Mariolatry

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Mariolatry is a noun which describes the worship of the Virgin Mary, from Mary (the mother of Jesus Christ) and latry with connective element o. Latry means worship from latria. It is a derogatory term suggesting that the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), Eastern Orthodox Churches, and other such cults, preform veneration which is considered unbiblical and pure idolatry. Mariolatry is not to be confused with Mariology, which is the legitimate theological study of Mary. Within the Roman Catholic Church, Mary is venerated over all other saints. The RCC teaches that she was conceived without original sin therefore receiving a higher level of veneration (hyperdulia) than all other saints. The Mariology of protestants (which comes from scripture) is distinct from the Mariology of the Catholic Church which focuses upon the four dogmas which form the basis of the RCC's Mariology:

1) perpetual virginity,

2) Mother of God,

3) Immaculate Conception

4) Assumption of Mary

5) - Not yet Dogma - Co-redemtrix with Christ

These things come from the traditions of Rome, not from scripture.

Perpetual Virginity

1) Mary is a perpetual virgin and never had children after she gave birth to Jesus. Even the birth of Jesus was not a natural birth but Jesus did not come out of Mary naturally but appeared. This is from gnostic teaching. If Jesus was not born as a human, several doctrines, such as the hyperstatic union, are ruined.

Mother of God

Although the term Theotokos was used by church writer Origen, it was not used in the way the RCC use it today, but it spoke of Jesus being truly God, which went against the concepts of adoptionism or that Jesus was not a human. Theotokos spoke of Jesus being God and man, not that Mary birthed God. It went from God bearer, to Mother of God in the RCC. Assumption

Immaculate Conception

In 1854 this teaching went from a doctrine to a dogma. Mary was redeemed at conception and preserved from original sin. Immaculata (the immaculate one). In the 2nd century it was believed by some Gnostics. 7 popes also rejected the teaching and taught the Mary sinned. In the 12th Century this teaching was formulated by a British monk called Edmer. The Immaculate Conception is not to be confused with the birth of Jesus Christ.

On Thursday, December 8th, the church celebrates a wonderful “patron” of Advent- the Feast of the Immaculate Conception- a Holy Day of Obligation.

“We declare, pronounce and define that the doctrine which asserts that the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, was preserved free from every stain of original sin is a doctrine revealed by God and, for this reason, must be firmly and constantly believed by all the faithful”. - With these words, spoken in 1854, Pope Pius IX, in the Papal Bull Ineffabilis Dei, declared Mary's Immaculate Conception to be dogma.

Hence, if anyone shall dare — which God forbid! — to think otherwise than as has been defined by us, let him know and understand that he is condemned by his own judgment; that he has suffered shipwreck in the faith; that he has separated from the unity of the Church; and that, furthermore, by his own action he incurs the penalties established by law if he should are to express in words or writing or by any other outward means the errors he think in his heart.” -Blessed Pope Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, 8 December 1854

Assumption of Mary

In 1950 the RCC caused the doctrine of the bodily Assumption of Mary to become Dogma. Did Mary die? Her body did not see corruption. The Assumption of Mary teaches that Mary, when she died, was taken up (assumed) body and soul into heavenly glory. It was not until 1950 that Pope Pius XII defined the doctrine of “Mary’s bodily assumption into heaven.”

How did mary die if she was sinless?

A Doctrine and a Dogma are different.

Mary’s role in salvation

Another element of Roman Catholic Mariology is the belief that, at the conception of Jesus, Mary entered into a spiritual union with Him. Pope John Paul II discussed Mary’s place in the plan of salvation in the encyclical Redemptoris Mater, emphasizing “the special presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and his Church. For this is a fundamental dimension emerging from the Mariology of the Council.” Pope Benedict XVI stated that “Christology and Mariology are inseparably interwoven.”

The Catholic Encyclopedia states, “In [Mary’s] Fiat of faith, she received salvation for all. . . . Mary’s mediatorship is to be understood on the level of the solidarity of all mankind which is in need of redemption. . . .The function of Mary in salvation determines her relation to the Church. . . . Mary is mother of the Church under this more individualistic aspect, since she is effectively concerned for the salvation of each individual” (pages 898–901).

Within Catholicism, there is a drive to define a new Marian dogma in which Catholics, as a matter of faith, would be obliged to accept these three doctrines: 1) Mary participates in redemption with Jesus Christ; 2) grace is granted by Jesus only through the intercession of Mary; and 3) all prayers from the faithful must flow through Mary, who brings them to the attention of her Son. This movement would, in practice, redefine the Trinity as a kind of Quartet. The idea that Mary is a co-redemptrix or mediatrix contradicts 1 Timothy 2:5, which says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” Jesus is the Mediator. There is no mediator between man and Jesus. Jesus Himself dwells in believers; thus, no other mediator is required (Colossians 1:27).

