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Growing number of Protestants taking a closer look at Mary
Atlanta Journal Constitution ^ | December 7, 2002 | Kevin Eckstrom

Posted on 12/07/2002 9:34:05 AM PST by anncoulteriscool

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Interesting article about the treatment of MAry in many churches.
1 posted on 12/07/2002 9:34:05 AM PST by anncoulteriscool
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To: anncoulteriscool
Luther, Calvin, and Other Early Protestants on the Perpetual Virginity of Mary
2 posted on 12/07/2002 9:53:22 AM PST by Salvation
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To: All
The Protestant Reformers on Mary

7. THE PROTESTANT REFORMERS ON MARY

When Fundamentalists study the writings of the Reformers on Mary, the Mother of Jesus, they will find that the Reformers accepted almost every major Marian doctrine and considered these doctrines to be both scriptural and fundamental to the historic Christian Faith.

Martin Luther:

Mary the Mother of God

Throughout his life Luther maintained without change the historic Christian affirmation that Mary was the Mother of God:

"She is rightly called not only the mother of the man, but also the Mother of God ... It is certain that Mary is the Mother of the real and true God."1

Perpetual Virginity

Again throughout his life Luther held that Mary's perpetual virginity was an article of faith for all Christians - and interpreted Galatians 4:4 to mean that Christ was "born of a woman" alone.

"It is an article of faith that Mary is Mother of the Lord and still a Virgin."2

The Immaculate Conception

Yet again the Immaculate Conception was a doctrine Luther defended to his death (as confirmed by Lutheran scholars like Arthur Piepkorn). Like Augustine, Luther saw an unbreakable link between Mary's divine maternity, perpetual virginity and Immaculate Conception. Although his formulation of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception was not clear-cut, he held that her soul was devoid of sin from the beginning:

"But the other conception, namely the infusion of the soul, it is piously and suitably believed, was without any sin, so that while the soul was being infused, she would at the same time be cleansed from original sin and adorned with the gifts of God to receive the holy soul thus infused. And thus, in the very moment in which she began to live, she was without all sin..."3

Assumption

Although he did not make it an article of faith, Luther said of the doctrine of the Assumption:

"There can be no doubt that the Virgin Mary is in heaven. How it happened we do not know."4

Honor to Mary

Despite his unremitting criticism of the traditional doctrines of Marian mediation and intercession, to the end Luther continued to proclaim that Mary should be honored. He made it a point to preach on her feast days.

"The veneration of Mary is inscribed in the very depths of the human heart."5

"Is Christ only to be adored? Or is the holy Mother of God rather not to be honoured? This is the woman who crushed the Serpent's head. Hear us. For your Son denies you nothing."6 Luther made this statement in his last sermon at Wittenberg in January 1546.

John Calvin: It has been said that John Calvin belonged to the second generation of the Reformers and certainly his theology of double predestination governed his views on Marian and all other Christian doctrine . Although Calvin was not as profuse in his praise of Mary as Martin Luther he did not deny her perpetual virginity. The term he used most commonly in referring to Mary was "Holy Virgin".

"Elizabeth called Mary Mother of the Lord, because the unity of the person in the two natures of Christ was such that she could have said that the mortal man engendered in the womb of Mary was at the same time the eternal God."7

"Helvidius has shown himself too ignorant, in saying that Mary had several sons, because mention is made in some passages of the brothers of Christ."8 Calvin translated "brothers" in this context to mean cousins or relatives.

"It cannot be denied that God in choosing and destining Mary to be the Mother of his Son, granted her the highest honor."9

"To this day we cannot enjoy the blessing brought to us in Christ without thinking at the same time of that which God gave as adornment and honour to Mary, in willing her to be the mother of his only-begotten Son."10

Ulrich Zwingli:

"It was given to her what belongs to no creature, that in the flesh she should bring forth the Son of God."11

"I firmly believe that Mary, according to the words of the gospel as a pure Virgin brought forth for us the Son of God and in childbirth and after childbirth forever remained a pure, intact Virgin."12 Zwingli used Exodus 4:22 to defend the doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity.

