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To: rollo tomasi; annalex
rollo said-””Utter nonsense. Many theologians (Ireneus, Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose, Epiphanius etc...) were skeptical and not exactly sure. “”

rollo said-””I will take the Bible plus early Church Father “questioning of the whole deal” “”

Seems to me you are taking someone else's opinion on this rather than looking at what Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose, Epiphanius actually wrote

The early church father's you mention believed Mary is the New Eve and did NOT say Mary sinned at all.

This means that Mary was superior to Eve in every way

lets take a look...

“In accordance with this design, Mary the Virgin is found obedient, saying, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.’ But Eve was disobedient; for she did not obey when as yet she was a virgin. And even as she, having indeed a husband, Adam, but being nevertheless as yet a virgin (for in Paradise ‘they were both naked, and were not ashamed,’ inasmuch as they, having been created a short time previously, had no understanding of the procreation of children: for it was necessary that they should first come to adult age, and then multiply from that time onward), having become disobedient, was made the cause of death, both to herself and to the entire human race; so also did Mary, having a man betrothed [to her], and being nevertheless a virgin, by yielding obedience, become the cause of salvation, both to herself and the whole human race. And on this account does the law term a woman betrothed to a man, the wife of him who had betrothed her, although she was as yet a virgin; thus indicating the back-reference from Mary to Eve, because what is joined together could not otherwise be put asunder than by inversion of the process by which these bonds of union had arisen; s so that the former ties be cancelled by the latter, that the latter may set the former again at liberty… Wherefore also Luke, commencing the genealogy with the Lord, carried it back to Adam, indicating that it was He who regenerated them into the Gospel of life, and not they Him. And thus also it was that the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith.” Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 3:22 (A.D. 180).

Mary, a Virgin not only undefiled but a Virgin whom grace has made inviolate, free of every stain of sin.” Ambrose, Sermon 22:30 (A.D. 388).

“If the Holy Virgin had died and was buried, her falling asleep would have been surrounded with honour, death would have found her pure, and her crown would have been a virginal one...Had she been martyred according to what is written: ‘Thine own soul a sword shall pierce’, then she would shine gloriously among the martyrs, and her holy body would have been declared blessed; for by her, did light come to the world.”
Epiphanius, Panarion, 78:23 (A.D. 377).

” ‘There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a flower shall grow out of his roots.’ The rod is the mother of the Lord—simple, pure, unsullied; drawing no germ of life from without but fruitful in singleness like God Himself...Set before you the blessed Mary, whose surpassing purity made her meet to be the mother of the Lord.” Jerome, To Eustochium, Epistle 22:19,38 (A.D. 384).

“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.” Augustine, Nature and Grace, 36:42 (A.D. 415).

That pretty much takes care of Irenaeus, Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose, Epiphanius .

I don't know who the etc’s are you mention are but I can show you a whole hosts of others along the line of the ones you mentioned.

I wish you a Blessed Evening!

780 posted on 04/14/2008 6:12:21 PM PDT by stfassisi ("Above all gifts that Christ gives his beloved is that of overcoming self"St Francis Assisi)
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To: stfassisi
Let me know when they mention the "assumption" part which I was referring to in the first place (About what was declared "dogma" 1900 years after the fact) Please use reading comprehension next time.

But if some think us mistaken, let them search the Scriptures. They will not find Mary’s death; they will not find whether she died or did not die; they will not find whether she was buried or was not buried ... Scripture is absolutely silent [on the end of Mary] ... For my own part, I do not dare to speak, but I keep my own thoughts and I practice silence ... The fact is, Scripture has outstripped the human mind and left [this matter] uncertain ... Did she die, we do not know ... Either the holy Virgin died and was buried ... Or she was killed ... Or she remained alive, since nothing is impossible with God and He can do whatever He desires; for her end no-one knows.’ (Epiphanius, Panarion, Haer.

Could quote other early Church fathers about the ASSUMPTION but the day is winding down.

Also, they ASSUMED which does not equal fact, that Mary was "stainless"/sinless which could be true but then again man is fallible after all. We can only go by historic records AT the time. Why is there no * next to Mary? Was Mary declared "perfect". She is full of grace but there is only one perfect person who has walked the earth, not two.
781 posted on 04/14/2008 6:27:47 PM PDT by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians.)
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To: stfassisi
Oh and by the way I would also charge Ireneus, Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose, Epiphanius etc... of calling God a liar when He specifically REVEALED everyone has fallen short. A sinless Mary does not jive especially since Mary was one of many who said she needed a Savior. Kind of contradictory if you are sinless. The ASSUMPTION that Jesus avoided original sin by a immaculate sinless human in Mary is speculation not fact. Unless God said Mary was perfect while on earth before Jesus sacrificed Himself to make us “perfect”. “Full of grace” is all we get, pretty obscure and not willing for her to intercede for me since I can go directly to Jesus (And any other believer in Christ especially when two or more are gathered) myself.
782 posted on 04/14/2008 6:50:16 PM PDT by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians.)
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