Why do Evangelical Protestants...?

[chris]

I'm hoping this to be a monthly question session. By the way, I'm back for a little while.

My question is..

Why do Evangelical Protestants believe that Mary has no [i]Queenship[/i] or [i]Advocacy[/i]?


I have many friends from Church of God denomination and Relatives from Nazarene, Southern Baptist denomination and they seem to keel over when Mary is spoke of. I wouldnt nessessarily say that they are disrespectful to her but, they severly believe that she is just Mary(There is no Theotokos involved) and that she was never perpetual or immaculate. When did Protestant Christians seem do away with her and the glory given to her by her son?

Edited July 31, 2006 by Convert4888

[Church Punk]

I have run into the same trouble. Basically my response was a simply, thats your Mother you are talking about. I mean they will even go as far as saying Jesus Christ is our brother.... If Jesus is your brother then Mary must be your Mother... Silly

[chris]

Well, Scott Hanh wrote a book about her and I took it into account that even Solomon when he was king made his mother the queen and even bowed to her when she entered the court...And didnt Christ come from the house (kingdom) of David? I dont understand when protestant christains revolted. I never read anything by Luther, or Calvin about Mary...As a matter of fact I believe they both still believed in her perpetual virginity.

I wonder what Christain pulled Mary out of the picture...

[jswranch]

I have a new theory. The split comes from their view on sanctification. They believe it is declared by God (here is your ticket) while we believe we are changed from the inside out. Such beliefs cannot tolerate the immaculate conception, etc.

[N/A Gone]

dont generalize protestants or evangelicals. it never works.


Volf is the only evangelical that I have seen write anything positive about Mary. i think it comes from a dependence on Sola scripture and a lack of Mary in the pauline letters that most evangelical theology is entirely based on.

oh, and the whole "we dont wanna be confused for catholic" thing

as a former evangelical i just never thought of mary except that the silly catholics worshipped her

[thessalonian]

Evangelicals focus is on Jesus, praise the Lord. The problem is that they do not see the broader picture. Mary says "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord" and "God has done great things for me". They do not dare reflect on these passages because to them it removes the focus from Jesus. They separate the love of Jesus from the love of Mary when the two are one in the same. Dichotomous thinking is what I see as one of the pitfalls of man that is evident in evangelical Christianity. Can't be Peter as the Rock because Jesus is the Rock. Peter can't be the head of the Church because Jesus is. If we love Mary we subtract from the love of Jesus. Nothing of course could be further from the truth. As she said, "my soul magnifies the Lord". Reflecting on her life brings greater love for Jesus because we see what "great things he has done for" US!

Further quite simply their traditions simply do not allow for it. They are not taught it from the very earliest ages by their parents, it is not reinforce along the way and so as a whole it is difficult for them.

I have never been so flabbergasted on message boards as the few times I have run in to Evangelicals and Fundamentalists women who have children and say they are as blessed as Mary. No kidding. HOW COULD ONE EVER BE AS BLESSED AS TO GIVE BIRTH TO AND RAISE THE SON OF GOD. Yes, all children are a blessing but how could the common child of fallen man compare to the infinite blessing of the God man, Jesus Christ! I have had this conversation several times with evangelical women and they still have their heals dug in after the obvious is shown to them. Of course I think it is because they know I am Catholic. Another impediment for them to the truth.

[VeniteAdoremus]

When I was very little the mother of my best friend talked to my mother about finding a new church, and I said "Oh, you can come to our church!". I found it an excellent idea, personally, because it would mean someone to play with during the endless boring coffee drinking afterwards

My friends' mother then replied that she couldn't, because she was with other friends of Jesus than we were, and among other things she couldn't say a Hail Mary. This confused me no end.

Years later my friend, now training to be a preacher (go him!) explained to me that they -do- think Mary is special and very blessed, but they don't believe anyone down here can proclaim Sainthood for her or any other human. I'm sad for their loss, because Mary rocks.

[chris]

I see...Well had a friend that was asking me about Mary and the Dogmas associated with her...Along with the apparitions. And either they really dont know much about it, which sometimes when you are a child learning what your parents have taught that tends to happen. Or, they not only not know about it, it is trully alien to them that they think that Christ is thus removed from the picture. Catholics know that it doesnt but I see what your all saying and it has really help out alot.