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Was Mary Sinless?
The Aristophrenium ^ | 12/05/2010 | " Fisher"

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.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Ecumenism; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; catholicbashing; idolatry; marianobsession; mary; worship
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To: Vegasrugrat
It isn't doctrine, because as you said the Scriptures are silent. But many of the LCMS pastors I knew growing up said that it was likely Mary had no other kids.
1,201 posted on 12/07/2010 2:51:11 PM PST by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg

They judge themselves


1,202 posted on 12/07/2010 2:51:51 PM PST by 1000 silverlings (everything that deceives, also enchants: Plato)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg

And you saw that some Catholics thought that was a bad move. I happen to agree with them. As someone above explained, it wasn’t an ex cathedra act.


1,203 posted on 12/07/2010 2:54:50 PM PST by Pyro7480 ("If you know how not to pray, take Joseph as your master, and you will not go astray." - St. Teresa)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg

I mean in the sense of somebody as brave and as unapologetic in the zest for the Gospel. I do know such men exist and often they too are martyrs. In so many places Christianity is becoming marginilized and demands for its silence are very popular. I evoked another St. Paul as a reminder of what our response should be when we are told Christianity should be only a private matter.


1,204 posted on 12/07/2010 2:55:13 PM PST by lastchance (Hug your babies.)
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To: cva66snipe

Amen! For those with ears to hear.


1,205 posted on 12/07/2010 2:55:55 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: wagglebee; the_conscience
Only a VERY SMALL minority of non-Catholics are anti-Catholics. They seem very comfortable on FR, I suppose they come here to practice what they have learned from their comic books.

What comic books would those be? Did you mean to say coloring books?

being friends, being safe, being catholic
Coloring Outside the Lines [The New York Archdiocese has an unusual new weapon against child abuse]
Catholic coloring book warns US kids of pedophile priests

1,206 posted on 12/07/2010 2:59:23 PM PST by Alex Murphy ("Posting news feeds, making eyes bleed, he's hated on seven continents")
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To: Alex Murphy
Alex,

How about you do us all a favor and post images from the comic books he was actually referring to, you know the ones from the source of so much of the anti-Catholic claptrap on these threads that can't be mentioned by name. Why not when so much of your game is posting unattributed and second hand quotes that are so very Alberto-esque.

1,207 posted on 12/07/2010 3:31:39 PM PST by Natural Law
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To: RobbyS
Jesus was sinless because Jesus was God and the new Adam. Mary was sinless is the same way that Adam and Eve were sinless. Indeed, one of the titles of Mary is “the New Eve.”

Jesus Christ is not a new Adam rather He is The Lamb Of GOD. None of what you are saying has any scriptural backing whatsoever. Better yet The Bible did not call for the Sacrificial Lamb's bloodline to be free of blemish but rather the Sacrificial Lamb itself.

1,208 posted on 12/07/2010 3:31:47 PM PST by cva66snipe (Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?)
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To: dartuser; wagglebee
"I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel." (Genesis 3:15)
What is that? The New Catholic Translation? Quite a departure from NASB. I couldnt find any translation on biblegateway that supports your translation. Thats beside the point though ... What is your evidence that "she" is Mary ... at this point in history ... the only "she" was Eve.

Ironically, my Mom and I had this very same discussion last night. The Douay-Rheims is the only translation that says the verse that way. I did a little research on the D/R version and found that it had been done to counter the Reformation and to enhance the Roman Catholic Church's version of doctrines. Ironically, the other "approved" versions such as the New Jerusalem Bible and the American Standard Version/English Standard Version do NOT translate the verse that way. They say what the KJV and all the other translations do, "he will crush thy head".

1,209 posted on 12/07/2010 3:37:27 PM PST by boatbums (God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to him.)
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To: Pyro7480
As someone above explained, it wasn’t an ex cathedra act.

Kissing the Koran reveals an alarming lack of spiritual discernment, regardless of who commits such an idolatrous, foolish act.

Because JPII didn't just embrace the Koran. He kissed it.

