Catholic Mariology

Catholic Mariology is the systematic study of the person of Mary, mother of Jesus, and of her place in the Economy of Salvation^[1]^[2]^[3] in Catholic theology. According to the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception taught by the Catholic Church, Mary was conceived and born without sin, hence she is seen as having a singular dignity above the saints, receiving a higher level of veneration than all angelic spirits and blessed souls in heaven. Catholic Mariology thus studies not only her life but also the veneration of her in daily life, prayer, hymns, art, music, and architecture in modern and ancient Christianity throughout the ages.^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

The four Marian dogmas of Mother of God, Immaculate Conception, perpetual virginity, and Assumption form the basis of Mariology. However, a number of other Catholic doctrines about the Virgin Mary have been developed by reference to sacred scripture, theological reasoning and church tradition. The development of Mariology is ongoing and since the beginnings it has continued to be shaped by theological analyses, writings of saints, and papal statements, e.g. while two of the dogmas are ancient, the other two were defined in the 19th and 20th centuries; and papal teachings on Mary have continued to appear in recent times.^[8]^[9]^[10]

In parallel to the traditional views, since the late 19th century, as Marian devotion became more pronounced in the Catholic Church, a number of other perspectives have been presented as a challenge to Catholic Mariology. Other Christian views see Catholic Mariology as unbiblical and a denial of the uniqueness of Christ as redeemer and mediator,^[11] and modern psychological interpretations see Mary as similar to mythical goddesses ranging from Diana to Guan Yin.^[12]^[13]^[14] Nonetheless, Christians in the Catholic Church, the Old Catholic Churches, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Church, the Assyrian Church of the East, the Ancient Church of the East, the Independent Sacramental Movement, Anglo-Catholicism, and other High church Protestants continue to revere Mary as the greatest saint.

^ The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3 (2005) defines Mariology as "the systematic study of the person of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of her place in the economy of the Incarnation"
^ Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Encyclopedia (ISBN 978-0-87973-669-9 page 649) defines Mariology as "The study of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Christian theology, especially in the Catholic Church"
^ Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints ISBN 978-1-931709-75-0 page 917 defines Mariology as "Branch of theology that focuses on the Blessed Virgin. It examines her life, virtues, and important role in the economy of salvation."
^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions by Wendy Doniger, 1999 ISBN 0-87779-044-2 page 696
^ Symbolic Scores: Studies in the Music of the Renaissance by Willem Elders 1997 ISBN 90-04-09970-0 page 151
^ Maiden and Mother: Prayers, Hymns, Devotions, and Songs to the Beloved Virgin Mary Throughout the Year by Margaret M. Miles 2001 ISBN 0-86012-305-7 page vii
^ Cite error: The named reference Bulman179 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Mary in the New Testament by Raymond E. Brown 1978 ISBN 0-8091-2168-9 page 28, "in the course of centuries, Mariology has had an enormous development"
^ Luigi Gambro in Mariology: A Guide for Priests, Deacons, Seminarians, and Consecrated Persons ISBN 1-57918-355-7, 2008 edited by M. Miravalle, pages 142-145
^ Trent Pomplun in The Blackwell Companion to Catholicism by James Buckley, Frederick Christian Bauerschmidt and Trent Pomplun (Dec 21, 2010) ISBN 1-4443-3732-7 pages 319-320
^ Cite error: The named reference edwards438 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference JillLevine was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Vitz was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion: L - Z by David Adams Leeming 2009 ISBN 0-387-71801-X page 900

[1] The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3 (2005) defines Mariology as "the systematic study of the person of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of her place in the economy of the Incarnation"

[2] Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Encyclopedia (ISBN 978-0-87973-669-9 page 649) defines Mariology as "The study of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Christian theology, especially in the Catholic Church"

[3] Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints ISBN 978-1-931709-75-0 page 917 defines Mariology as "Branch of theology that focuses on the Blessed Virgin. It examines her life, virtues, and important role in the economy of salvation."

[4] Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions by Wendy Doniger, 1999 ISBN 0-87779-044-2 page 696

[5] Symbolic Scores: Studies in the Music of the Renaissance by Willem Elders 1997 ISBN 90-04-09970-0 page 151

[6] Maiden and Mother: Prayers, Hymns, Devotions, and Songs to the Beloved Virgin Mary Throughout the Year by Margaret M. Miles 2001 ISBN 0-86012-305-7 page vii

[Bulman179-7] Cite error: The named reference Bulman179 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[8] Mary in the New Testament by Raymond E. Brown 1978 ISBN 0-8091-2168-9 page 28, "in the course of centuries, Mariology has had an enormous development"

[9] Luigi Gambro in Mariology: A Guide for Priests, Deacons, Seminarians, and Consecrated Persons ISBN 1-57918-355-7, 2008 edited by M. Miravalle, pages 142-145

[BWell319-10] Trent Pomplun in The Blackwell Companion to Catholicism by James Buckley, Frederick Christian Bauerschmidt and Trent Pomplun (Dec 21, 2010) ISBN 1-4443-3732-7 pages 319-320

[edwards438-11] Cite error: The named reference edwards438 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[JillLevine-12] Cite error: The named reference JillLevine was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Vitz-13] Cite error: The named reference Vitz was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Leeming-14] Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion: L - Z by David Adams Leeming 2009 ISBN 0-387-71801-X page 900

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