Non-Catholics and the Mother of God

[EzraJacob]

Is she honored? Is she treated as your mother like Jesus told us to do? And if not, why? Is she just another women? Even though she was entrusted to give birth and care for our beloved Savior.

What exactly is the point of view and belief of the Blessed Mother of God in non-Catholic denominations?

 

[Kristin234]

I respect Mary and admire her. God specifically chose her to do something many of us wouldn’t be able to. Of course she is to be honored. Of all the women in the world God chose her to carry, give birth to, and to raise Jesus. I have a lot of love for her and sometimes when I think about her journey I cry. She must have been a really strong woman to say yes to God and have to deal with the backlash of being a young and unmarried pregnant woman. Not only that but she also had to raise a son who would ultimately suffer and die a painful death.

At my church, we don’t have statues and pictures of Mary. We don’t do the rosary and we do not pray to her, but she is always mentioned. We do sing some songs about her (especially around Christmas time). We still view her as a woman who was in need of a savior, like all of us.

 

[EzraJacob]

I respect Mary and admire her. God specifically chose her to do something many of us wouldn’t be able to. Of course she is to be honored. Of all the women in the world God chose her to carry, give birth to, and to raise Jesus. I have a lot of love for her and sometimes when I think about her journey I cry. She must have been a really strong woman to say yes to God and have to deal with the backlash of being a young and unmarried pregnant woman. Not only that but she also had to raise a son who would ultimately suffer and die a painful death.

At my church, we don’t have statues and pictures of Mary. We don’t do the rosary and we do not pray to her, but she is always mentioned. We do sing some songs about her (especially around Christmas time). We still view her as a woman who was in need of a savior, like all of us.

So is she just like any other women? Just given a specific task? And how is she honored?

BTW; I really do appreciate you answering and sharing. Thank you and God Bless

 

[Kristin234]

So is she just like any other women? Just given a specific task? And how is she honored?

BTW; I really do appreciate you answering and sharing. Thank you and God Bless

No she isn’t just like any other woman. God chose her for a reason. She was highly favored by God. She did everything God commanded her to do and told others to do the same. She is someone that everyone should aspire to be like. When I say she is like everyone else I mean that she also needed a savior as she herself said her spirit rejoiced in God her savior.

 

[PbloPicasso]

I believe I speak for most Protestants here when I say that Mary is really held in high esteem. She is viewed like Moses or someone else of significance in salvation history. She might even be held in higher esteem to most. But they fall short in elevating her to the THEOTOKOS, Mother of God, as we historically hold fast to. I can tell you of some really difficult times in my protestant days, fallen away Catholic, where I actually turned to Mary and prayed the Hail Mary in proper context, knowing it’s scrutpure. I missed her as being “my mother”, When I was a teenager, I was in such a bad situation growing up that I dedicated my life to being the adopted child of Mary and Joseph as my mother and foster father. Thus Jesus was my brother and savior. Looking back 35 years back, it was a sweet gesture on my part and that was before I understood the nature of Mary as being the new Eve and teachings of the Church on Mary as our mother.

 

[SteveGC]

No she isn’t just like any other woman. God chose her for a reason. She was highly favored by God. She did everything God commanded her to do and told others to do the same. She is someone that everyone should aspire to be like. When I say she is like everyone else I mean that she also needed a savior as she herself said her spirit rejoiced in God her savior.

Hi Kristin. I only ask this because you seemed to repeat the point about Mary needing a Savior for added emphasis and/or for contrast…

Were you aware that the Catholic Church has always taught that Mary needed Jesus as her Savior?

It’s nice to hear of the emphasis your church places on our Blessed Mother, btw. That’s refreshing to know.

Peace.

 

[prochrist1]

I’m looking into this more deeply and so far the only issue I run into is revelation 12:1-3
As for me I would like to think it is Israel that this particular verse is referring to, but I can’t help to think that it can also be Mary? Specially the verse that says she will give birth.,.

any ideas…

 

[Taurks]

The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches regard Mary just as highly as the Catholic church, and believe that she was the perpetual virgin mother of our Lord who was assumed into heaven. They don’t pray the rosary, though.

Anglicans and Episcopalians have the rosary, and I believe Lutherans can pray to her as well.

 

[Zenas]

Mary is not mentioned often in Baptist churches, except around Christmas. At other times, you will not hear anything about Mary for stretches of six months or longer.

The concept of her being the mother of God is not accepted by Baptists. Neither is the concept of her being our spiritual mother.

