Home

Mary & Protestantism

Posted by John E on March 30, 1999 at 10:53:08:

In Reply to: Mary, Luther, & the Communion of Saints posted by Barry DeWalt on March 29, 1999 at 12:53:43:

Nothing new here. I posted the article below just a few weeks ago on another board (and this one also, I believe). Your post reflects a continual confusion most Catholics seem to suffer from, namely, confusing modern Fundamentalism with historic Protestantism and the views of the Reformers.

John E

----------------

Subject: Mary & Protestantism (The Reformers vs. the Fundamentalists)

One of the great ironies of modern Fundamentalists' claims to be the heirs of the Reformers is that the Reformers themselves NEVER rejected the Virgin Mary the way modern Protestantism (both liberal and Evangelical) does. While they disagreed with the Catholic Church's invocations of Mary and the saints on Christological grounds, NONE of the Reformers ever suggested that the Church's Marian doctrines were derived from "Isis" or "Venus" worship. (This latter Fundamentalist notion is purely a modern fiction which goes back no further than the late 1800's, if even that far. And --quite ironically-- it seems to have been used by Neopagans and Feminists to justify "Goddess" worship and by Feminist "theologians" to rationalize their own ideology.)

Mary & Protestantism: The Reformers vs. the Fundamentalists

Here are some examples of what the Reformers actually believed and practiced vis-a-vis the Virgin:

(1) Luther was radically Christocentric and opposed to the idea of any mediators between God and man except Jesus Himself, and therefore didn't pray to Mary (or the saints) in this context, he was never-the-less devoted to Mary: He often referred to her as the Mother of God, as did most of the Reformers; instructed that the Magnificat be included in Lutheran liturgy; retained the Marian feast days on the Lutheran Church calendar; preached many Marian sermons; and wrote hymns of praise to Mary --as did other Reformation hymnists. He believed in the Immaculate Conception, Mary's perpetual virginity (this last view was also held by nearly all the Reformers), and --according to some Luther scholars-- the Assumption.

(2) Lutheran churches retained Marian statues and images, and even offered limited devotions to Mary (such as the Ave Maria and the Magnificat), for about 100 years after Luther's death. Lutheran teaching, following Luther's lead, also promoted the Virgin as an example and model of Christian virtues for as long, if not longer.

(3) Calvin was not devoted to Mary as was Luther, but always referred to her with respect and honor, consistently calling her "the Holy Virgin" or "the Virgin," (rarely only as "Mary.") Unlike Luther, he didn't accept the Immaculate Conception (but instead considered her free of most sin) or the Assumption, and was undecided on her perpetual virginity (his position was that it was a matter of speculation since Scripture was silent on the issue). Yet, like Luther, he considered the Virgin Mary to be the model Christian who should be emulated and respected by all.

(4) Zwingli endorsed the Ave Maria, and embraced the Virgin's perpetual virginity, but seemed undecided on both the Assumption and the Immaculate Conception; yet he often referred to her as sinless, especially while she was bearing the Christ Child. Like Luther, he had no objections to images of Mary.

(5) The English Reformers retained belief in Mary's perpetual virginity, and most in her Immaculate Conception. Some continued to favor prayer and devotion to the Virgin, but didn't make them an official part of Anglicanism. Partly because of lack of consistent ecclesiastical support and teaching, and partly because of the gradual influences by the Enlightenment on Protestant thinking in later centuries, Protestant Marianism eventually disappeared altogether. But contrary to modern Fundamentalist fantasy passed off as "history," honor, respect, praise, and even devotion, to the Virgin Mary was originally an integral part of classical Protestantism.

John E

| HOME |