"I esteem immensely the Mother of God, the ever chaste, immaculate Virgin Mary."13

"Christ ... was born of a most undefiled Virgin."14

"It was fitting that such a holy Son should have a holy Mother."15

"The more the honor and love of Christ increases among men, so much the esteem and honor given to Mary should grow."16

We might wonder why the Marian affirmations of the Reformers did not survive in the teaching of their heirs - particularly the Fundamentalists. This break with the past did not come through any new discovery or revelation. The Reformers themselves (see above) took a benign even positive view of Marian doctrine - although they did reject Marian mediation because of their rejection of all human mediation. Moreover, while there were some excesses in popular Marian piety, Marian doctrine as taught in the pre-Reformation era drew its inspiration from the witness of Scripture and was rooted in Christology. The real reason for the break with the past must be attributed to the iconoclastic passion of the followers of the Reformation and the consequences of some Reformation principles. Even more influential in the break with Mary was the influence of the Enlightenment Era which essentially questioned or denied the mysteries of faith.

Unfortunately the Marian teachings and preachings of the Reformers have been "covered up" by their most zealous followers - with damaging theological and practical consequences. This "cover-up" can be detected even in Chosen by God: Mary in Evangelical Perspective, an Evangelical critique of Mariology. One of the contributors admits that "Most remarkable to modern Protestants is the Reformers' almost universal acceptance of Mary's continuing virginity, and their widespread reluctance to declare Mary a sinner". He then asks if it is "a favourable providence" that kept these Marian teachings of the Reformers from being "transmitted to the Protestant churches"!17

What is interpreted as "Providence" by a Marian critic may legitimately be interpreted as a force of a very different kind by a Christian who has recognized the role of Mary in God’s plan.

NOTES

1 Martin Luther, Weimar edition of Martin Luther's Works, English translation edited by J. Pelikan [Concordia: St. Louis], volume 24, 107.

2 Martin Luther, op. cit., Volume 11, 319-320.

3 Martin Luther, Weimar edition of Martin Luther's Works,

English translation edited by J. Pelikan [Concordia: St.

Louis], Volume 4, 694.

4 [Martin Luther, Weimar edition of Martin Luther's Works (Translation by William J. Cole) 10, p. 268.

5 [Martin Luther, Weimar edition of Martin Luther's Works

(Translation by William J. Cole) 10, III, p.313.

6 Martin Luther, Weimar edition of Martin Luther's Works, English translation edited by J. Pelikan [Concordia: St. Louis], Volume 51, 128-129.

7 John Calvin, Calvini Opera [Braunshweig-Berlin, 1863-1900], Volume 45, 35.

8 Bernard Leeming, "Protestants and Our Lady", Marian Library Studies, January 1967, p.9.

9 John Calvin, Calvini Opera [Braunshweig-Berlin, 1863-1900], Volume 45, 348.

10 John Calvin, A Harmony of Matthew, Mark and Luke (St. Andrew's Press, Edinburgh, 1972), p.32.

11 Ulrich Zwingli, In Evang. Luc., Opera Completa [Zurich, 1828-42], Volume 6, I, 639

12 Ulrich Zwingli, Zwingli Opera, Corpus Reformatorum, Volume 1, 424.

13 E. Stakemeier, De Mariologia et Oecumenismo, K. Balic, ed., (Rome, 1962), 456.

14 Ibid.

15 Ibid.

16 Ulrich Zwingli, Zwingli Opera, Corpus Reformatorum, Volume 1, 427-428.

17 David F. Wright, ed., Chosen by God: Mary in Evangelical Perspective (London: Marshall Pickering, 1989), 180.

3 posted on 12/07/2002 9:57:51 AM PST by Salvation
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To: Salvation
I did not read past the first couple of paragraphs and won't read anymore. It is a mischaracterization of the vast majority of "Prostestants." Just because we do not venerate Mary as catholics do, does not mean that we do not "like" her. Mary deserves alot of respect. She was special. Picked by God for a special blessing.

