Mondays are for Church History
11/4/24
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter VII. Public Worship and Religious Customs and Ceremonies." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 2124-2268). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 74-101).
"§81. The Exaltation of the Virgin Mariology." (pp. 2157-2166).
Among cycles of festivals celebrating various Christians, Schaff notes that the celebration of Mary became particularly prominent (Schaff 2014, p. 2157). Mary, after all, gave birth to the Savior and followed him as far as the cross. After the mid fourth century, Mary tended to be proclaimed as the queen of heaven and the one who specially prays for Christians, and serves as the co-redeemer (Schaff 2014, p. 2158). This reverence of Mary grew gradually to a worship of Mary. Schaff briefly ties this move to Roman paganism, which would bring various deities to prominence at different times (Schaff 2014, p. 2159). The Bible certainly refers to Mary in glowing terms. However, Mary is always referred to as someone who has the normal human need for redemption (Schaff 2014, p. 2160). Counter to the biblical portrayal, Schaff notes accounts of Mary from apocryphal gospels. Though the apocryphal gospels were condemned by the Catholic church, many of the accounts of Mary were adopted into Catholic tradition (Schaff 2014, p. 2161). Yet the tendency in this study is to elevate someone other than Jesus to the role of savior.
Schaff observes detractors from the elevation of Mary by the end of the fourth century (Schaff 2014, p. 2163). In their view, Mary was exemplary but not unlike other humans with a fallen nature. However, Augustine, along with some who came after him, took Mary to have been sanctified and cleansed prior to her birth, and to have lived without sin. Schaff observes that the reasoning could be taken to make an extension of a sinless condition to exist through all generations prior to Mary as well (Schaff 2014, p. 2164). Actual worship of Mary is not clearly documented prior to 430, when the Nestorian controversy was a matter of dispute. At this time, an important issue was whether Mary was considered the "mother of God," which could imply to some that Mary must be sinless and possibly divine, or if Mary should be considered the "mother of Christ," which could imply that Christ had only a human nature and not a divine one (Schaff 2014, p. 2165).
"§82. Mariolatry." (pp. 2166-2169).
Schaff observes that worship of Mary as divine is a natural extrapolation from regarding her as "mother of God" (Schaff 2014, p. 2166). Though this was not the intent of the recognition of Mary in her role, it was not a surprising conclusion to be made. Invocation of Mary first appears in the late fourth century. Schaff considers it important that while a few in the period (Ephraim Syrus, Gregory Nazianzen, Cyprian) did so, many others (Athanasius, Basil, Chrysostom, Augustine, Epiphanius) did not (Schaff 2014, p. 2166).
The fifth century saw a growth of worship of the saints, including of Mary (Schaff 2014, p. 2167). Schaff notes that in this period there was also an increase of stories of miracles performed by saints, and especially by Mary. Opinion of her power and importance grew dramatically (Schaff 2014, p. 2168). As an example of the growth of the Mary tradition, Schaff cites the traditional Ave Maria. The first two portions are drawn from Luke 1:28 and 1:42, while the third part is not biblical and "is offensive to the Protestant and all sound Christian feeling: Sancta Maria, mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis. Amen" (Schaff 2014, p. 2168). While the ideas of the third part may suggest language of the council of Ephesus in 431, Schaff considers this portion to have actually arisen in or after the 16th century (Schaff 2014, p. 2169).
"§83. The Festivals of Mary." (pp. 2169-2171).
A number of festivals pertaining to Mary have developed. The Annunciation, at which Mary heard the news of Christ's birth from the angel Gabriel, appears on March 25 after about the year 430 (Schaff 2014, p. 2169). On February 2, the purification of Mary after having given birth is remembered, along with the presentation of Jesus in the temple. This was the reckoning of 40 days after December 25. The commemoration may have been introduced in 494, though some date it to 542 (Schaff 2014, p. 2170). It is also known as Candlemas, from a tradition probably adopted from the pagans of a procession with candles. On the 15th of August, a festival related to the alleged ascension of Mary to heaven (Assumption) is celebrated. This may have been introduced in the late fifth or sixth century, and is based "on a purely apocryphal foundation" (Schaff 2014, p. 2170). Schaff briefly describes some of the legends pertaining to Mary's departure at the end of her earthly life. The ascension is based on the assumption that Mary would not die as she was sinless (Schaff 2014, p. 2171).
