HOLY MARY, MOTHER OF GOD

Van Biema, David (2005) “Hail Mary” TIME, 3/21, 60-68.

Guess who has taken an interest in Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ?

Protestants.

With the confluence of feminism, traditional Christianity, and conservatism, Mary has become a formidable figure in Moderate Protestants. That does not mean that Protestantism has endorsed full Marians. Rather, her story is now being included more often in liturgy and sermons.

The division of Catholics and Protestants did not break over Mary; rather the division emerged first over an English king and the rise of Anglicism. This was followed by Martin Luther and others who began and continued the Reformation. In breaking with the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church, Mary became marginalized.

She is now back. Even Christian Unitarians of which some are Trinitarians now have a favorable view of Mary.

At any rate, she is back. It seems like a welcome tradition.