In another thread, the topic of Mary in regards to Roman Catholicism came
up
and I found the following article by Dr. John Ankerberg and Dr. John
Weldon
to be informative. So I felt it would be good to place it in its own
thread
as well for wider circulation.
May God bless,
Carl
my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
---
What Is The Unique Role Of Mary In Roman Catholicism And Is It Biblical? -
Part 1
by Dr. John Ankerberg and Dr. John Weldon
Brief of Issues
This article will examine the evidence concerning the position of Mary in
the Roman Catholic Church and why Protestants disagree. Roman Catholicism
teaches that Mary is the Mother of God. Pope Pius XII's encyclical in 1943
said, "She is the mother of our head." Catholicism claims Mary is full of
grace, therefore free of original sin and kept from all actual sin. The
pope's
encyclical agreed, claiming Mary is free from any personal or inherited
sin.
Catholicism also asserts that Mary is perpetually a virgin; that is, Mary
was a virgin not only before, but during and after the birth of Jesus.
In addition, Catholicism claims Mary was bodily assumed into heaven where
she now reigns with Christ. The pope's encyclical says, "Mary, now
glorified
in body and soul, reigns together with her Son."
Catholicism has given to Mary the title of "Mediatrix of all graces," and
the pope has agreed, teaching, "It was in answer to Mary's all powerful
prayers that the divine Redeemer's Spirit was given to the newly born
church, and by her intercession, obtains from him [i.e., Jesus] abundant
streams of grace to all the members of the mystical body."
Another title given to Mary is that she is "co-Redemptrix" with Jesus. The
pope affirmed this in his encyclical when he said, "Mary offered Jesus to
the Father for all the children of man who are defiled by Adam's
unfortunate
fall," and "by bearing her immeasurable sorrows, she has supplied what was
lacking in the suffering of Christ for his Body, the Church."
Many Protestants believe Catholicism has elevated Mary to Godhood. In The
Second Vatican Council and The New Catholicism (1965, p. 239), G.C.
Berkouwer observed "Mary's role is often delineated by Catholicism in a
way
that the gospels ascribe exclusively to Christ."
Protestants can agree that Mary was the honored mother of the human body
of
Jesus, but object to using the title "Mother of God," claiming it sets up
a
misrepresentation in most people's minds. Protestants maintain that all
Christians believe God is eternal and without beginning, therefore He has
no
mother. Both sides agree that Mary was the mother of Jesus who was both
God
and man but she did not add divinity to Jesus' human nature. Therefore,
Protestants say the title "Mother of God" should be dropped because it is
a
misleading term.
Second, Protestants believe it is not biblical to teach that Mary was
conceived without original sin and committed no actual sin during her
life.
Thomas Aquinas, the supreme theologian of the Catholic Church, declared
that
only a sinner needs a Savior, and Mary must have been a sinner since she
stated, "My spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Protestants think this
doctrine deprives Christ of His uniqueness as the sinless One.
Third, Protestants argue that to say Mary is "full of grace" does not
mean,
as Catholicism implies, that Mary is sinless. Scripture also says Stephen,
Elizabeth, Barnabas and others were "full of grace." Yet no one claims
they
were sinless.
Fourth, Protestants do not believe that Mary was a perpetual virgin. The
Bible, according to Matthew 12 and Mark 6, plainly shows Mary had other
children.
Fifth, Protestants insist that Scripture nowhere teaches that Mary was
assumed bodily into heaven.
And finally, Protestants insist that Mary cannot be Mediatrix or
co-Redemptrix with Jesus, since the Bible states there is "only one
Mediator
between God and man, the man Christ Jesus," and that only Jesus can
forgive
a man's sin.
Through all this we can see in Catholic theology how Mary parallels
Christ.
She is proclaimed to be the Mother of God; she is declared to be
immaculately conceived, which means that she was conceived without the
stain
of original sin; she is proclaimed to be a perpetual virgin; she is
declared
to be assumed bodily into Heaven after her death which means that she was
supernaturally transformed into a new body. She is proclaimed "Queen of
heaven." She is proclaimed "Mediatrix of All Graces," which maintains that
as Christ dispenses redeeming grace to mankind, Mary will, with Him, have
the final word as to who will or who will not receive that grace of God.
And
finally, she is declared "Co-Redemptrix of the Universe."
