I'm conservative, both theologically and politically.
Every Sunday at my church in Washington, DC, we recite either the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed. Both creeds mention three people -- Jesus, Mary, and Pontius Pilate.
My guess is that the names of these three people were i ncluded in the Creeds for a reason.
Jesus, because he is the Savior of the world. It is important to affirm that.
Pilate, because he (and not the Jews) unjustly condemned Jesus to death.
And Mary.
Mary was the woman who God selected (or, if you prefer "elected") to carry Jesus and to give birth to Jesus.
As such, she must have been very special to God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And, because she was so special to God, she is special to me.
More special to me, in fact, than any other woman mentioned in scripture.
I'm not sure what it is, exactly, that Roman Catholics believe about Mary. I'm pretty sure that they (like Protestant) subscribe to the notion that Mary was the Mother of Jesus. And I'm also pretty sure that Roman Catholics believe, just as I -- a Protestant -- believe, that Mary was very special person to God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I'm sure they believe that Mary is in Heaven. And I would almost bet that they believe, just as I believe, that Mary holds a special place of honor in Heaven -- as, no doubt, Paul and Matthew and Peter, andmany others do.
I have no trouble at all acknowledging and honoring Mary. After all, she was selected by God to be Jesus' mother, and she answered God's call, and she raised Jesus. She was there when He was crucified. Truly, a blessed woman special to God.
It has always rather bothered me that because some Protestants disagree with the Roman Catholic Church's doctrine of Mary, some Protestants find it difficult to acknowledge Mary's specialness to God and to honor her for who she was.
Very well said. Thank you.
I'm not sure what it is, exactly, that Roman Catholics believe about Mary.
We believe Mary was so special to God that He prepared her to be Jesus' Mother by preserving her from Original Sin. And that His Special graces continued through her life, freeing her from sin. And that at the end of her life, her body was assumed into Heaven, where she takes up her "special place of honor," as you put it.
That is enough to drive some others crazy. Then there is theological speculation and contemplation about Mary's role in saying "Yes" to God, and how that means Grace enters the world because of her "Yes." (But such talk is vastly misunderstood as if we were saying Mary was equal to Jesus or that what she did could have been done without God specially gifting her for her role.)
SD
Well, it's good to be informed. They believe that Mary was sinless, the only created person in world history to be so. They believe that she is the Queen of Heaven. They believe she is co-Redemptrix. They believe she was bodily assumed into Heaven and did not die.
Well, it's good to be informed. They believe that Mary was sinless, the only created person in world history to be so. They believe that she is the Queen of Heaven. They believe she is co-Redemptrix. They believe she was bodily assumed into Heaven and did not die.