priests , Deacons , Seminarians , and Consecrated Persons ISBN 9781579183554 page xxi McNally , Terrence , What Every Catholic Should Know about Mary ISBN 1441510516 pages 168 –169 a b c Ecclesiasticus II: Orthodox Icons , Saints , Feasts and Prayer by George Dion Dragas 2005 ISBN 0974561800 pages 81 -83 The Everything Mary Book by Jenny Schroedel 2006 ISBN 1593377134 page 90 Vasilaka , Maria Images of the Mother of God: perceptions of the Theotokos in Byzantium 2005 ISBN 0754636038 page 97 Fahlbusch , Erwin , et al . The encyclopedia of Christianity , Volume 3 2003 ISBN 9004126546 pages 403 –409 [6 ] Damascene , John . Homily 2 on the Dormition 14 ; PG 96 , 741 B Damascene , John . Homily 2 on the Dormition 16 ; PG 96 , 744 D Barth , Karl , Church dogmatics 1 pp . 143 –4 , ISBN 0567050696 Lehmann , H ., ed . ‘’Luther 's Works , American edition ,’’ vol . 43 , p . 40 , Fortress , 1968 .Lee (1993 ), Catholic , Lutheran , Protestant: a doctrinal comparison p . 249 , ISBN 9780615166353 Alternately: “It cannot even be denied that God conferred the highest honour on Mary , by choosing and appointing her to be the mother of his Son .” Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists , Matthew , Mark , and Luke 1845 , Jean Calvin , Rev . William Pringle , Edinburgh , Volume 2 , p . 87 . [7 ] "Neque etiam negari potest , quin Deus Mariam Filio suo matrem eligens ac destinans summo eam honore dignatus sit ." Calvin ’s Opera vol . 45 (Corpus Reformatorum vol . 73 ), p . 348 . [8 ] McKim , Donald K (2004 ), The Cambridge companion to John Calvin ISBN 052101672X Haffner , Paul (2004 ), The mystery of Mary p . 11 , ISBN 0852446500 Geisler , Norman L ; MacKenzie , Ralph E (1995 ), Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: agreements and differences p . 143 , ISBN 0801038758 Bäumer , Remigius . Marienlexikon Gesamtausgabe Leo Scheffczyk , ed ., (Regensburg: Institutum Marianum , 1994 ), 190 .Schroedel , Jenny (2006 ), The Everything Mary Book pp . 125 –6 , ISBN 1593377134 Jackson , Gregory Lee (1993 ), Catholic , Lutheran , Protestant: a doctrinal comparison p . 249 , ISBN 9780615166353 Bäumer , 191 Haffner , Paul (2004 ), The mystery of Mary p . 223 , ISBN 0852446500 Bäumer , 190 .Colonna , Vittoria (2009 ), Who Is Mary ?p . 34 , ISBN 0226114007 Eric W . Gritsch (1992 ). H . George Anderson , J . Francis Stafford , Joseph A . Burgess (eds .). ed . The One Mediator , The Saints , and Mary , Lutherans and Roman Catholic in Dialogue VII Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress . p . 235 . Luther 's Works 47 , pp . 45f .Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue VIII , p . 29 ., Google , http: //books .google .com /books ?id =tA9HQwAACAAJ &dq =%22Missus +est +Angelus +gabriel %22 +bernard Doberstein , John W ; Lehmann , Helmut T , eds . (1959 ), "Sermon on the Second Sunday after Epiphany ", Luther 's Works 51 Sermons I Fortress Press , p . 375 , ISBN 978 -0800603519 Dr . Martin Luthers Werke , Kritische Gesamtausgabe 51 Weimar , 1883 , p . 128 More FAQ | The Anglo -Lutheran Catholic Church Wesley ’s Letters The Wesley Center Online , 1749 , http: //wesley .nnu .edu /john -wesley /the -letters -of -john -wesley /wesleyrsquos -letters -1749 a b Mary 's Perpetual Virginity What does The United Methodist Church teach about the Virgin Mary ?Comparing Christian Denominations – Beliefs: Nature of Mary The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church I -IV Methodist church stirs controversy with statue What does The United Methodist Church teach about the Immaculate Conception and the Virgin Birth ?Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America 2006 Page 73 Eugene V . Gallagher , W . Michael Ashcraft "Jehovah 's Witnesses pray to God in the name of Jesus , but insist that the Bible never identifies Christ as an eternal ... Jehovah God caused an ovum , or egg cell , in Mary 's womb to become fertile , accomplishing this by the transferal of "Christian mortalism from Tyndale to Milton Norman T . Burns - 1972 "Mary and Angels " . Readingislam .com . 2002 -09 -01 . http: //www .readingislam .com /servlet /Satellite ?cid =1123996015504 &pagename =IslamOnline -English -AAbout _Islam /AskAboutIslamE /AskAboutIslamE . Retrieved 2010 -03 -02 . Alaharasan , V . Antony John .Home of the Assumption: Reconstructing Mary 's Life in Ephesus 2006 ISBN 1929039387 page 66 Jestice , Phyllis G . Holy people of the world: a cross -cultural encyclopedia , Volume 3 2004 ISBN 1576073556 page 558 [9 ] a b The new encyclopedia of Islam by Cyril Glassé , Huston Smith 2003 ISBN 0759101906 page 296 [10 ] Jomier , Jacques . The Bible and the Qur 'an 2002 ISBN 0898709288 page 133 Nazir -Ali , Michael . Islam , a Christian perspective 1984 ISBN 0664245277 page 110 EWTN Jackson , Montell . Islam Revealed 2003 ISBN 1591608694 page 73 Rodwell , J . M . The Koran 2009 ISBN 0559131275 page 505 Akhtar , Shabbir .The Quran and the secular mind: a philosophy of Islam 2007 page 352 Glassé , Cyril , Huston Smith . The new encyclopedia of Islam 2003 ISBN 0759101906 page 240 Sarker , Abraham .Understand My Muslim People 2004 ISBN 1594980020 page 260 [11 ] Bennett , Clinton , In search of Jesus 2001 ISBN 0826449166 pages 165 –170 Also see: Schaberg , Jane . Illegitimacy of Jesus: A Feminist Theological Interpretation of the Infancy Narratives Biblical Seminar Series , No 28 ), ISBN 1 -85075 -533 -7 Contra Celsum by Origen , Henry Chadwick Cambridge: Cambridge University Press , 1953 ) reprint 1980 ISBN 0521295769 page 32 John Patrick The Apology of Origen in Reply to Celsus 1892 reprint 2009 ISBN 111013388X pages 22 –24 The Talmud Yerushalmi and Graeco -Roman culture: Volume 3 - Page 369 Peter Schäfer , Catherine Hezser - 2002 The Mother of the Messiah in the Talmud Yerushalmi and Sefer Zerubbabel by Martha Himmelfarb "Through the centuries the Virgin Mary has played a central role in Christian piety . Unlike so many aspects of Christianity , veneration of the ..."Peter Schäfer Mirror of His beauty: feminine images of God from the Bible to the ..2002 Page 233 "On the one hand , it mockingly disapproves of the idea of the mother of God ; on the other hand it treats Mary considerately and by no means only polemically . The talmudic and post -talmudic discussions about the Virgin Mary are classic ..."Van Voorst , Robert E (2000 ). Jesus Outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence WmB Eerdmans Publishing . ISBN 0802843689 pp . 122 and 127 Michael J . Cook Jewish Perspectives on Jesus Chapter 14 in the "The Blackwell Companion to Jesus " edited by Delbert Burkett 2011 ISBN 9781444327946 Mary in the New Testament by Raymond Edward Brown , et al . 1978 ISBN 0809121689 page 262 http: //www .ewtn .com /library /HOMELIBR /COLLYRID .TXT Bromiley , Geoffrey W . The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Q -Z 1995 ISBN 0802837840 pages 990 –991 Ehrman , Bart William Lane Craig (March 28 , 2006 ). "William Lane Craig and Bart Ehrman "Is There Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus ?"" . College of the Holy Cross , Worcester , Massachusetts: bringyou .to . http: //www .bringyou .to /apologetics /p96 .htm . Retrieved August 11 , 2010 . "Historians can only establish what probably happened in the past , and by definition a miracle is the least probable occurrence . And so , by the very nature of the canons of historical research , we can 't claim historically that a miracle probably happened . By definition , it probably didn 't . And history can only establish what probably did ." Coogan , Michael (October 2010 ). God and Sex . What the Bible Really Says 1st ed .). New York , Boston: Twelve . Hachette Book Group . p . 