All of these have raised her step-by-step to the place where Pope Pius
XII,
in the Marian Year in which he proclaimed the Assumption of Mary, said,
Enraptured by the splendor of your heavenly beauty and impelled by the
anxiety of the world, we cast ourselves into your arms, O, immaculate
mother
of Jesus, and our mother, Mary. God crowned you Queen of the Universe. O,
crystal fountain of faith, bathe our minds with eternal truths; O,
fragrant
Lily of all holiness, captivate our hearts with your heavenly perfume. O,
conqueress of evil and death, inspire in us a deep rise from every heart
in
this year dedicated to you. Convert the wicked, dry the tears of the
afflicted and the oppressed. Comfort the poor and the humble. Quench
hatred.
Sweeten harshness. In your name, resounding harmoniously in heaven, may
they
recognize they are all brothers. And, finally, happy with you we may
repeat
before your throne that hymn which is sung today around your altars: You
are
all beautiful, O, Mary, you are the glory: you are the joy: you are the
honor of our people.1
To the contrary, Christ is the author and finisher of faith. Mary is not
the
"glory and joy and honor of Christians"-Jesus Christ is our glory. In Him
is
the hope of glory. He is our joy. Christ is the One we honor. Yet it is
clear, just from reading this prayer, that titles are conferred upon Mary
which belong to God. To "convert the wicked" is the job of the Holy
Spirit,
who "convicts the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment." Mary
does not give comfort to all Christians. That is the very reason Jesus
sent
the Holy Spirit-to be our "Comforter."
In the Catholic Church the faithful say, "Our life, our sweetness and our
hope, to thee we cry, poor banished children of Eve." Even giving Mary her
due right, she is not our life-Jesus Christ is our life. She is not the
sweetness of our life-Jesus Christ is the sweetness of our life. Mary is
not
our hope because "Christ in you is the hope of glory." From a biblical
perspective, it is more than clear that the Mary of the Bible is not the
Mary of Catholic theology.
What Is the Unique Role of Mary in Roman Catholicism and Is It Biblical?
Significant areas of Catholic doctrine and practice are related to the
person and work of Mary. Her unique relationship to God is usually
discussed
in a trinity of functions: 1) Co-Redemptrix, 2) Mediatrix, and 3) Queen of
Heaven. As Co-Redemptrix, she cooperates with Christ in the work of saving
sinners. As Mediatrix of all graces, she now dispenses God's blessings and
grace to the spiritually needy. As Queen of Heaven, she rules
providentially
with Christ the King of Heaven.2 Although views in the Church vary, Mary
has
usually been elevated above all the prophets, apostles, saints, popes and
even the Catholic Church. In the words of Pope Paul VI, "...the place she
occupies in the Church: [is] 'the highest place and the closest to us
after
Jesus.'"3
Consider just a few titles of the almost innumerable books glorifying
Mary:
Mary the Mother of Redemption; Mary: Queen of Apostles; Mary: Queen of
Peace; The Glories of Mary; Mary: Cause of Our Joy and Mary of Nazareth.
Mariology is as firmly entrenched in Catholicism as ever, especially with
the honored blessing given by Vatican II.4 Vatican II "admonishes all the
sons of the Church that the cult, especially the liturgical cult, of the
Blessed Virgin, be generously fostered. It charges that practices and
exercises of devotion toward her be treasured as recommended by the
teaching
authority of the Church in the course of centuries, and that those decrees
issued in earlier times regarding the veneration of images of Christ, the
Blessed Virgin, and the saints, be religiously observed."5
This charge has found a welcomed reception especially among Catholic
charismatics. For example, "It is far from unusual to hear those who claim
the baptism in the Spirit profess that one result of their new experience
is
a deeper devotion to Mary. The devotional use of the Rosary has been
stimulated rather than curtailed."6
But the Catholic view of Mary is not scriptural; it is entirely
traditional.
Some of the unbiblical teachings from Catholic tradition relating to Mary
include the following:
1. Mary's immaculate conception. This doctrine teaches that she was born
without original sin and was kept sinless throughout her life.
2. Mary's perpetual virginity. This dogma asserts that she had no children
after Jesus.
3. Mary's bodily assumption or physical ascension into heaven. This
teaches
that because of her sinlessness, Mary never experienced physical death.
Instead she was raised bodily into the presence of Christ the King where
she
now functions as "Queen of Heaven," dispensing graces to all the faithful.
4. Mary's role as co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix of all graces. This doctrine
holds that the obedience and sufferings of Mary were essential to secure
the
full redemption bought by Christ.
5. Mary's right to veneration and/or worship. This teaching argues that
because of her unparalleled role in the economy of salvation, Mary is
worthy
of special adoration.
We will begin a discussion of #4: "Mary's role as co-Redemptrix and
Mediatrix of all graces" next time.
Notes:
1 Walter Martin, The Roman Catholic Church in History (Livingston, NJ:
Christian Research Institute, Inc., 1960), pp. 45-46.
