3.16.2005 | Mary, Mary, quite contrary...

Time magazine, which earlier this year told us all about the 25 "most influential" evangelicals in America, is now set to tell us all about how Protestants are now getting involved in Marian stuff.

I write "stuff" as a polite way of not offending any readers who are members of the cult of Mary. What I'm really doing is questioning what exactly a Protestant would be doing with the adoration bit. With all respect to the world's best mom ever, Mary, Marian devotion is, how shall I say this delicately, very much the antithesis of Solus Christus. As in, Christ alone.

However, consider this extract from the Time article about a Presbyterian pastor:

...rather than preach on Jesus alone this Good Friday, he will bring in Mary as well. "If you have Jesus' entrance and exit on the same day," Maguire explains, "she should play a part in that—because she was the first and last disciple to reach out during his life."

OK, that's cool, I suppose. Although it does seem to detract from preaching on His Passion. As presented as a loyal disciple of the Lord, who could object?

Ah, but there's a path started down when you preach on anything but Christ's agony and death for us all; when you focus on anyone else, is this really a good thing? Also, consider where this Marian business has led some Catholics: Mary as "Co-redemptrix." This sounds a lot better in Latin, Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici, which is

the international Catholic movement...seeking to encourage the papal definition of the Blessed Virgin Mary as "Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix of all graces, and Advocate."

Well, I suppose that the Pope can define whatever he wishes. But to consider Mary as co-anything with You Know Who is...idolatry. Plain and simple.

Perhaps these co- folks are wing nuts in the Catholic spectrum. Or perhaps they are mainstream. Either way, this is one path down which Protestants should not venture. Not because we don't love and respect the mother of God. Rather, because we worship God, not His fully human and non-devine mother. Mary took a chance on God's Son; Joseph must have been quite cranky when he got the news of her being with child.

However, never lose sight of the fact that Mary was merely the vessal for God's will. Not her will. His. It was solely by God's grace that He chose Mary to bear His son. I am thankful that Mary took the chance, as I am that Joseph also received the grace of God to not cast Mary out. And, not least, Mary remains a stark rebuttal to all women who would end the precious lives in their wombs as a matter of "choice."

Just let's be very, very cautious about how we deal with Mary, and let's not pray to anyone other than God, shall we? With Jesus as our sole mediator.

| technorati tag | Calvinism|