Posted on 12/05/2010 6:14:57 PM PST by RnMomof7
............The Historical Evidence
The Roman Catholic Church claims that this doctrine, like all of their other distinctive doctrines, has the “unanimous consent of the Fathers” (contra unanimen consensum Patrum).[10] They argue that what they teach concerning the Immaculate Conception has been the historic belief of the Christian Church since the very beginning. As Ineffabilis Deus puts it,
The Catholic Church, directed by the Holy Spirit of God… has ever held as divinely revealed and as contained in the deposit of heavenly revelation this doctrine concerning the original innocence of the august Virgin… and thus has never ceased to explain, to teach and to foster this doctrine age after age in many ways and by solemn acts.[11]
However, the student of church history will quickly discover that this is not the case. The earliest traces of this doctrine appear in the middle ages when Marian piety was at its bloom. Even at this time, however, the acceptance of the doctrine was far from universal. Both Thomas Aquinas and Bernard of Clairvaux rejected the immaculate conception. The Franciscans (who affirmed the doctrine) and the Dominicans (who denied it, and of whom Aquinas was one) argued bitterly over whether this doctrine should be accepted, with the result that the pope at the time had to rule that both options were acceptable and neither side could accuse the other of heresy (ironic that several centuries later, denying this doctrine now results in an anathema from Rome).
When we go further back to the days of the early church, however, the evidence becomes even more glaring. For example, the third century church father Origen of Alexandria taught in his treatise Against Celsus (3:62 and 4:40) that that the words of Genesis 3:16 applies to every woman without exception. He did not exempt Mary from this. As church historian and patristic scholar J.N.D. Kelly points out,
Origen insisted that, like all human beings, she [Mary] needed redemption from her sins; in particular, he interpreted Simeon’s prophecy (Luke 2.35) that a sword would pierce her soul as confirming that she had been invaded with doubts when she saw her Son crucified.”[12]
Also, it must be noted that it has been often pointed out that Jesus’ rebuke of Mary in the wedding of Cana (John 2:1-12) demonstrates that she is in no wise perfect or sinless. Mark Shea scoffs at this idea that Mary is “sinfully pushing him [Jesus] to do theatrical wonders in John 2,” arguing that “there is no reason to think [this] is true.”[13] However, if we turn to the writings of the early church fathers, we see that this is precisely how they interpreted Mary’s actions and Jesus’ subsequent rebuke of her. In John Chrysostom’s twenty-first homily on the gospel of John (where he exegetes the wedding of Cana), he writes,
For where parents cause no impediment or hindrance in things belonging to God, it is our bounden duty to give way to them, and there is great danger in not doing so; but when they require anything unseasonably, and cause hindrance in any spiritual matter, it is unsafe to obey. And therefore He answered thus in this place, and again elsewhere “Who is My mother, and who are My brethren?” (Matt. xii.48), because they did not yet think rightly of Him; and she, because she had borne Him, claimed, according to the custom of other mothers, to direct Him in all things, when she ought to have reverenced and worshiped Him. This then was the reason why He answered as He did on that occasion… He rebuked her on that occasion, saying, “Woman, what have I to do with thee?” instructing her for the future not to do the like; because, though He was careful to honor His mother, yet He cared much more for the salvation of her soul, and for the doing good to the many, for which He took upon Him the flesh.[14]
Now why on earth would Jesus care for the salvation of Mary’s soul at this point in time if she was already “preventatively” saved through having been immaculately conceived, as was claimed earlier? That does not make any sense, whatsoever. Likewise, Theodoret of Cyrus agrees with John Chrysostom in saying that the Lord Jesus rebuked Mary during the wedding at Cana. In chapter two of his Dialogues, he writes,
If then He was made flesh, not by mutation, but by taking flesh, and both the former and the latter qualities are appropriate to Him as to God made flesh, as you said a moment ago, then the natures were not confounded, but remained unimpaired. And as long as we hold thus we shall perceive too the harmony of the Evangelists, for while the one proclaims the divine attributes of the one only begotten—the Lord Christ—the other sets forth His human qualities. So too Christ our Lord Himself teaches us, at one time calling Himself Son of God and at another Son of man: at one time He gives honour to His Mother as to her that gave Him birth [Luke 2:52]; at another He rebukes her as her Lord [John 2:4].[15] And then there is Augustine of Hippo, whom many Roman Catholic apologists attempt to appeal to for their belief in the immaculate conception. They like to quote a portion of chapter 42 of his treatise, On Nature and Grace, where Augustine states,
We must except the holy Virgin Mary, concerning whom I wish to raise no question when it touches the subject of sins, out of honour to the Lord; for from Him we know what abundance of grace for overcoming sin in every particular was conferred upon her who had the merit to conceive and bear Him who undoubtedly had no sin.[16]
However, those who quote this passage miss the point of what Augustine is trying to communicate. He was trying to refute the Pelagian heretics (who were the ones who were claiming that Mary—among other biblical characters—were sinless, since they denied the depravity of man). The article explaining Augustine’s view of Mary on Allan Fitzgerald’s Augustine Through the Ages helps clear up misconceptions regarding this passage:
His [Augustine's] position must be understood in the context of the Pelagian controversy. Pelagius himself had already admitted that Mary, like the other just women of the Old testament, was spared from any sin. Augustine never concedes that Mary was sinless but prefers to dismiss the question… Since medieval times this passage [from Nature and Grace] has sometimes been invoked to ground Augustine’s presumed acceptance of the doctrine of the immaculate conception. It is clear nonetheless that, given the various theories regarding the transmission of original sin current in his time, Augustine in that passage would not have meant to imply Mary’s immunity from it.[17]
This same article then goes on to demonstrate that Augustine did in fact believe that Mary received the stain of original sin from her parents:
His understanding of concupiscence as an integral part of all marital relations made it difficult, if not impossible, to accept that she herself was conceived immaculately. He… specifies in [Contra Julianum opus imperfectum 5.15.52]… that the body of Mary “although it came from this [concupiscence], nevertheless did not transmit it for she did not conceive in this way.” Lastly, De Genesi ad litteram 10.18.32 asserts: “And what more undefiled than the womb of the Virgin, whose flesh, although it came from procreation tainted by sin, nevertheless did not conceive from that source.”[18]
As can be seen here, these and many other early church fathers[19] did not regard Mary as being sinless or immaculately conceived. It is quite clear that the annals of church history testify that Rome cannot claim that this belief is based upon the “unanimous consent of the fathers,” since the belief that Mary was sinless started out among Pelagian heretics during the fifth century and did not become an acceptable belief until at least the beginning of the middle ages.