2 David F. Wells, Revolution in Rome (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity,
1972), p. 132.
3 Pope Paul VI, Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary [Marialis Cultus]
(Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference, 1974), p. 20.
4 Robert C. Broderick, ed., The Catholic Encyclopedia, revised and updated
(NY: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1987), pp. 374-375.
5 Walter M. Abbott, general editor, The Documents of Vatican II (NY: Guild
Press, 1966), pp. 94-95.
6 H. M. Carson, Dawn or Twilight? A Study of Contemporary Roman
Catholicism
(Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1976), p. 134.
What Is The Unique Role Of Mary In Roman Catholicism And Is It Biblical? -
Part 2
by Dr. John Ankerberg and Dr. John Weldon
Is Mary a "Savior" in the Roman Catholic Church?
Mariology is defined as the study of that theology "which treats the life,
role and virtues of the Blessed Mother of God" and which "demonstrates...
her position as Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix of all graces."1 Thus,
Catholic
popes have always glorified Mary.
Although the Catholic Church would reject the designation, Mary does
function as a kind of secondary Savior in Catholic teaching and practice.
A few illustrations will suffice to show the preeminent place she holds in
the universe.2 As G. C. Berkouwer observes:
The central question especially concerns the elevation of what is
creaturely
into the supernatural perfection of the life of God.... We must state that
the picture of Mary obscures the glory of Christ in an appalling way and
demonstrates a doctrine of grace in which man himself is given a function
which is not in accordance with the character of grace.3
We will begin with a chronological listing of recent papal pronouncements:
Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903) stated in his Rosary encyclical, "Octobri mense"
(1891): "From that great treasure of all graces which the Lord has
brought,
nothing according to the will of God comes to us except through Mary, so
that, as nobody can approach the Supreme Father except through the Son,
similarly nobody can approach Christ except through the mother."4
Pope Pius X (1903-1914) asserted that Mary is "the dispenser of all gifts
which Jesus has acquired for us by His death and His blood."5
Pope Benedict XV (1914-1922) refers to her as "the mediatrix with God of
all
graces."6
Pope Pius XI (1922-1939) says, "With Jesus, Mary has redeemed the human
race."7
The conclusion of Pope Pius XII (1939-1958) in his encyclical, "Mystici
Corporis" (1943) was that Mary herself actually offered Christ on
Golgotha!
"Who, free from all sin, original or personal, and always most intimately
united with her Son, offered him on Golgotha to the eternal Father. for
all
the children of Adam."8
In his Marialis Cultus (Feb. 2, 1974), Pope Paul VI (1963-1978) also
affirmed that Mary offered Christ to the Father on Golgotha:
This union of the Mother and the Son in the work of redemption reaches
climax on Calvary, where Christ "offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice
to
God" (Hebrews 9:14) and where Mary stood by the Cross (cf. John 19:25),
"suffering grievously with her only-begotten Son. There she united herself
with a maternal heart to his sacrifice, and lovingly consented to the
immolation of this victim which she herself had brought forth" and also
was
offering to the Eternal Father.9
Vatican II (1962-1965) declared that, "Taken up to heaven, she did not lay
aside this saving role, but by her manifold acts of intercession continued
to win for us gifts of eternal salvation."10 Consider once again the
following comments by Pius XII and the remarks of Dr. Walter Martin both
before and after:
This is the Mary of Scripture: "The handmaiden of the Lord." This is the
Mary of Scripture: "I have rejoiced in God, my Saviour." But here is the
Mary of Roman Catholic theology, from the prayer recited by Pope Pius XII
at
the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiori in Rome on the opening of the Marian
Year:
"Enraptured by the splendor of your heavenly beauty and impelled by the
anxieties of the world, we cast ourselves into your arms, O Immaculate
Mother of Jesus, and our Mother Mary.... We adore and praise the peerless
richness of the sublime gifts with which God has filled you above every
other mere creature from the moment of your conception until the day on
which, after your assumption into heaven, He crowned you Queen of the
Universe.
"O, crystal fountain of faith, bathe our minds with the eternal truths! O,
fragrant lily of all holiness, captivate our hearts with your heavenly
perfume. O, conqueress of evil and death, inspire in us a deep horror of
sin
which makes the soul detestable to God and a slave of hell.
"O, well beloved of God, hear the ardent cries which rise up from every
heart in this year dedicated to you. Bend tenderly, O Mary, over our
aching
wounds; convert the wicked, dry the tears of the afflicted and the
oppressed. Comfort the poor and the humble, quench hatreds, sweeten
harshness, safeguard the flower of purity and protect the Holy Church....
