Mary - Full of Grace

[Guyonthestreet]

I was at a wedding over the last weekend.

It was in a Church of England church.

The window opposite me, a beautiful stain glass window, had an Image of the Virgin and Child, and underneath the words: Hail Mary, Full of Grace.

I was struck by how literal that was.

None of the equivocation of Mary being a ‘‘favoured’’ one.

I was impressed.

It was a beautiful window too.

I also noticed there were several pictures of Mother and Child and some statues of the Virgin Mary around the church.

There was no Mass though. I’ve been to catholic weddings where the wedding service is a part of the catholic Mass.

This was just a marriage service.

It was over very quickly.

Nice though.

 

[Gloria1]

Most Christians especially Jehovah Witnesses believe that Mary is a ‘Christ-bearer’ or ‘Christokos’ which makes Mary a very important person. However, Mary isn’t ‘divine’ because Mary isn’t God according to the Jehovah Witnesses. Catholics on the other hand believe that Mary is a "theotokos’ or "God-bearer’ which makes Mary ‘divine’ and ‘full of grace’.

 

[gcnuss]

Most Christians especially Jehovah Witnesses believe that Mary is a ‘Christ-bearer’ or ‘Christokos’ which makes Mary a very important person. However, Mary isn’t ‘divine’ because Mary isn’t God according to the Jehovah Witnesses. Catholics on the other hand believe that Mary is a "theotokos’ or "God-bearer’ which makes Mary ‘divine’ and ‘full of grace’.

Perhaps I should let our Catholic brothers and sisters answer, but I’m certain that they will not tell you that Mary is divine. The divine Godhead is the Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Mary, while chosen to be the Theotokos, remained totally human.

 

[wxboss]

Perhaps I should let our Catholic brothers and sisters answer, but I’m certain that they will not tell you that Mary is divine. The divine Godhead is the Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Mary, while chosen to be the Theotokos, remained totally human.

No Catholic need reply. Your explanation is correct!

 

[LDNCatholic]

Most Christians especially Jehovah Witnesses believe that Mary is a ‘Christ-bearer’ or ‘Christokos’ which makes Mary a very important person. However, Mary isn’t ‘divine’ because Mary isn’t God according to the Jehovah Witnesses. Catholics on the other hand believe that Mary is a "theotokos’ or "God-bearer’ which makes Mary ‘divine’ and ‘full of grace’.

Pseudo Christian groups that deny the Divinity of Christ would no doubt disagree with the term Theotokos.

However, any Christian would agree that Christ is God incarnate. Therefore the title of Theotokos is certainly valid.

Christotokos is also, I believe, valid, as she is the Christ bearer.

 

[campeador]

…according to the Jehovah Witnesses. Catholics on the other hand believe…

Too funny!

 

[LDNCatholic]

Most Christians…

Further point. Catholics and Orthodox both believe the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the Theotokos, as do, I’d bet, a fair sized group of traditionally minded Lutherans and Anglicans.

That is ‘‘most Christians’’ right there.

 

[puzzleannie]

Most Christians especially Jehovah Witnesses believe that Mary is a ‘Christ-bearer’ or ‘Christokos’ which makes Mary a very important person. However, Mary isn’t ‘divine’ because Mary isn’t God according to the Jehovah Witnesses. Catholics on the other hand believe that Mary is a "theotokos’ or "God-bearer’ which makes Mary ‘divine’ and ‘full of grace’.

a few errors here. JWs are not Christian having rejected mos of Christ’s revelation about himself, especially that his is True God and Son of God. The Catholic doctrine of Theotokos does NOT state that the fact that she is God-bearer makes her divine. Her condition of fullness of grace, implicit in her Immaculate Conception, means she is fully human, fully graced to full human capacity, as were our first parents before the Fall. She is NOT divine by virtue of her role as Theotokos and that is not the meaning of “full of grace” and to say so has no place in Catholic teaching. In any case, OP was stating an observation of the Church of England, as reflected in church architecture of the place he visited, not JWs.