Nowhere in Scripture does Jesus or anyone else direct any praise, glory, or adoration toward Mary. Mary was present at the cross when Jesus died (John 19:25). Mary was also with the apostles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:14). However, Mary is never mentioned again after Acts 1. The apostles did not give Mary a prominent role. Mary’s death is not recorded in the Bible. Nothing is said about Mary ascending to heaven or having an exalted role there. As the earthly mother of Jesus, Mary should be respected, but she is not worthy of worship or adoration. The Bible nowhere indicates that Mary can hear our prayers or that she can mediate for us with God. Mary herself sets the example for us in directing her worship, adoration, and praise to God alone: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is His name” (Luke 1:46–49).

The Accusation of Protestants

Those considered Protestants by the RCC often accuse Catholics of Mariolatry, and Catholics deny this charge, insisting that they only venerate Mary but stop short of giving her divine worship. While respecting the mother of Jesus is considered normal to most Christians, excessive veneration or actual worship of Mary is pure idolatry.

The Response from Rome

The official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church is that God alone deserves “adoration,” also called latria; however, saints are worthy of a lesser honor called “veneration” or dulia. Catholic doctrine goes on to say that God has exalted the Virgin Mary above all other saints, and she should thus receive the highest form of dulia, called hyperdulia. But, Catholics are careful to say, hyperdulia is inferior to latria. Catholics claim that, since they do not give Mary the adoration that only the Creator can receive, they are not guilty of Mariolatry. The Eastern Orthodox Church also venerates Mary as the foremost saint, calling her the “Most Holy Virgin Mary,” singing hymns to her, praying to her, and kissing her icon.^[2]

The RCC defines the following:

"dulia" (veneration due to all saints, except the Virgin Mary)

"hyperdulia" (veneration due to the Virgin Mary)

"latria" (adoration due exclusively to God).

Roman Catholics call the rejection of their teachings on Mary Mariophobia. But elevating Mary with titles such as Mediatrix, Co-redemptrix, Cause of Our Salvation, Most Holy Mother of God, Our Immaculate Lady, and Queen of Heaven cannot help but foster Mariolatry. Singing hymns to Mary, praying to her, kissing her picture, parading her image through the streets, and bowing down before her statue reflect a degree of reverence that certainly imitates idolatry and might as well be called Mariolatry.

Scripture

Protestants claim only God is to be worshiped. The very first of the Ten Commandments says clearly that we must worship God, and only God [Ex 20:3-5]. The theological word "latria" means exactly this adoration. (This explains words like "idolatry", "mariolatry", etc.)

Exodus 20:1-6 King James Version (KJV):

1 And God spake all these words, saying,

2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 2:5

And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye." Mark 7:9, 13

Romans 3

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: [Rom 5:12].

Neither is there salvation in ANY other: for there is NONE other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12

Mary also said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" [Luke 1:46,47].

"Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?" (Mat 13:55,56).

Prayers to Mary

The Cult of Mary in the Roman Catholic Church has not only come into rivalry with the worship of God and Christ but has to a large extent supplanted it. Many more festival days are dedicated to Mary than anyone else; every town and village has its own local Madonna days. Every church has its Lady Chapel enriched with votive offerings of silver hearts, crosses, rosaries, scapulars, splints and crutches, mementos of her supposed cures and healings. Sometimes her statue is set on the high altar, dressed in cast-off finery and in abundance of glittering tinsel ornaments and set on a dais, to be adored.^[1]

Mary Supplanting Christ

Fra Paolo Sarpi in his "History of the Council of Trent" sketches the rise of Mariolatry in the papal church. The phrase "Mother of the Divine Son," used toward the end of the third century, was used not in her honour but in honour of Christ to show that He was born Divine. By degrees it was used in honour of Mary instead of Christ. In the eleventh century a canonical office was instituted in honour of her which gained ground by decrees of church councils and popes until the Jesuits came on the scene in the sixteenth century when it advanced in leaps and bounds.

In many cities in Italy great columns are to be seen on which stand a female figure with a crown on her head and sceptre in her hand. These are monuments to Mary, "the Queen of Heaven," raised to celebrate her Immaculate Conception - a false Romish claim, promulgated by pope Pius IX, December 8th, 1854, that she was born free from original sin.^[1]

Anglicans

Anglicans share some of the beliefs of Roman Catholic Mariology, but not all. The Eastern Orthodox Church calls Mary the “God-bearer,” emphasizing Mary’s status as the mother of God Incarnate, gives her the title “Ever Virgin,” and emphasizes her sublime holiness, her share in redemption, and her role as a mediator of grace.

References

1. Mariolatry - Extracts from "The Roman Church in Italy" by Alexander Robertson D.D. Edited by Sylvia Lacoski
2. What is Mariolatry? Got Questions Ministries

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