"Receive, O most sweet Mother, our humble supplications and, above all,
obtain for us that on that day, happy with you, we may repeat before your
throne, that hymn which is sung today around your altars, You are all
beautiful, O Mary. You are the glory, you are the joy, you are the honor
of
our people."
I want to point out that in the opening verses of the Biblical record
concerning Mary, and in every verse of Scripture which is applied to her,
never once is she ever removed from the category of the "handmaiden of the
Lord" who rejoiced in the God of her salvation.
Yet today, after nineteen centuries, I make bold to say that the Roman
Catholic Church and its theologians have unhesitatingly applied to her
sacred titles alone given in the Bible to God the Father Himself and to
Jesus Christ, Our Lord.11
Thus, Dr. Martin says,
I want to make it clear at the beginning that I put much emphasis upon
knowing the doctrine of the Virgin Mary in Catholic theology because if
any
one doctrine in the Roman Catholic formula of theology would cause us, on
Biblical grounds, to withdraw from fellowship with them, this would be the
doctrine.12
Although the Catholic Church staunchly maintains that Mary's role does not
obscure or diminish the efficacy of Christ as the one Mediator, a good
portion of the Church also teaches that Christ could never have become the
Mediator without Mary. When Mary accepted the angel's announcement that
she
would bear Jesus, Catholic tradition holds that her statement "be it done
unto me according to your word" was a command. Thus, had Mary not
"commanded" it, then, at least according to the so-called "maximalist"
position of Mary within the Catholic Church, there would have been no
redemption.13 Thus, "her statement in Luke 1:38 giving her consent to the
Incarnation 'became a vital link in the plan of salvation, so that in fact
the whole plan hung upon her consent.'"14 According to Vatican II Mary is
seen "used by God not merely in a passive way, but as cooperating in the
work of human salvation through free faith and obedience."15
All this is why Vatican II declares that "Mary figured profoundly in the
history of salvation...."16 and, "In a wholly singular way she cooperated
by
her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the Savior
in
restoring supernatural life to souls."17
Some people might wonder why Mary should deserve credit as a co-redeemer,
winner of all graces and Mediatrix merely because she assented to the
angel's
announcement. Catholicism answers by teaching that Mary is specially
worthy
and deserves special merit simply because she obeyed God.
But isn't this attitude contrary to that of the New Testament? Didn't
Jesus
Himself teach that when we had done everything we should do our only
response was to say that we were merely "unworthy servants?" "So you also,
when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are
unworthy servants; we have only done our duty'" (Luke 17:10).
Nevertheless, in Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, Chapter 3, "Mary's
Co-operation in the Work of Redemption-the Mediatorship of Mary", we read
that Mary's obedience qualified her to dispense grace and become the cause
of salvation:
Mary gave the Redeemer, the Source of all graces, to the world, and in
this
way she is the channel of all graces. Since Mary's Assumption into Heaven
no
grace is conferred on man without her actual intercessory cooperation....
Mary freely and deliberately co-operated in giving the Redeemer to the
world.... The Incarnation of the Son of God, and the Redemption of mankind
by the vicarious atonement of Christ were dependent on her assent.... Mary
by her obedience became the cause of our Salvation..18
Only this explains the Catholic Church's adoration of Mary. According to
Rome, in a very real sense she did win our salvation by the role she
played
in the birth, life and death of Christ. And she continues this role
through
her own assumption and queenly reign in heaven where she daily dispenses
grace to all the hundreds of millions of Catholics. Thus, expressions of
Catholic devotion to Mary are everywhere. In his encyclical Redemptor
Hominis, Pope John Paul II titled his last chapter, "The Mother in Whom We
Trust". Some Catholics have even referred to Mary as "the Spouse of the
Holy
Spirit."19
In The Catholic Response Stravinskas remarks that, "One cannot ignore this
woman, lest one risk distorting the gospel itself."20 Fundamentals of
Catholic Dogma also confesses that, "Mary's sublime dignity as the Queen
of
heaven and earth make her supremely powerful in her maternal intercession
for her children on earth."21 Thus, ".how generous she is in rewarding us
in
life, death and eternity, for the little services we render Her
faithfully",22 and "Jesus and Mary reward in a marvelous way those who
glorify them."23
Again, although Mary did not literally die for the sin of the world, by
giving birth to the Messiah and by giving Him moral support and other
comfort, Mary can be seen as indirectly helping to atone for the sins of
the
world. Thus, The Catholic Encyclopedia teaches of her temporal earthly
sufferings that she "endured them for our salvation."24 Further, "In the
power of the grace of Redemption merited by Christ, Mary, by her spiritual
entering into the sacrifice of her Divine Son for men, made atonement for
the sins of men and (de congruon) merited the application of the
redemptive
grace of Christ. In this manner she co-operates in the subjective
redemption
of mankind."25 Thus, "Since her Assumption into Heaven, Mary cooperates in
the application of the grace of Redemption to man."26 For example, in one
supernatural revelation of herself Mary allegedly said the following:
Just as Almighty God chose the Angelic Salutation to bring about the
Incarnation of His Word and the Redemption of mankind, in the same way
those
who want to bring about moral reforms and to want people reborn in Jesus
Christ must honor me and greet me with the same salutation. I am the
channel
by which God came to men, and so, next to my Son Jesus Christ, it is
through
me that men must obtain grace and virtue.27
Now in all frankness, does this sound like the Mary of the New Testament?