I wouldn't choose him to be my latex salesman, let alone my pastor. 8~)

1,210 posted on 12/07/2010 3:46:02 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: lastchance; Dr. Eckleburg
We take it to mean that human agency had a part in the writing of the Scripture. That St. Paul did not lack free will while under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I admit she phrased it badly but it was not to show that St. Paul’s writings are not inspired.

This makes absolutely no sense ... So Paul had the "free will" ability to write things contrary to the things that came to his mind under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit?? How would one call that infallible or innerent or even inspired??

1,211 posted on 12/07/2010 3:52:58 PM PST by RnMomof7 (Gal 4:16 asks "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?")
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To: RobbyS
You may not like the analogy, the fact is that it is one that has been put forward since the 18th Century to discredit the Virgin Birth. Does it make sense to treat the “Mother of my Lord” as if she were on the same footing as the mothers of Issac, of Samuel and of Elizabeth?

You're comparing apples and oranges. Mary was a virgin when Jesus entered her womb. Sarah was not a virgin when Isaac was conceived.

You're not suggesting otherwise, are you?

Mary did not have to remain a virgin for the rest of her life. Whether she did or not does not diminish Jesus' divinity.

1,212 posted on 12/07/2010 4:02:25 PM PST by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: RobbyS
You say that God NEEDED to die in our place? He could have saved us by a word. He CHOSE to die in our place, to open a door we could not open.

God must obey his own laws. The wages of sin is death.

Yes, God chose to die in our place. However, it was the only way for us to be reconciled to him. Don't cheapen his sacrifice.

1,213 posted on 12/07/2010 4:04:34 PM PST by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: RnMomof7

Why do you assume that having free will means St. Paul would write something other than what God willed him to write. The object of free will is not to oppose God’s will but to perfectly unite with it through and by grace.


1,214 posted on 12/07/2010 4:06:32 PM PST by lastchance (Hug your babies.)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg; Pyro7480
"I wouldn't choose him to be my latex salesman, let alone my pastor."

What makes him a true Christian and not you is that he would have accepted, loved and served you in spite of your many flaws and transgressions. (your latex issues or fetishes or what ever that oblique reference was to have no place in this forum).

1,215 posted on 12/07/2010 4:09:08 PM PST by Natural Law
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To: wagglebee
+++ Original sin is in our soul, it's not in our actions at every moment.+++

Wag you are putting your preferred meaning of the word soul in the mouth of Mary ....

psychē = Soul

1) breath
a) the breath of life
1) the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing
a) of animals
b) of men
b) life
c) that in which there is life
1) a living being, a living soul
2) the soul
a) the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)
b) the (human) soul in so far as it is constituted that by the right use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life
c) the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death (distinguished from other parts of the body)

Her soul, her breath,her very life, all my feelings etc..magnifed the Lord

megalynō =magnify

1) to make great, magnify
a) metaph. to make conspicuous
2) to deem or declare great
a) to esteem highly, to extol, laud, celebrate
3) to get glory and praise

Mary does not say or imply she is sinless , in fact very much the opposite

Luk 1:47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Wag do you believe that mary really never sinned, that she kept all the law perfectly ?

1,216 posted on 12/07/2010 4:09:18 PM PST by RnMomof7 (Gal 4:16 asks "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?")
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To: RnMomof7
This makes absolutely no sense ... So Paul had the "free will" ability to write things contrary to the things that came to his mind under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit?? How would one call that infallible or innerent or even inspired??

lol. The frantic web of self-deceit.

1,217 posted on 12/07/2010 4:09:31 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: Natural Law; Dr. Eckleburg

Well, the cat is already long out of the bag with this thread, but please make every effort to not make it about an individual FReeper.


1,218 posted on 12/07/2010 4:15:14 PM PST by Pyro7480 ("If you know how not to pray, take Joseph as your master, and you will not go astray." - St. Teresa)
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To: Pyro7480

That admonition belongs solely to Natural Law who makes personal assaults with nearly every post. No one has as many posts pulled as him.


1,219 posted on 12/07/2010 4:20:30 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg; Natural Law; Religion Moderator
That admonition belongs solely to Natural Law who makes personal assaults with nearly every post. No one has as many posts pulled as him.

A perfect example of a "personal assault."

1,220 posted on 12/07/2010 4:27:00 PM PST by Judith Anne (Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.)
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