Any non catholic: what is your opinion on Mary the Mother of God?

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traillius

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I will leave this open ended, because I want as many responses as possible. I am curious what our separated brethren think.
 
I am in the process of becoming Catholic and believe and agree with what the Church teaches, so I will not really give what I believe! 🙂 I will tell my own thoughts on Mary when I was still a Protestant.
I simply thought of Mary as a great woman (but a sinner), humble and chosen to give birth to and raise the Christ. Pretty much after the Nativity, I really didn’t think about her.

I am sure you realize that there will be some heated replies and perhaps a nice debate about Mary. There are Christians (like some Lutherans and Anglicans and Orthodox) that pretty much agree with the Church on Marian teachings (Orthodox are pretty much the same except for their view on the Immaculate Conception). Others, mostly some fundamentalists, and evangelicals will flat out deny that Mary is the Mother of God (think Jack Chick). And then will be any range in between; some recognize Mary is Mother of God, but won’t call her that etc, etc.

I do know that there are many threads/posts about what others (non-Catholics) think about the Blessed Virgin. A quick search will bring up tons. And you can always Google and see what is floating around the web (I would caution against this if you do not want to get angry).

So best of luck with your search!
In Christ,
Nevermore
 
traillius said:
I will leave this open ended, because I want as many responses as possible. I am curious what our separated brethren think.
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A wonderful godly woman who’s best advice was “Do everything he says.”
 
An incredibly important figure, no greater example of humility before God to be found and one to be studied and appreciated

• Vehicle God used to bring Jesus in to the world

• May or may not have had other children and really don’t consider it important

•*May or may not remained a virgin after Jesus birth, again. I don’t consider it all that important

•*Was not immaculately conceived

•*Died just like all people do, not taken up to heaven as in “the assumption”

•*Does not intercede on our behalf and does not hear or answer prayers

• Is not omnipresent nor omniscient
 
traillius said:
I will leave this open ended, because I want as many responses as possible. I am curious what our separated brethren think.
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The Lutheran Confessions are clear that, as has been taught since the early councils, the Blessed Virgin was the Holy Theotokos, the God bearer, the Mother of God.
Epitome of the Formula of Concord:
*7. Hence we believe, teach, and confess that Mary conceived and bore not a mere man and no more, but the true Son of God; therefore she also is rightly called and truly is the mother of God. *

While Lutherans view many of the other marian beliefs as adiaphora, the Confessions also make a statement regarding *sempre virgo *.

Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord:
On account of this personal union and communion of the natures, Mary, the most blessed Virgin, bore not a mere man, but, as the angel [Gabriel] testifies, such a man as is truly the Son of the most high God, who showed His divine majesty even in His mother’s womb, inasmuch as He was born of a virgin, with her virginity inviolate. Therefore she is truly the mother of God, and nevertheless remained a virgin.

Jon
 
I’ve always thought that a lot of confusion and controversy could be avoided over this issue if only the doctrine would always be expressed in its full phrasing:
“Mary, the mother of God incarnate”

… instead of the partial phrase:

“Mary, the mother of God”

Obviously, Mary as a creature cannot be God’s mother. But when God became a human being in her womb, Mary became the mother of the **incarnate/incarnating **God.

This is what the “Mother of God” phrase really means. But the “incarnating God” portion - the most essential portion - is usually left out when written, and not said aloud when spoken.

Mary as the Theotokos/God-bearer is the vessel and mother of the incarnating, not the eternal, God. It’s as simple as that, and all kinds of misperception could be avoided if the “incarnate God” segment is always and consistently used in the phrase.
 
She was the woman that God found favior with. She was the one chosen by God to be the mother of his Son, Jesus our Savior. She was a ordinary girl who did ordinary thing like, cleaning the house, preparing the meals, going to the local well to get water among other duries that a woman would do. She was a typical Jewish female. She was born like the rest of us with sin. She lead a normal life as a wife preforming wifely duties and as a mother preforming motherly duties to her children.
Mary did as God willed her to do and that was to have his Son. Besides that she is just a normal lady who did normal things as a mother and wife.
 
steveb1 said:
I’ve always thought that a lot of confusion and controversy could be avoided over this issue if only the doctrine would always be expressed in its full phrasing:
“Mary, the mother of God incarnate”

… instead of the partial phrase:

“Mary, the mother of God”

Obviously, Mary as a creature cannot be God’s mother. But when God became a human being in her womb, Mary became the mother of the **incarnate/incarnating **God.