The Catholic Catechism also discusses Mary's role as one of "Mediatrix Par
Excellence," noting her "vicarious assistance" to mankind. In the
following
citation we see the extent to which Mary is adored as a "Savior." Thus:
....she deserves the title Mediatrix because she cooperated in the unique
way
with Christ in his redemptive labors on earth, and because in heaven she
continues interceding for those who are still working out their salvation
as
pilgrims in the Church Militant or souls suffering in purgatory.... Once
entered heaven, she did not cease her mediatorial function in favor of
mankind. Terrestrial mediation now became celestial.... Mary's title to
Mediatrix-in-atonement rests on the pain she freely underwent in union
with
her Son. The sins of men called for suffering from the God-Man, and he
wished his mother to share in the pain as she was the one whom he loved
most.... Alongside her Son, Mary has become part of this plan [of
justification] by contributing her share to the justification of the human
race, beginning with herself and extending to everyone ever justified....
Mary was more instrumental than any other creature and thus "co-meriting"
with Christ.... and now in heaven continues interceding effectively as a
reward of her virtue.28
In conclusion, the Catholic Church may deny that Mary's role in salvation
does not detract from that of Christ's, but we find it difficult to see
how
this can be maintained in any logical sense.
Notes:
1 Robert C. Broderick, ed., The Catholic Encyclopedia, revised and updated
(NY: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1987), p. 370.
2 Pope Paul VI, Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary [Marialis Cultus]
(Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference, 1974), p. 20.
3 Garrit C. Berkouwer, The Conflict With Rome (Philadelphia: Presbyterian
and Reformed, 1958), pp. 174-175.
4 Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma (Rockford, IL: Tan Books and
Publishers, 1974), pp. 213-214, emphasis added.
5 Ibid., p. 214, emphasis added.
6 Ibid., emphasis added.
7 R. C. Sproul, "The Virgin Mary," lecture transcript, p. 5, emphasis
added.
8 Ibid., p. 6; cf., Ott, pp. 203-213, emphasis added.
9 Pope Paul VI, p. 15, emphasis added.
10 Walter M. Abbott, gen. Ed., The Documents of Vatican II (NY: Guild
Press,
1966), p. 91, emphasis added.
11 Walter Martin, The Roman Catholic Church in History (Livingston, NJ:
Christian Research Institute, Inc., 1960), pp. 45-46.
12 Ibid., p. 43.
13 The maximalists assert that by means of her Fiat and offering of her
Son
on the cross that Mary is absolutely necessary not only to the incarnation
but to Redemption itself. This is why she is called a co-redemptrix. But
even the so-called "minimalists" affirm such beliefs as Mary's alleged
bodily assumption, immaculate conception and her coronation as Queen of
Heaven.
14 H. M. Carson, Dawn or Twilight? A Study of Contemporary Roman
Catholicism
(Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1976), p. 126.
15 Abbott, p. 88.
16 Ibid., p. 93.
17 Cited in Paul G. Schrotenboer, ed., Roman Catholicism: A Contemporary
Evangelical Perspective (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1980), p. 36, cf.,
Abbott,
pp. 86-96, and G. C. Berkouwer, The Second Vatican Council and the New
Catholicism (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1965), pp. 221-248.
18 Ott, p. 212, emphasis added.
19 Schrotenboer, pp. 37, 40.
20 Peter M. I. Stravinskas, The Catholic Response (Huntington, IN: Our
Sunday Visitor, 1985), p. 80.
21 Ott, p. 211.
22 S. T. Louis De Montfort, The Secret of the Rosary, Mary Barbour
translator (Bay Shore, NY: Montfort Publications, 1976), p. 95.
23 Ibid., p. 47.
24 Broderick, ed., p. 285.
25 Ott, p. 213.
26 Ibid.
27 De Montfort, p. 84.
28 John Hardon, The Catholic Catechism: The Contemporary Catechism of the
Teachings of the Catholic Church (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1975), pp.
