Mariology
This is the Christian theological study of Mary, mother of Jesus. Mariology looks to relate doctrine/dogma about Mary to other doctrines of faith, for example, concerning Jesus & ideas about redemption, intercession, & grace. Christian Marisolgy seeks to place the role of the historical Mary in the context of scripture, tradition, & the teachings of the Church of Mary.
In social history terms, Mariology may be broadly defined as the study of devotion to & thinking about Mary throughout the history of Christianity. There exists a range of Christian and non-Christian views from the veneration of Mary in Roman Catholicism to accusations of idolatry. The idolatry “accusation” includes certain Protestant objections to Marian devotion.
As a field of theology, the most significant developments in Mariology (& the founding of specific centers devoted to its study) in the more recent centuries have taken place within the Catholic Church.
Eastern Orthodox concepts & versions of Mary are integral to the rite as a whole, & are mostly expressed in liturgy. The veneration of Mary is said to permeate, in a way, the entire life of the Church as a dimension of dogma as well as piety, of Christology as well as of Ecclesiology.
While similar to the Roman Catholic view, barring some minor differences, the Orthodox don’t see a need for a separate academic discipline of Mariology. As the Mother of God is seen as the self-evident peak of God’s human creation.
Eastern Orthodoxy calls Mary “The Theotokos,” “God-bearer.” The virginal motherhood of Mary is at the center of Orthodox Mariology. The title Ever Virgin is often used. Virginal motherhood is also known as the perpetual virginity of Mary. The Orthodox approach of Mariology underscores the sublime holiness of Mary, her share in redemption, & her role as a mediator of grace.
Eastern Orthodox mariological thought goes back as far as St. John Damascene (a.k.a. our boy, John of Damascus). In the 8th century, John of Damascus wrote on the meditative role of Mary & on the Dormition of the Mother of God. In the 14th century, Orthodox Mariology began to flourish among Byzantine theologians.
They believed in a cosmic view of Mariology, putting Mary & Jesus together at the center of the cosmos & see them as the goal of world history. More recently, Eastern Orthodox Mariology achieved a renewal among 20th-century theologians in Russia, for whom Mary is the heart of the Church & the center of creation. Eastern Orthodox Mariology doesn’t hold to the belief of the Immaculate Conception of…Mary.
Protestant views on Mary vary significantly from 1 denomination to another. Generally, they focus on various interpretations of Mary in the Bible, the Apostles’ Creed (which professes the Virgin Birth), & the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus in 431, which called Mary, the Mother of God.
Most Protestants don’t venerate Mary like Catholics or Eastern Orthodox do. Martin Luther’s, John Calvin’s, & Karl Barth’s views on Mary have contributed to modern Protestant views.
Anglican Marian theology varies. The Anglican Church formally celebrates 6 Marian feasts: Annunciation (Mar. 25), Visitation (May 31), Day of St. Mary (Assumption or Dormition, Aug. 15), Nativity of Mary (Sept. 8), Our Lady of Walsingham (Oct. 15), & Mary’s Conception (Dec. 8).
The Oriental Orthodox Churches regard Mary as the highest of saints & the Theotokos. It celebrates various Marian feast days.
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Susan Hodges
Dr Pink
Spirituality & Religious Studies
Chris Bond