This is what the “Mother of God” phrase really means. But the “incarnating God” portion - the most essential portion - is usually left out when written, and not said aloud when spoken.

Mary as the Theotokos/God-bearer is the vessel and mother of the incarnating, not the eternal, God. It’s as simple as that, and all kinds of misperception could be avoided if the “incarnate God” segment is always and consistently used in the phrase.
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“Mary, the mother of God incarnate” may be the explanation of Mary the Mother of God. We usually don’t go around saying that because God is one and is inclusive of God incarnate. We cannot separate God into parts; incarnate being one of his natures.
 
traillius said:
I will leave this open ended, because I want as many responses as possible. I am curious what our separated brethren think.
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Separated from whom or what?

Mary was a wonderful young woman, a great example of faith for all of us.

Two of my favorate verses about Mary are:

Luke 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Luke 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

There’s Great lessons here!!!
 
Mary is Mother of God, “Theotokos” = God bearer, Hailed from a heavenly Angel, full of grace, found to have the Lord with her from eyewitnesses, “all nations” will call her blessed, blessed among women, From Mary’s voice the Holy Spirit baptizes John the baptist in the Womb of Elizabeth, The “Soul of Mary Magnifies the Lord”, fulfilling Simeons prophecy Mary participated with Jesus in his suffering and passion and witnessed His death that brought about our salvation as “a sword will pierce your soul”. Mary the Mother of God suffered in her soul as Jesus suffered in His flesh for our salvation during His passion.

Luke 1:28 - “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” These are the words spoken by God and delivered to us by the angel Gabriel (who is a messenger of God). Thus, when Catholics recite this verse while praying the Rosary, they are uttering the words of God.

Luke 1:28 - also, the phrase “full of grace” is translated from the Greek word “kecharitomene.” This is a unique title given to Mary, and suggests a perfection of grace from a past event. Mary is not just “highly favored.” She has been perfected in grace by God. “Full of grace” is only used to describe one other person - Jesus Christ in John 1:14.

Luke 1:38 - Mary’s fiat is “let it be done to me according to thy word.” Mary is the perfect model of faith in God, and is worthy of our veneration.

Luke 1:42 - “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.” The phrase “blessed are you among women” really means “you are most blessed of all women.” A circumlocution is used because there is no superlative in the Greek language. Note also that Elizabeth praises Mary first, and then Jesus. This is hyperdulia (but not latria which is worship owed to God alone). We too can go through Mary to praise Jesus. Finally, Catholics repeat these divinely inspired words of Elizabeth in the Rosary.

Luke 1:43 - Elizabeth’s use of “Mother of my Lord” (in Hebrew, Elizabeth used “Adonai” which means Lord God) is the equivalent of “Holy Mary, Mother of God” which Catholics pray in the Rosary. The formula is simple: Jesus is a divine person, and this person is God. Mary is Jesus’ Mother, so Mary is the mother of God (Mary is not just the Mother of Jesus’ human nature - mothers are mothers of persons, not natures).

Luke 1:44 - Mary’s voice causes John the Baptist to leap for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. Luke is teaching us that Mary is our powerful intercessor.

Luke 1:46 - Mary claims that her soul magnifies the Lord. This is a bold statement from a young Jewish girl from Nazareth. Her statement is a strong testimony to her uniqueness. Mary, as our Mother and intercessor, also magnifies our prayers.

Luke 1:48 - Mary prophesies that all generations shall call her blessed, as Catholics do in the “Hail Mary” prayer. What Protestant churches have existed in all generations (none), and how many of them call Mary blessed with special prayers and devotions?

Gal. 4:4 - God sent His Son, born of a woman, to redeem us. Mary is the woman with the redeemer. By calling Mary co-redemptrix, we are simply calling Mary “the woman with the redeemer.” This is because “co” is from the Latin word “cum” which means “with.” Therefore, “co-redemptrix” means “woman with the redeemer.” Mary had a unique but subordinate role to Jesus in salvation.

