[PetroniusMaximus]

"What are we to make of the above note which undermines so much of the Protestant anti-Marian polemic? "

I'm afraid you've gotten some bad info. Protestants and Evangelicals are not "anti Mary". Many Evangelicals recognize the existence of strong arguments in favor of Mary's continuing virginity (chief of which in my mind is Jesus' giving of Mary to John at the cross, an unspeakable insult to the next-in-line were he to be James.)

I can not speak for all Evangelicals, but generally, we agree with you were we find your position to be in line with the Scriptures. And where we think you depart, or hold positions without Biblical support, there we must part ways.

That freedom of conscience I see clearly in the NT. It is something which I find, unfortunately, to be lacking in many periods of Church history. Paul did not stand on his authority, but invited his hearers to search the Scriptures themselves to see if what he was saying was true.


Although I do grant that there are certain folks who seem to have an "if Catholics believe it, we will believe the exact opposite" attitude.

[Conservative til I die]

I'm afraid you've gotten some bad info. Protestants and Evangelicals are not "anti Mary".

I beg to differ. Most Protestants do their best to downplay and degrade her role. All because they have to be contrarian to the Catholics.

[jo kus]

PM, my friend, I must disagree with you on this point...

Paul did not stand on his authority, but invited his hearers to search the Scriptures themselves to see if what he was saying was true.

Paul quite often refers to his authority. He even considers himself infalllible when presenting the Gospel!

"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Gal 1:8-9

Later, in the Pastorals, he tells Timothy and Titus to hold onto the deposit of faith given to them. For example:

"Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." 2 Tim 1:13-14

Paul KNEW he was giving the true Gospel and commanded his successors to continue to preach THAT Gospel. There is no sense that an individual picks and chooses the contents of the Gospel in the New Testament.

Regards

[franky]

###"Protestants and Evangelicals are not "anti Mary"."###

I would just inject that there are 3,490,000 anti Mary, anti Blessed Virgin Mary sites on Google. Of course many are just questioning her Virginity but many are absolute in their vehemence