Thus, since Mary, unlike Jesus, was conceived in the ordinary human way, they reasoned, she too was subject to original sin. But the great Franciscan philosopher-theologian Duns Scotus d.
Supporters began to gain the upper hand in the 15th century. Ten years later, in Paris, the Sorbonne required all candidates for degrees to swear an oath to defend the idea, and many other universities followed suit. In , although he conceded that the church had not yet decided on the matter and that, consequently, neither side was heretical, Pope Sixtus IV approved the feast of the Immaculate Conception with its own mass — an approval later confirmed and strengthened by Pope Clement XI in The Council of Trent expressly declared that its decree on original sin did not include the Blessed Virgin Mary.
By contrast, the doctrine has become a major stumbling block for Protestants who seek better relationships with the Church of Rome. The Bible, they point out, does not teach the sinlessness of Mary, let alone her Immaculate Conception. Indeed, they see it as a trial balloon for the doctrine of papal infallibility, which would be defined at the First Vatican Council in Start your day with the top stories you missed while you were sleeping.
Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Print Subscriptions. Deseret News homepage. Filed under: Faith. Initially, the Christian church taught a belief that is close to modern conservative Protestantism: simply that Mary was a virgin at the time of the conception of Jesus.
Eadmer , amonk at Christ Church, Canterbury. England was one of the first proponents of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. He discussed it in his book "De Conceptione sanctae Mariae. Thomas Aquinas and St. Bonaventure " But the Roman Catholic laity and clergy was permitted to accept or reject the concept. This freedom was confirmed at the Council of Trent in the mid 16th century.
For example, it was more important to discuss Jesus and His divinity than Mary's complete lack of sin. How could the Church teach about Mary's lack of sin if they had not yet come to certain conclusions about Jesus' divinity? Didn't St. Thomas Aquinas, the great Church philosopher, disagree with the Immaculate Conception?
I thought he was a very significant Church father! Yes, St. Thomas Aquinas did disagree with the Immaculate Conception, but he did not disagree with the belief that Mary was without sin! The debate arose over if Mary was conceived in her mother's womb without sin, and if this affected her need for Christ as a savior. Of course, this philosophical debate was finally settled by Duns Scotus in the 13th century whose writings cleared up all complaints over Mary's need for Christ.
With his help, the belief in the Immaculate Conception became standard teaching within the Churches and Universities of Europe. This debate over when — and not if — Mary was made sinless is one of the reasons why the Church did not officially define the doctrine until It just goes to show how the Church does its research and evaluation on topics before making them official teachings. Origen, St. Basil, and St. Chrysostom were early Church fathers! Doesn't that prove that Mary was believed to have sin?
No, it does not. Although these early Church fathers believed Mary to have sinned, there are just as many — if not more — who believed that she did not. The list of names and examples continues to go on and on throughout history. Even Martin Luther, the German theologian who helped to create the Protestant Reformation, believed in Mary's complete lack of sin! Catholics are perfectly justified to say that there have been many writings about Mary's sinlessness in all periods of Church history.
That is ok! It is not always an easy belief to grasp for non-Catholics! However, one should remember that it was by Jesus and for Jesus that Mary was created sinless. Without His grace, it would be impossible for such a thing to happen. Finally, it is important to say that Mary is not equal to Jesus in any way simply because she is without sin! Sometimes it comes off like that to people who do not understand the Catholic view of Mary. Jesus is without sin because He is God; Mary is without sin because Jesus made her so.
Therefore, when we see the Immaculate Conception, we actually see Christ's perfection, His love, and His divine greatness! David M. David Bristow serves as the Youth Minister at St. Joseph Church in Herndon, Virginia. He is a member of the Youth Apostles Institute, an organization of priests, laymen, and consecrated men who devote themselves to strengthening our young people's Catholic faith. David converted to Catholicism in the spring of , and enjoys reading theology and philosophy in his spare time.
Serving Catholics for 25 Years. Contact Us. The Immaculate Conception It was Mary's closeness to Christ that made her receive God's "fullness of grace" to be sinless. Evidence from the Scriptures: "And the angel came in unto her, and said, hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Augustine, AD. Ambrose of Milan, AD. You are wholly beautiful in every respect. There is in you, Lord, no stain, nor any spot in your Mother. Ephraem, AD. But if Mary didn't sin, doesn't that mean she didn't need Christ as her savior? Doesn't Mary's lack of sin take away from Jesus Christ? You bring up some convincing evidence, but I am still not sure about the belief.
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