Luke 2:35 - Simeon prophesies that a sword would also pierce Mary’s soul. Mary thus plays a very important role in our redemption. While Jesus’ suffering was all that we needed for redemption, God desired Mary to participate on a subordinate level in her Son’s suffering, just as he allows us to participate through our own sufferings.

Luke 2:19,51 - Mary kept in mind all these things as she pondered them in her heart. Catholics remember this by devoting themselves to Mary’s Immaculate Heart and all the treasures and wisdom and knowledge contained therein.
 
I am obviously not a Catholic and many will not appreciate my response. I intend no malice and am only answering the question.

I believe that if Jesus the man existed Mary was his mother. I do not believe she gave birth as a virgin. I do not believe she carried the seed of God.
 
When I was a Protestant, to tell you the truth, I didn’t think about the Blessed Virgin very often…I of course thought of her as a great example of faith who is now in Heaven, but that was about the extent that my mind went. There was just not much focus on her.
 
She is a simple woman, mortal, and dependent on God as any other. Her greatest glory is to be a servant and daughter of the Father. I hope she is in heaven and in peace as I would hope for any human. I don’t want anyone to be in torment or in separation to God. She is whatever she is, in Gods eyes. Beyond that, it doesn’t matter and I don’t particular care. It’s irrelevant. She neither adds nor detracts from the Father YHWH.
 
I now believe that Mary the Mother of God is and was sinless, is ever virgin. A few years ago I assumed that she was like any other human being but only a lot more holy and had other children.

But I came to realize a few months ago that if we do not honor the Blessed Virgin Mary then we bring into question Jesus’s deity. Also, I read the account of Jesus being lost in the Temple as a boy and realized that his parents reacted as parents of an only child.

So I try to pray the Rosary everyday because all Christians need to honor Mary.
 
MSSheBear said:
I now believe that Mary the Mother of God is and was sinless, is ever virgin. A few years ago I assumed that she was like any other human being but only a lot more holy and had other children.

But I came to realize a few months ago that if we do not honor the Blessed Virgin Mary then we bring into question Jesus’s deity. Also, I read the account of Jesus being lost in the Temple as a boy and realized that his parents reacted as parents of an only child.

So I try to pray the Rosary everyday because all Christians need to honor Mary.
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👍👍👍
Are you considering Catholicism?
 
Well, in the end everyone simply cannot be right.🤷

So the question is; would you be better off to elevate Mary and be wrong? Or to decrease Her role and status? How would you rather stand before God? 🙂

A question you must honestly answer for yourself. No need to defend any denomination of faith, they won’t be with you in that day of judgement. :eek:
 
speaking tongue and cheek-like. I wouldn’t want to stand before Jesus, and have to defend not honoring His Mom, the Queen Mother. Whether I got into heaven before or after that, it would still be embarassing, and extremely stressful.
 
MSSheBear said:
I now believe that Mary the Mother of God is and was sinless, is ever virgin. A few years ago I assumed that she was like any other human being but only a lot more holy and had other children.

But I came to realize a few months ago that if we do not honor the Blessed Virgin Mary then we bring into question Jesus’s deity. Also, I read the account of Jesus being lost in the Temple as a boy and realized that his parents reacted as parents of an only child.

So I try to pray the Rosary everyday because all Christians need to honor Mary.
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How do you even get to the idea that not beleiving about Mary as the Catholics do bring into question Jesus’ diety?
 
I’m assuing the question is about the specific title “Mother of God.” On one hand the statement that Mary is theotokos (God-bearer) seems consistent with orthodoxy, but on the other, the statement to me challenges the orthodox demand that we believe the Son to be eternally begotten. “Mother of Jesus Christ” would be sufficient for me.

I’ve also always been a little disturbed that the title was rejected by a huge chunk of Christianity in the fifth century, maybe the majority even, and I’m assuming for good reason–but I’ve never actually researched the whole issue at any great detail. My resistance is probably because I’m fearing all the debate about the exact nature of God Incarnate (as if we can put it into human words) will reduce the awesomeness of the event to some sort of speculative philosophical tedium.

I do think it’s sad that the church split over this title–I somehow don’t think Mary would have wanted that.
 
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