“The Catholic Mary”: Quite Contrary to the Bible?

by Dave Armstrong

Publisher:

Dave Armstrong

, 2010

Theology and beliefs concerning the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus, have long been contentious issues between Catholics and Protestants. The latter often maintain that “the Catholic Mary” is a corruption of the true biblical Mary: the humble and lowly handmaiden. Catholic apologist Dave Armstrong, a former evangelical Protestant, shows how the “Catholic” and the “biblical” Mary are indeed one and the same—there's no conflict. Armstrong tackles controversial topics such as Mary's Immaculate Conception, Assumption, perpetual virginity, the term of “spouse of the Holy Spirit,” the request for Mary to intercede, the Rosary, and the flowery and seemingly excessive devotional language of the saints. And he considers the idea of Mary as distributor of God’s grace and salvation—what St. Paul and indeed all of us are meant to be. Armstrong provides biblical and rational support for all Catholic Marian beliefs and practices, making them accessible, understandable, and articulable by all who accept the inspiration of the Bible.

Contents

Top Highlights

“God could possibly have gone about things a different way, just as He could have saved mankind with just His word, without a bloody cross and Jesus’ agonizing suffering, had He chosen to do that.” (Page 23)

“I should clarify, too, that when we ask Mary to ‘help’ us, we mean by her power of intercession. She can’t grant us things in and of herself, but only by virtue of the graces given to her by God. She is God’s instrument or agent, just as any creature is, but in her exalted position as the Mother of God, she is the best possible creature we can ask to pray for us.” (Page 90)

“According to the Catholic Church, God restored to Mary the innocence of Eve before the Fall, and filled her with grace, in order to prepare her for her unspeakably sublime, sanctified task as the Mother of God the Son. Why should He not do so?” (Page 29)

“Persons and places are ‘set aside’ for God’s holy purposes. They are consecrated. Mary was perpetually a virgin not because sexuality is ‘bad’ but because consecrated virginity is higher, and being the Mother of God is higher still.” (Page 51)

“The intent of the repetitions of the Hail Mary prayer is to form a sort of ‘background music,’ so to speak, to the meditations on (mostly) the life of Jesus.” (Page 91)

Product Details

• Title: “The Catholic Mary”: Quite Contrary to the Bible?
• Author: Dave Armstrong
• Publisher: Dave Armstrong
• Print Publication Date: 2010
• Logos Release Date: 2012
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint › Biblical teaching
• Resource ID: LLS:CTHLCMRYQTCNTRR
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T19:32:24Z

About Dave Armstrong

David Armstrong is a Catholic apologist and author (convert from evangelical Protestantism in 1991). His conversion story is in Surprised by Truth (1994). He has been published in The Catholic Answer, This Rock, Envoy, and other periodicals. His many radio appearances include “Catholic Answers Live” and “Faith & Family Live.”