Baptists also reject the idea of Mary’s perpetual virginity. They hold that she gave birth to at least six other children after the birth of Jesus.

They hold that she was a good woman, chosen by God for a great purpose, but still a sinner like all the rest of humanity.

 

[GaryTaylor]

I’m looking into this more deeply and so far the only issue I run into is revelation 12:1-3
As for me I would like to think it is Israel that this particular verse is referring to, but I can’t help to think that it can also be Mary? Specially the verse that says she will give birth.,.

any ideas…

Why would you like to think its Israel?

Peace

 

[Dave_B]

Anglicans and Episcopalians have the rosary…

Hi Taurks. Although some Anglicans (Anglo-Catholics) may pray the rosary, I think it is very small in number.

At the Church of England (Anglican) we sing the Magnificant at evensong. i.e. in most Anglican churches Mary’s song is usually sung at evening prayer.

In the Reformation, the chantry chapels to Mary in Anglican churches were removed. This happened in the church I attend. Mary’s sole mention is at evensong.

 

[GaryTaylor]

The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches regard Mary just as highly as the Catholic church, and believe that she was the perpetual virgin mother of our Lord who was assumed into heaven. They don’t pray the rosary, though.

Anglicans and Episcopalians have the rosary, and I believe Lutherans can pray to her as well.

Incorrect, the truth is the EO is not in line with the ex-cathedra declarations of last century. Of course those were the fork in the road for the CC and the EO and the Protestants.

The Orthodox Church does have a rich history in regards to Mary which dates back to the 2nd century in the Byzantine Church. But the “submission” doesn’t exist. Its in fact a pious reverence which is felt could be taken or left. Christ oriented period.

Could we say this is in fact how the early church fathers viewed Christianity? I would say most likely due to the lack of historical evidence to suggest anything else. Nonetheless 2000-years later this simply in not the case.

Could the Catholic Church be wrong? Well you’ll have to answer that for yourself. IMHO they have never been more Right.

God Bless, Gary

 

[Dave_B]

Why would you like to think its Israel? Peace

Personally, I think some protestants say Israel, as Mary doesnt fit their theological interpretation. The agenda of some protestants is to minimise the role of Mary and Peter, and maximse the role of Paul. My two cents

[edit] you could also argue that SOME Catholic maximise the role of Mary above what is scriptural.

 

[prochrist1]

Why would you like to think its Israel?

Peace

I’m quoting from:

lightofmashiach.org/woman.html

You can also find some info here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman_of_the_Apocalypse

*All the symbols in Revelation are either defined in Revelation itself, or can be defined from the previous use of same word / symbol in the Tanakh. In fact, I think this is why there is a blessing to those who read the Revelation; in order to understand it, you have to read and study all the prophetic passages of the Tanakh as well. So, you gain more than just a study of one book, but of many books.

In Rev. 12:1 the woman is described as a:

"great sign in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head twelve stars.

If we know what the sun, moon, and 12 stars mean here, we can know for sure who the woman is. So we need to go back to the Tanakh and get a definition of the symbols used.
"And he (Jospeh) dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?" Genesis 37:9,10 *

 

[Kristin234]

Hi Kristin. I only ask this because you seemed to repeat the point about Mary needing a Savior for added emphasis and/or for contrast…

Were you aware that the Catholic Church has always taught that Mary needed Jesus as her Savior?

It’s nice to hear of the emphasis your church places on our Blessed Mother, btw. That’s refreshing to know.

Peace.

I know that the Catholic Church has taught that Mary needs a savior. I was just pointing out that although we believe she is a great woman she was also like us because she also needed a savior.

Gary, many protestants believe that Revelations is about Israel because of Joseph’s dream in Genesis.

Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Genesis 37:9-11

 

[JonNC]

Is she honored? Is she treated as your mother like Jesus told us to do? And if not, why? Is she just another women? Even though she was entrusted to give birth and care for our beloved Savior.

What exactly is the point of view and belief of the Blessed Mother of God in non-Catholic denominations?

From 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. **

She is honored and held in high esteem by Lutherans. We know that she is inheaven with her son, and that she prays for us, the Church Militant, with the rest of the saints in Heaven. She is, as Luther said, “highest woman and the noblest gem in Christianity after Christ . . . She is nobility, wisdom, and holiness personified. We can never honor her enough. Still honor and praise must be given to her in such a way as to injure neither Christ nor the Scriptures.”