166-169, emphasis added.
What Is The Unique Role Of Mary In Roman Catholicism And Is It Biblical? -
Part 3
by Dr. John Ankerberg and Dr. John Weldon
Is Mary Worshipped in the Roman Catholic Church?
Although Catholic theology attempts to draw a fine line between the
worship
offered to God and that offered to Mary, in practice these frequently
become
indistinguishable. The specific terms used are latria-adoration which is
due
God alone; dulia-veneration offered to the saints and hyperdulia-special
veneration given only to Mary. But, this kind of distinction is almost
impossible to maintain in practice-and regardless, even Catholic texts may
make terms such as "veneration," "adoration," and "worship" unclear when
referring to God and Mary.1
As H. M. Carson remarks, "The development of Mariology has been
accompanied
by an ever-increasing tendency to accord Mary a worship that, in much
popular devotion, is indistinguishable from that offered to God alone."2
For example, when the average Roman Catholic invokes the aid of Mary as a
heavenly, all powerful, omniscient intercessor, or to beseech Jesus for
them, or to help forgive their sins, it is hard to imagine that in that
precise moment they are mentally distinguishing in a split second between
latria, dulia and hyperdulia. "Rome may deny that Mary is worshipped as
God.
But to attribute to her powers which involve omniscience and omnipresence,
if she is to hear [and answer] the prayers of millions, is to accord to
her
what belongs to God alone. Furthermore, the prayers themselves are phrased
in such a way that it is hard to distinguish them from those offered to
God."3
Indeed, Rome has at least fourteen "feasts of Mary"-special days "set
aside
to worship God with special commemoration of events referring to Mary the
mother of God."4
As a noted Protestant theologian, R. C. Sproul, remarks, "I think,
however,
for all practical purposes, that I can say without fear of ever being
proven
wrong, that millions of Roman Catholic people in this world today worship
Mary, and in doing so, believe that they are doing what the Church is
telling them to do."5
In The Roman Catholic Church in History, Dr. Walter Martin outlined what
he
called the "seven steps to deity" that, in the end, made Mary like a God.
In
the material below we have summarized and added to Martin's evaluation in
the following chart:
The above chart indicates that Mary's Person and Work is extremely
parallel
to that of Jesus Christ. This is why Dr. Martin refers to, "Rome's
systematic effort to raise Mary to Deity."6
He also makes the following important comments:
I have in my library hundreds of pamphlets, manuscripts and books all
published with the official imprimatur of the Roman Catholic Church. In
every one of them, language which is applied to God alone in Scripture is
applied to the Virgin Mary. She is worshipped: she is given almost every
title of Christ. Thus, they are subtly but systematically raising her to a
place of equality with our Lord.... Worship, prayers, shrines, and even
altars in churches have been consecrated to her around the earth. The
healing grottoes are seldom dedicated to Jesus of Nazareth, but to "Our
Lady
of Lourdes," "Our Lady St. Anne de Beaupre," "Our Lady of Fatima," etc.
The
statues which are seen in Roman Catholic homes are invariably of Mary. The
largest niches in Roman Catholic churches are occupied by images of Mary.
The preponderance of prayers are to Mary, and the "Hail, Mary" is repeated
in the Rosary continually.7
Is it any surprise then that Martin concludes, "This is indeed the
elevation
of a creature to Deity, and I plead with you to realize that we are
dealing
with one of the most dangerous teachings ever foisted upon the Christian
church."8
When the Catholic Church teaches that Mary rules over us, teaches us,
sanctifies us, forgives our sins, etc., what really are Protestants to
think?9
Christ alone is worthy of glory to receive our adoration, praise and
worship. As Dr. Martin asks, "Mary wasn't born of a virgin, was she? Was
it
Mary who performed miracles? Did she live a sinless life? Was it Mary who
raised herself from the dead? Did Mary go to the cross and sweat blood?