39 . ISBN 978 -0 -446 -54525 -9 . http: //books .google .nl /books ?id =2 _gPKQEACAAJ &dq =god +and +sex &hl =nl &ei =4fbCTaPKDpGXOrq88Z0I &sa =X &oi =book _result &ct =result &resnum =2 &ved =0CEcQ6AEwAQ . Retrieved May 5 , 2011 . McNally , Terrence , What Every Catholic Should Know about Mary ISBN 1441510516 page 95 Cradle of redeeming love by John Saward 2002 Ignatius Press ISBN 0898708869 page 17 Mary in the New Testament by Raymond Edward Brown 1978 ISBN 0809121689 page 86 Coogan , Michael (October 2010 ). God and Sex . What the Bible Really Says 1st ed .). New York , Boston: Twelve . Hachette Book Group . p . 38 . ISBN 978 -0 -446 -54525 -9 . http: //books .google .nl /books ?id =2 _gPKQEACAAJ &dq =god +and +sex &hl =nl &ei =4fbCTaPKDpGXOrq88Z0I &sa =X &oi =book _result &ct =result &resnum =2 &ved =0CEcQ6AEwAQ . Retrieved May 5 , 2011 . This Jesus by Markus Bockmuehl 2004 ISBN 0567082962 page 32 Aquinas on doctrine: a critical introduction by Thomas Gerard Weinandy , John Yocum 2004 ISBN 0567084116 pages 245 -246 All the Doctrines of the Bible by Herbert Lockyer 1988 ISBN 0310280516 page 43 http: //www .guardian .co .uk /media /2007 /aug /18 /religion .news featured in ITV documentary "The Muslim Jesus , ITV─Unreality Primetime " . Primetime .unrealitytv .co .uk . 2007 -08 -18 . http: //primetime .unrealitytv .co .uk /the -muslim -jesus -itv / . Retrieved 2010 -03 -02 .
Raymond ,E .,Donfried , Karl , P ., Fitzmyer , Joseph A ., & Reumann , John , (eds .),Mary in the New Testament Fortress /Paulist Press , 1978 , ISBN 0 -8006 -1345 -7 Orestes , Saint Worship and the Worship of Mary Sophia Institute Press 2003 , ISBN 1 -928832 -88 -1 Dan . Is This The Mary Of The Bible ?Evangelical Outreach , 2004 , 249 pages ISBN 0 -96390 -767 -0 Vincent Mary Portrayed London: Darton , Longman & Todd , Ltd ., 1968 , ISBN 0 -87505 -213 -4 Chantal . The Scriptural Roots of Catholic Teaching Sophia Institute Press 2002 , ISBN 1 -928832 -53 -9 Fr . Robert J .Catechism on Mary Immaculate Heart of Mary Mary Through the Ages Fatima Family Apostolate Mary Kathleen , The Catholic Companion to Mary ACTA Publications , 2007 Hilda . Mary: A History of Doctrine and Devotion London: Sheed & Ward , 1985 , ISBN 0 -7220 -5221 -9 Benedict , A Still , Small Voice: A Practical Guide on Reported Revelations San Francisco: Ignatius Press , 1993 ISBN 0 -8987 -0436 -7 Scott , Hail , Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God Doubleday , 2001 , ISBN 0 -3855 -0168 -4 Stephen The Life of the Virgin Mary Lennard Publishing , 1990 , ISBN 1852910240 Chris (ed .), The Origins of the Cult of the Virgin Mary Burns &Oates /Continuum , 2008 , ISBN 978 -0860 -12456 -6 David . Discovering Mary: Answers to Questions About the Mother of God Servant Books 2009 , ISBN 0 -8671 -6927 -3 Mark . Introduction to Mary Queenship Publishing 1993 , Second Edition 2006 , soft , 220 pages ISBN 1 -882972 -06 -6 Barbara . God and the Goddesses Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press , 2003 , ISBN 0812219112 Jaroslav . Mary Through the Centuries: Her Place in the History of Culture Yale University Press 1998 , hardcover , 240 pages ISBN 0 -300 -06951 -0 trade paperback , 1998 , 240 pages , ISBN 0 -300 -07661 -4
reading
Luigi (1999 ) Mary and the fathers of the church ISBN 0898706866 Anthony (2008 ) The Blessed Virgin Mary in England ISBN 0595500749 Marina (1976 ). Alone of all her sex: The Myth and the Cult of the Virgin Mary London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson . ISBN 297770772 .