Conclusion
As has been demonstrated here, neither scripture nor church history support the contention of the Roman Catholic Church that Mary was sinless by virtue of having been immaculately conceived. In fact, Rome did not even regard this as an essential part of the faith until the middle of the nineteenth century. This should cause readers to pause and question why on earth Rome would anathematize Christians for disbelieving in a doctrine that was absent from the early church (unless one wants to side with the fifth century Pelagians) and was considered even by Rome to be essential for salvation until a century and a half ago. Because Rome said so? But their reasons for accepting this doctrine in the first place are so demonstrably wrong. After all, they claim that this was held as divinely revealed from the very beginning, even though four and a half centuries’ worth of patristic literature proves otherwise. This ought to be enough to cast doubt not only on Rome’s claims regarding Mariology, but their claims to authority on matters of faith and morals in general.
How does someone “disparage the mother of Christ” by exalting the Savior?
I’ve been blessed by Roman Catholics, but some of your doctrines really diminish the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice.
Ecumenism is an attempt to overthrow the true Gospel of Jesus Christ by overwhelming it with false religions in a democratic consensus. (National Council of Churches, World Council of Churches, etc.)
Well, I am always looking for clarity.
I appreciate your openness.
Yep. As I said, she could have chosen a much better illustration. While the choice was in poor taste I don't think the intent was to offend but rather was not well thought out. However, I try to keep a default mode of giving others the benefit of the doubt.
At the risk of offense, I believe Mary was a brave and obedient child. She answered God's call and became the vessel through which God entered the world so He could take on our sin and pay our debt. She did this even though she would expect Joseph to publicly condemn her.
Nobody seems to notice God's wisdom in choosing Joseph as Jesus' earthly father. Instead of publicly humiliating her, he intended to put her aside quietly (wouldn't you if your "Virgin bride" was suddenly pregnant). He too was obedient when the Angel of the Lord spoke to him and confirmed she was a virgin and carried the Messiah. Let's be real, Joseph faced humiliation by those who would mock him and claim she was unfaithful.
While Joseph and Mary were both brave and obedient, neither of them are the equal of Jesus.
imho,
The early Christian writers
could not
UNANIMOUSLY AGREE
that the sun comes up in the morning,
much less
any dubious Christian dogma.
What nonsense that the
bureaucratic political powermongering magicsterical theological elites coming 400 years later
could rationally have the audacity to claim that the early Christian writers
unanimously agreed on
THEIR magicsterically convoluted mishmash of
STILL not the least consistent and homogeneous body of even Scriptural commentary.
Where do such jerks get off claiming unanimous anything?
They STILL aren’t unanimous . . .
About the closest they get to being unanimously agreeing about anything is the horrific pile of Maryolatry they seem to mostly agree with . . . on alternate days.
Sheesh.
I think saying that Catholics desire to worship Ishtar is rather personal but that is not my call. The gentleman was in error, he spoke falsely, he wrote things that have no veracity. Thus stands my correction.
>>I’ve been blessed by Roman Catholics, but some of your doctrines really diminish the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice.<<
That sentence is unparsable.
It is Romans 3:23.
Continuing on in Romans 3:24 -
And are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Similar is 1st John 1:18-19 -
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Christians test all things through the scriptures.
The traditions of men are purely humanist and sinful.
.
You say this as if Christ remains contained by Mary; as the elements of remembrance are contained perpetually within the Ark of the Covenant. I take great offense to the statement that Jesus is who he is because he proceeds from Mary, and only because He does. He is not, and will never again be, a baby any longer. He is pre-eminent, pre-existent, and Lord of all things. This fact infinitely subordinates everything else into nothingness.
I guess you do not believe her own words then when she said she was the Immaculate Conception.
I think there is something in the Gospels about “you believe because you see but blessed are they who do not see but believe.”
It amazes me that some look only to scripture for belief but only three of the Gospels may have been written by those who actually saw and heard Jesus.
Ah, insults. The first refuge of Catholics.....
those are called facts....if you are insulted by fact, so be it
“Ecumenism is an attempt to overthrow the true Gospel of Jesus Christ by overwhelming it with false religions in a democratic consensus. (National Council of Churches, World Council of Churches, etc.)”
Ecumenism per that article and the words of Jesus via the Book of John talk of the UNITY of Christians....that the world might know the Truth. Period.
It is obviously HIS plan. It is equally obvious that the world NEEDS this plan.
;-) May His will be accomplished. Amen.
That is cool om so many levels.
It is wrong in this case, but its cool points outweigh its probative value.
Catholic doctrine is that Jesus Christ, Risen Son of God Almighty through Mary, is fully man and fully God.
No, the Immaculate Conception was not the conception of Jesus, it was the conception of Mary. Catholic 101.
Forget Catholic "doctrine;" what does Scripture say?
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