11/4/24
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter VII. Public Worship and Religious Customs and Ceremonies." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 2124-2268). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 74-101).
"§81. The Exaltation of the Virgin Mariology." (pp. 2157-2166).
Among cycles of festivals celebrating various Christians, Schaff notes that the celebration of Mary became particularly prominent (Schaff 2014, p. 2157). Mary, after all, gave birth to the Savior and followed him as far as the cross. After the mid fourth century, Mary tended to be proclaimed as the queen of heaven and the one who specially prays for Christians, and serves as the co-redeemer (Schaff 2014, p. 2158). This reverence of Mary grew gradually to a worship of Mary. Schaff briefly ties this move to Roman paganism, which would bring various deities to prominence at different times (Schaff 2014, p. 2159). The Bible certainly refers to Mary in glowing terms. However, Mary is always referred to as someone who has the normal human need for redemption (Schaff 2014, p. 2160). Counter to the biblical portrayal, Schaff notes accounts of Mary from apocryphal gospels. Though the apocryphal gospels were condemned by the Catholic church, many of the accounts of Mary were adopted into Catholic tradition (Schaff 2014, p. 2161). Yet the tendency in this study is to elevate someone other than Jesus to the role of savior.
Schaff observes detractors from the elevation of Mary by the end of the fourth century (Schaff 2014, p. 2163). In their view, Mary was exemplary but not unlike other humans with a fallen nature. However, Augustine, along with some who came after him, took Mary to have been sanctified and cleansed prior to her birth, and to have lived without sin. Schaff observes that the reasoning could be taken to make an extension of a sinless condition to exist through all generations prior to Mary as well (Schaff 2014, p. 2164). Actual worship of Mary is not clearly documented prior to 430, when the Nestorian controversy was a matter of dispute. At this time, an important issue was whether Mary was considered the "mother of God," which could imply to some that Mary must be sinless and possibly divine, or if Mary should be considered the "mother of Christ," which could imply that Christ had only a human nature and not a divine one (Schaff 2014, p. 2165).
"§82. Mariolatry." (pp. 2166-2169).
Schaff observes that worship of Mary as divine is a natural extrapolation from regarding her as "mother of God" (Schaff 2014, p. 2166). Though this was not the intent of the recognition of Mary in her role, it was not a surprising conclusion to be made. Invocation of Mary first appears in the late fourth century. Schaff considers it important that while a few in the period (Ephraim Syrus, Gregory Nazianzen, Cyprian) did so, many others (Athanasius, Basil, Chrysostom, Augustine, Epiphanius) did not (Schaff 2014, p. 2166).
The fifth century saw a growth of worship of the saints, including of Mary (Schaff 2014, p. 2167). Schaff notes that in this period there was also an increase of stories of miracles performed by saints, and especially by Mary. Opinion of her power and importance grew dramatically (Schaff 2014, p. 2168). As an example of the growth of the Mary tradition, Schaff cites the traditional Ave Maria. The first two portions are drawn from Luke 1:28 and 1:42, while the third part is not biblical and "is offensive to the Protestant and all sound Christian feeling: Sancta Maria, mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis. Amen" (Schaff 2014, p. 2168). While the ideas of the third part may suggest language of the council of Ephesus in 431, Schaff considers this portion to have actually arisen in or after the 16th century (Schaff 2014, p. 2169).
"§83. The Festivals of Mary." (pp. 2169-2171).
A number of festivals pertaining to Mary have developed. The Annunciation, at which Mary heard the news of Christ's birth from the angel Gabriel, appears on March 25 after about the year 430 (Schaff 2014, p. 2169). On February 2, the purification of Mary after having given birth is remembered, along with the presentation of Jesus in the temple. This was the reckoning of 40 days after December 25. The commemoration may have been introduced in 494, though some date it to 542 (Schaff 2014, p. 2170). It is also known as Candlemas, from a tradition probably adopted from the pagans of a procession with candles. On the 15th of August, a festival related to the alleged ascension of Mary to heaven (Assumption) is celebrated. This may have been introduced in the late fifth or sixth century, and is based "on a purely apocryphal foundation" (Schaff 2014, p. 2170). Schaff briefly describes some of the legends pertaining to Mary's departure at the end of her earthly life. The ascension is based on the assumption that Mary would not die as she was sinless (Schaff 2014, p. 2171).
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