Jon

 

[GaryTaylor]

“Gary, many protestants believe that Revelations is about Israel because of Joseph’s dream in Genesis.”

Many protestants believe “many” things including rejecting the divinity of Christ in the Trinity. Which Protestant demonination are your referring to? There’s just so many today its difficult to keep track of what they do and don’t believe.

Vague theory holds no weight in the Catholic Chruch. And there are so many presented by Protestants that its safe to say we can pay “zero” attention to them. Should you find it of intrigue, then you are certainly welcome to entertain your imagination. Should you chose to place Value on what “Ellen Kavanaugh” has to say as a “messianic jew?” That would be your perogative.

Revelation is about Jesus Christ defeating satan in past tense with an overwhelming victory. About Christianity, the Seven Churchs of Apostolic Succession etc.

So…Many protestants and “messianic jews” would be “incorrect” in their conclusion of Revelation being about Israel.

Those who follow the Torah in strict Judaism tradition do not speak of the next world, heaven. hell, puratory, none of it. They submit to the will of God and are not granted this opportunity to speculate on Gods Kingdom. Nor do they believe in Jesus Christ as the messiah. As a mof its against their monotheistic belief of God in the OT in Judaism. While this seems to be the new “fad”. It leaves Protestant converts once again on the Sola Scriptura path.

Peace

 

[Kristin234]

Many protestants believe “many” things including rejecting the divinity of Christ in the Trinity. Which Protestant demonination are your referring to? There’s just so many today its difficult to keep track of what they do and don’t believe.

Vague theory holds no weight in the Catholic Chruch. And there are so many presented by Protestants that its safe to say we can pay “zero” attention to them. Should you find it of intrigue, then you are certainly welcome to entertain your imagination. Should you chose to place Value on what “Ellen Kavanaugh” has to say as a “messianic jew?” That would be your perogative.

Revelation is about Jesus Christ defeating satan in past tense with an overwhelming victory. About Christianity, the Seven Churchs of Apostolic Succession etc.

So…Many protestants and “messianic jews” would be “incorrect” in their conclusion of Revelation being about Israel.

Wow. I am a part of a non denominational I guess you can say fundamentalist church and we definitely do not reject the divinity of Christ!

You asked a question and I responded as to why many people believe that it is Israel and not Mary. There is no need to be rude. I am starting to agree with a poster on here who said many Catholics on here have that “I am right you are wrong” mentality and it comes off as very arrogant. There are other ways you could say it without coming off so rude.

 

[babylonsfalling]

So is she just like any other women? Just given a specific task? And how is she honored?

BTW; I really do appreciate you answering and sharing. Thank you and God Bless

In the non Catholic Churches I’ve been to, Mary is completely ignored except for once or twice a year. Around Christmas time, there will be a reading of the nativity account and she’ll be mentioned there for sure. Maybe over the course of the next twelve months she might be mentioned again but that’s it.

Last year the pastor was using Christ’s response to her at the Cana wedding to make fun of Mary, as if she weren’t bright enough to know that she shouldn’t be pestering him about the wine, and if Mary only knew who he really was, she’d not be bothering him with it.

They don’t honor her at all. More attention is given to any of the patriarchs, any of the apostles, Biblical authors, Mary Magdalene…but Mary is ignored as much as possible, and it’s just very, very weird

I honestly don’t think they have a real problem with Mary but her absence is very noticeable and I can’t help wondering if there’s just a perception in the pastor’s mind that he can’t do anything “too Catholic”.

 

[JonNC]

=babylonsfalling;8029427]In the non Catholic Churches I’ve been to, Mary is completely ignored except for once or twice a year. Around Christmas time, there will be a reading of the nativity account and she’ll be mentioned there for sure. Maybe over the course of the next twelve months she might be mentioned again but that’s it.

Which n-C churches are these, and how often did you visit?

Last year the pastor was using Christ’s response to her at the Cana wedding to make fun of Mary, as if she weren’t bright enough to know that she shouldn’t be pestering him about the wine, and if Mary only knew who he really was, she’d not be bothering him with it.

As an elder in my parish, were my pastor to “go off” on the Blessed Virgin that way, he would have me in his office to (respectfully) receive a piece of my mind.

I honestly don’t think they have a real problem with Mary but her absence is very noticeable and I can’t help wondering if there’s just a perception in the pastor’s mind that he can’t do anything "too Catholic".

This could be a reasonable assessment.

Jon