Did
Mary come out of the tomb on the third day? Is it Mary who will return one
day to save the Christian church?"10
All this is a classic example of how Church tradition, especially after
the
fact, corrupts biblical teaching. In fact, Dr. Martin quotes eleven
leaders
from prior church history, including four Catholic popes, all of whom
directly contradict the 1854 pronouncement that Mary was conceived without
sin. Among these are Clement of Alexandria, Augustine, St. Ambrose, Pope
Leo
I, Pope Gallatus, Pope Gregory I and Pope Innocent III.11
Again, the Catholic Church officially claims that its Mariology does not
subtract from the worship and honor due Christ as God and Mediator12-but
what good are mere claims? As an Evangelical Council on Catholicism
observed, "In effect many Roman Catholics put her on the same level as the
persons of the Trinity."13
Perhaps it might be instructive to quote The Catholic Encyclopedia at this
point: "Idolatry is the giving to another person or object that worship
which is due to God alone. Idolatry, always a grave sin, is committed 1)
by
intending and actually worshipping a creature as God, called formal
idolatry;."14
Although (technically) Mary is not to be worshipped in the same sense that
God is worshipped, she is to be granted devotion and worship in a lesser
sense. And if the fine distinctions made by Catholic theologians "are
usually not reflected in the practice of the faithful,"15 idolatry would
seem to be a distinct possibility in the lives of the faithful. Thus, "By
the sixteenth century, as evidenced by the spiritual struggles of the
Reformers, the image of Mary had largely eclipsed the centrality of Jesus
Christ in the life of believers."16
Catholics pray to Mary. They expect her to intercede for them with Jesus
on
their behalf. They venerate and/or worship her-thousands of shrines are
dedicated to the worship of Mary throughout the world. They believe she
plays a crucial role in their personal salvation. They believe Mary can
relieve their suffering in purgatory because she was coronated as Queen in
heaven and reigns with Jesus as King. They believe Mary pleads in heaven
for
divine graces and then distributes them to the faithful.
In conclusion, the traditions of Rome cast a lengthy shadow of doubt upon
the saving role and mediatorship of Christ alone, as well as His
sufficiency
in interceding for all believers. They also detract from the worship that
only Christ is worthy of.
Notes:
1 Robert C. Broderick, ed., The Catholic Encyclopedia, revised and updated
(NY: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1987), p. 33.
2 H. M. Carson, Dawn or Twilight? A Study of Contemporary Roman
Catholicism
(Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1976), p. 128.
3 Ibid., p. 129.
4 Broderick, ed., p. 374, emphasis added.
5 R. C. Sproul, "The Virgin Mary," lecture transcript, p. 12.
6 Walter Martin, The Roman Catholic Church in History (Livingston, NJ:
Christian Research Institute, Inc., 1960), p. 54.
7 Ibid., p. 58.
8 Ibid., p. 59.
9 Ibid., p. 60.
10 Ibid., pp. 60-61.
11 Ibid., p. 56-58.
12 Broderick, ed., p. 380.
13 Paul G. Schrotenboer, ed., Roman Catholicism: A Contemporary
Evangelical
Perspective (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1980), p. 31.
14 Broderick, ed., p. 284.
15 Ibid., p. 32.
16 Ibid., p. 33.
What Is The Unique Role Of Mary In Roman Catholicism And Is It Biblical? -
Part 4
by Dr. John Ankerberg and Dr. John Weldon
The Biblical Mary
The Mary of Catholic teaching has nothing whatever to do with the Mary of
the New Testament. Given Mary's supreme importance in the Catholic Church,
one is amazed at the complete absence of even the mention of her name in
the
New Testament epistles.
Apart from Acts 1:14, she is mentioned nowhere else outside the Gospels.
And
even in the Gospels, her spiritual power and authority are non-existent.
Neither Jesus Christ, nor Paul, nor any other biblical writer ever gave
Mary
the place or devotion the Catholic Church has given her for a thousand
years. This is all the more incredible when we consider that the New
Testament letters were written specifically for the spiritual guidance of
the Church, and that they have a great deal to say about both doctrine and
worship. How then is it possible if Mary really performs the many vital
spiritual functions we have just discussed, that Mary's name could be
entirely absent from the very heart of the New Testament teaching-exactly
where one would expect her to be most prominent?
Even Catholics are forced to confess that scriptural support for all these
doctrines of Mariology is lacking. For example, concerning Mary's
assumption
into heaven, Keating writes, "Where is the proof from Scripture? Strictly,
there is none."1 And concerning Mary's role as Mediatrix he comments,
"Mary
is the Mediatrix of all graces because of her intercession for us in
heaven.
What this means is that no grace accrues to us without her intercession..
True, scriptural proofs for this are lacking."2
Dr. Ludwig Ott in Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma also frequently confesses
that scriptural support for Rome's traditions on Mary are not forthcoming.
For example, "The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is not
explicitly revealed in Scripture,"3 and "The direct and express scriptural
proofs [of Mary's bodily assumption] are not to be had,"4 and concerning
Mary as Mediatrix and an intercessor in heaven, again, "express scriptural
proofs are lacking."5
So, what does the Bible teach about Mary? Since Mary is nowhere said to be
sinless, the Bible assumes that Mary was a sinner like the rest of us.
Why?
