Speaking the Truth in Love to Catholics Concerning Their Views on Mary

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to help Lutheran pastors and lay people better understand why Roman Catholics view Mary in such high regard, and what we can do in order to reach out to them. Most people do not understand why or how Catholics began to incorporate Mary into their discussions as an important person in their theology. This thesis will examine the biblical passages that mention Mary and see how the Bible portrays her. It will look at some heretical writings such as the Pseudepigrapha and what they say about Mary. This thesis will examine the early roots of Mariology, and why the early church fathers used Mary in order to defend orthodox teaching. It will look at how Martin Luther corrected the abuses that entered the church concerning Mary. Finally, the thesis will focus on how we could use this knowledge and help not only fellow Lutherans understand Mary but also reach out to Catholics concerning their views about Mary.