Becky

4 posted on 12/07/2002 10:33:41 AM PST by PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain
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To: Salvation
BTW, what is the point of posting this. Do you imagine that if a few "Protestants" started venerating Mary that gives credence to the practice?

Becky

5 posted on 12/07/2002 10:36:53 AM PST by PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain
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To: PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain; Matchett-PI
Ho! A whole thread devoted to Maryiology.
6 posted on 12/07/2002 12:41:53 PM PST by CCWoody
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: Salvation
I was born and baptized Catholic 56 years ago. I attended Catholic elementary school, first three years of high school in a junior seminary and then graduated from a Catholic H.S. I am a Eucharistic minister in my church and was a youth minister for seven years. Pretty much Catholic all around. I recognize Mary as the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was and is the Son of God. The Son of God was around long before Mary gave birth to His human body, so I have a problem with calling her the mother of God. However we look at God, we have always believed that He existed in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Mary was not the mother of any of the three persons of the Trinity, so could not be considered the mother of God. As much as I venerate her for her faith and her obvious favor with God, I have had to back off, with the Protestant brothers from any more than veneration, since many radical members of our church have been trying to elevate her to Co-redemptrix. That is blasphemy that has proceeded from the inordinate and excessive emphasis placed on her by leaders of the Church. I believe if she were here, she would be saying "NO! NO! It's all about HIM, not me."
9 posted on 12/07/2002 6:54:54 PM PST by noahltl
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To: anncoulteriscool
Magnificat. Very Hebrew.
10 posted on 12/07/2002 8:00:14 PM PST by onedoug
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To: smevin
"Better than venerating Billy Graham. "

Can you name a Prot that prays to Billy Graham or has a bathtub half buried in his front yard with his statue in it? You idiot!

11 posted on 12/07/2002 8:24:32 PM PST by Joshua
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To: noahltl
**Co-redemptrix.**

You do realize that the word co in Latin means with, don't you? Not acting as an equal.

I think this acknowledges Mary as the first witness to Christ. Read the Biblical accounts of the Annunciation and the Visitation. Nothing new.......without Mary we would have no Christ, the Son of God and Son of man.
12 posted on 12/07/2002 9:10:42 PM PST by Salvation
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To: noahltl
Congratulations for being invovled and active in your parish. Were that many more Catholics would choose to give of their Time, Talent and Treasure in the way you are currently.
13 posted on 12/07/2002 9:12:03 PM PST by Salvation
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To: PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain
Amen!
14 posted on 12/07/2002 9:26:17 PM PST by LiteKeeper
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To: noahltl
AMEN!!!
15 posted on 12/07/2002 9:27:40 PM PST by LiteKeeper
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To: anncoulteriscool
Mark 3:35  For whosoever shall do
the will of God,
the same is
my brother,
and my sister,
and mother.

~Jesus Christ

16 posted on 12/07/2002 9:37:23 PM PST by Jael
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To: noahltl
*** "NO! NO! It's all about HIM, not me."***

Amen!
17 posted on 12/07/2002 9:47:47 PM PST by drstevej
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To: Salvation
"Without Mary we would have no Christ, the Son of God and Son of man."

Are you saying God the Father would have been stumped had Mary not been "available"?? HE chose she -- not the other way around.

18 posted on 12/07/2002 9:57:28 PM PST by F16Fighter
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To: F16Fighter
Jesus was alleged to be fully human and fully God.
Subsuming the 'fully human' aspect, the next leap is to
say Mary must then have been the Mother of God, necessitating
such further constructions as eternal virginity and Assumption.
When man undertakes to make religion, it usually ends up a convoluted schema requiring not only faith, but great leaps of
irrationality. We just don't know where to stop.
19 posted on 12/07/2002 10:15:21 PM PST by gcruse
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To: drstevej
*** "NO! NO! It's all about HIM, not me."***

Amen!

And that's why, at least in Orthodox churches, most icons of Mary have her pointing to her Son.

20 posted on 12/07/2002 10:49:19 PM PST by newberger
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