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in Christianity mother of Jesus )century BC births century Christian female saints century deaths Orthodox saints Orthodox saints Orthodox saints of Jesus visionaries Catholic saints celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendar era Jews from the Holy Land saints and women
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Mother of Jesus (film )Mary , Mother of Jesus (1999 ) is a made for television Biblical film that retells the story of Jesus through the eyes of Mary , his mother . It stars Pernilla August as Mary , David Threlfall as Joseph (his legal guardian , not father ) and Christian … … Wikipedia
mother of Jesus Both Matt . and Luke have accounts of the birth of Jesus to Mary in Bethlehem , and both assert that Mary s pregnancy was ‘by the Holy Spirit ’ and not by her husband Joseph hence she is known as ‘the Virgin ’. In Matt . the child Jesus receives a … … Dictionary of the Bible
mother of John Mark is a character in the Bible . She is apparently mentioned only once in Acts 12:12 , when Peter is coming to her house , after his escape from prison: When this had dawned on him , he went to the house of Mary the mother of John , also called Mark … Wikipedia
mother of James the Less )Along with Mary Magdalene and Mary of Clopas , Mary the mother of James is known as one of the Three Marys , depicted here by Mikołaj Haberschrack . Mary is identified in the synoptic gospels as one of the women who went to Jesus tomb after he was … … Wikipedia
Mother of Grace Madonna by Raphael , an example of Marian art Mary , Mother of Grace is a Roman Catholic prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary . Mary , Mother of grace , Mother of mercy , Shield me from the enemy And receive me at the hour of my death . Amen . (From the … … Wikipedia
given name )Mary The Glorification of Mary by Boticelli . The reverence for Mary , the mother of Jesus , is in large part responsible for the use of the name Mary and its variants . Gender female Origin … Wikipedia
is a female given name . Mary may also refer to: This section lists people commonly referred to solely by this name . Contents 1 Religious contexts 2 Royalty … Wikipedia
Protector of Faith (Russo )Mary , Protector of Faith Artist Jon Joseph Russo Year 2000 (2000 ) Type Limestone Dimensions 190 cm ×& … Wikipedia
of Mary , Mother of God The Solemnity of Mary , Mother of God is a liturgical feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary , celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church on 1 January , the Octave Day of Christmas . In some countries this day is considered a holy day of obligation . The feast … Wikipedia
of Mary , Mother of the Eucharist The Dominican Sisters of Mary , Mother of the Eucharist is a Roman Catholic religious order that was started out of Pope John Paul II s call in Vita Consecrata . The community is part of the Dominican Order . They are based in Ann Arbor , MI and was … Wikipedia
The Annunciation by Eustache Le Sueur, an example of 17th century Marian art. The Angel Gabriel announces to Mary her pregnancy with Jesus whilst at the same time confirming her miraculous purity by his offering to her of White Lillies
The chapel based on the claimed House of Mary in Ephesus