Because the Scripture emphasizes that all men and women, universally, are
sinful (Romans 3:10, 11-32; Psalm 51:5; Galatians 3:22; Romans 3:23; 5:12,
etc.). Therefore, Mary's prayer in Luke 1:46 ff that God is her "Savior"
rings true.
By contrast, there are numerous statements in Scripture that declare only
Christ was perfect and without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1
Peter 2:22; Hebrews 7:26, etc).
If it were true that Mary were without original sin and hence sinless
throughout her life, isn't it reasonable to expect we would find at least
some indication in Scripture? But we find not a trace.
Luke 1:28 says simply that Mary was favored by God for being chosen to
bear
the Messiah. A unique and profound privilege indeed, but God never says
that, as a result, she has become omnipotent and can now bestow favors and
grace upon all mankind.
In Matthew 13:55-56 and many other places we see that Mary was not a
perpetual virgin because she had at least six other children after Jesus:
"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't
his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with
us?... (Matthew 13:55-56).
There is no justification for the Catholic response that must assume
Mary's
other children were really cousins, or more distant relatives or perhaps
even adopted or through another marriage. The best Catholic apologists can
do is offer a series of arguments from silence.6 (See also Matthew 12:46;
John 2:12; 7:3-5; Acts 1:14; 1 Corinthians 9:5.)
Further, the Bible is also entirely silent on Mary's alleged bodily
ascension into heaven and her subsequent coronation as Queen.
Luke 11:27 tells us that apart from her role as bearer and mother of the
Messiah, she was not unique or especially blessed In fact, by Jesus'
words,
"on the contrary" we see that those who obey God are more blessed than if
they had given birth to Jesus. Here we find it is almost as if God were
speaking to Catholic dogma: ".one of the women in the crowd raised her
voice
and said to him, 'Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at
which you nursed,' but he said, 'On the contrary, blessed are those who
hear
the word of God and observe it.'"
Jesus acted similarly in Matthew 12:46-50, again denying Mary a special
status. When she wished to see Him, He told the crowd that His true
mother,
brother and sister-i.e., His true family-was "whoever shall do the will of
my Father who is in heaven." In John 2:4 Jesus told Mary, "Woman, what do
I
have to do with you?"
How can the attitude of Jesus Himself be reconciled with Catholic
teaching?
Jesus often referred to Himself as "the Son of Man," but never once, as
Catholics do, as "the Son of Mary."
Nor can Mary be a mediator in any sense between God and man because,
"There
is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy
2:5-6). In contrast, consider the conclusions of an official publication
of
the Church: "There is one mediator between Christ and men, the Holy Mother
Mary. Mary is the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to Jesus but
by
Mary."7
Unfortunately, by equating tradition with Scripture, the Roman Church will
find Jesus saying the same words to it as He did to those who held to
Jewish
tradition and placed it above Scripture: "Why do you transgress the
commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?" and, "But in vain do
they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men" (Matthew
15:3,9) and, "Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you
have handed down" (Mark 7:13).
All this is why the Apostle Paul himself warns us to "See to it that no
one
takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on
human tradition. rather than on Christ" (Colossians 2:8).
There is one final consideration. In dozens of countries around the world
Marian devotion has become mixed with occult phenomena. There are
seemingly
endless revelations that have come from apparitions and physical
materializations of "Mary" throughout the world-revelations which
universally support unbiblical Catholic teachings. As we discuss in our
next
chapter, the most logical explanation for these thousands of supernatural
manifestations is not that the biblical Mary herself has appeared in order
to lend her support to the Church of Rome, but rather that supernatural
powers are imitating Mary to lead people into false teaching. Having read
a
good deal of Marian revelations, we have yet to find one that is in accord
with biblical teaching and authority.
In conclusion, despite Catholic denials, the Church's teaching on Mary not
only casts a lengthy shadow over the saving efficacy of Jesus Christ but
it
takes away from the worship due Him alone.
No Christian who loves Jesus Christ can accord to Mary the spiritual
privileges and functions granted her by the Catholic Church.
Notes:
1 Robert C. Broderick, ed., The Catholic Encyclopedia, revised and updated
(NY: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1987), p. 275.
2 Ibid., p. 279, emphasis added.
3 Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma (Rockford, IL: Tan Books and
Publishers, 1974), p. 200.
4 Ibid., p. 208.
5 Ibid., p. 214.
6 Karl Keating, Catholicism and Fundamentalism, The Attack on "Romanism"
by
"Bible Christians" (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 1988), pp. 282-289.
7 Walter Martin, The Roman Catholic Church in History (Livingston, NJ:
Christian Research Institute, Inc., 1960), p. 49, emphasis added.
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