Article
The Second Vatican Council on The Blessed Virgin Mary in the Mystery of Christ and the Church: Dei Verbum, Chapter 8.
"God wanted Jesus' presence to reflect freedom, commitment and divine intimacy and so for the Mother of Jesus God chose someone who was free, committed to faith and filled with God's love. God chose Mary, Mary chose God."
- Mary is the Mother of God and Mother of the Redeemer;
- She is in need of salvation not because of any sin but because she is human;
- She is not above Christ but stands with all of us who need a Saviour;
- Mary is a member of the church and so we honour her with child-like affection;
- Foretold in Isaiah 7:14, her role was not forced upon her;
- God willed Mary's free choice to serve, that Mary's acceptance of the angel's call would precede the conception of Jesus and that Mary, a virgin forever, would give birth to Emmanuel (often seen as a reversal of Adam and Eve);
- From Cana to the Cross - faithful mother, faithful daughter of God;
- Christ is our sole mediator with God; Mary is a helper in our way to holiness;
- Mary as the mother of Jesus who is our brother is therefore also our mother; the Church is also mother to the faithful, bearing Christ for them, gently guiding them in life, to an entire faith, a firm hope and sincere charity; we turn to Mary as the model of virtue.
Critical questions for Anglicans:
- Did Mary receive a 'raw deal' from the Reformation?
- Do we understand Mary's separate role from that of Christ; and if it is in some way 'inferior' why would we call on her rather than Christ?
- Do we accept the distinctive Catholic teaching on The Assumption of Mary and, if not, is this critical? Is it the doctrine or the process that causes the problem?
- Does the Virgin Birth a present us with a dualist problem?
- How important is the emerging doctrine of Mary, Co Redemptrix?
Partly taken from:
Huebsch & Thurmes: Vatican II in Plain English, Dei Verbum Chapter Eight.
HS/KC iv/08