The document summarizes the historical search for Mary, the mother of Jesus. It discusses what she may have looked like and how she lived based on the culture and times. It then outlines the development of Marian doctrines like the Perpetual Virgin, Mother of God, Immaculate Conception, and Assumption. Key figures like Ambrose, Augustine, and Anselm of Canterbury shaped the understanding of Mary as the perfect, sinless woman who is the channel of grace and intercessor for humanity.

1. O Sister, Where Art Thou?
Part Seven

2. The Search for the Historical Mary
“The Virgin Mary is a shibboleth.
Whatever one thinks of Jesus, it is
impossible to be neutral about her place
in Christian doctrine and devotion...
Either she is the Woman seen
and foreseen in the Scriptures
to become the Mother of God
or she is a later historical
invention who distracts from
the singularity of Christ.”

3. The Search for the Historical Mary
The Gospels focus on Jesus.
In the Book of Acts she is among the
disciples.

4. The Search for the Historical Mary
“A young peasant girl, probably less than
five feet tall, with glossy black hair oiled
and parted in the center, the center parting
painted with red or purple dye. She’d have
been robust, sturdy, with plump little breasts
and strong brown hands callused from work.
There were heavy gold earrings swinging
from her ear lobes – an important part of her
dowry, so they’d be as flashy as her family
could manage. There might be a gold nose-
ring as well, though you’re unlikely to see
this on any statue of the Virgin.

5. The Search for the Historical Mary
She could talk the leg off an iron pot. Being
able to talk well has always been a valued
skill among Jews.
Women in rural communities like the town of
Nazareth did not read. It was unnecessary.
The language she spoke was Aramaic. ...she spoke it with a broad
Galilean accent, disdained by the sophisticated Jerusalemites.
Mary lived in an extended family. There were
at least eight or ten people sharing the house.”
womeninthebible.net

6. The Search for the Historical Mary
The Early Church Fathers focused on Jesus, not Mary.

7. Protoevangelium of James (145)

8. Protoevangelium of James (145)
Miracles about Mary
Miraculous birth
Raised in the Temple

9. Protoevangelium of James (145)
“And he (Joachim) placed her on the
third step of the alter, and the Lord
God put grace upon the child, and
she danced for joy with her feet, and
the whole house of Israel loved her.
And her parents went down
wondering, praising and glorifying
the almighty God because the child
did not turn back. And Mary was in
the Temple nurtured like a dove and
received food from the hand of an
angel.”

10. Protoevangelium of James (145)
Betrothed to Joseph
The manger in a cave
A Virgin Birth
The Midwives

11. The Passing of Mary (3rd century)

12. The Passing of Mary
Domitian Narratives
The Book of Mary’s Repose
(3rd century)
Six Books Apocryphon
(4th century-600)
Obsequies of the Holy Virgin
(4th century)
Transitus Mariae
(5th century)

13. The Passing of Mary
Basis Plot
“Queen of all the saints and apostles”
Mary performs miracles
An angel announces Mary’s death
Disciples gather
Jesus appears to receive Mary’s soul
Her body is transferred to heaven

14. The Passing of Mary
The Assumption of Mary
The doctrine of the Assumption
states that, “at the end of her life
on earth Mary was assumed,
body and soul, into heaven, just
as Enoch, Elijah...”

15. The Passing of Mary
The Assumption of Mary
The doctrine of the Assumption
states that, “at the end of her life
on earth Mary was assumed,
body and soul, into heaven, just
as Enoch, Elijah...”
Note: It does not state that she
did not die!

16. The Passing of Mary
The Assumption of Mary
Rome holds the bodies and
tombs of Peter and Paul.
Where are the remains of Mary?

17. The Ever-Virgin
Protoevangelium of James (Sure)
Tertullian (No)
Irenaeus & Origen (Yes)
Fourth Century

18. The Ever-Virgin
John Chrysostom
“When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the
disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith
unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Then saith he to the disciple, Behold, thy
mother! And from that hour the disciple took
her unto his own [home].”

19. The Ever-Virgin
Augustine
Mary “remained a virgin in conceiving her
Son, a virgin in giving birth to Him, a virgin
in carrying Him, a virgin in nursing Him at
her breast, always a virgin”.

20. The Second Eve

21. The Second Eve, Blaming Eve

22. The Second Eve, Blaming Eve
“…go about in humble garb… walking
about as Eve mourning and repentant, in
order that by every garb of penitence she
might be the more fully expiate that which
derives from Eve – the ignominy, I mean,
of the first sin, and the odium (attaching to
her as the cause) of human prediction… do
you not know that you are (each) an Eve?
The sentence of God on this sex of yours
lives in this age: the guilt must of necessity
live too. You are the devil’s gateway: you
are the unsealer of that (forbidden) tree...”

23. The Second Eve, Blaming Eve
“...with forethought, and knowingly she
(Eve) made her husband a participant in her
own wrong doing.”
Adam “fell by his wife’s fault, and not
because of his own.”
“The woman is responsible for the man’s
error and not vice versa.”

24. The Second Eve, Blaming Eve
“Whether it is in a wife or a mother, it is
still Eve (the temptress) that we must
beware of in any woman.”

25. The Second Eve. Saving Eve

26. The Second Eve. Saving Eve
“For Eve, being a virgin and undefiled,
having conceived the word from the
serpent, brought forth disobedience and
death.
The Virgin Mary, however, having received
faith and joy, when the angel Gabriel
announced to her the good tidings...
answered, Be it done to me as to thy word.”

27. The Second Eve. Saving Eve
“As the human race fell into bondage
through a virgin, so it is rescued by a
virgin.”
Mary is Eve’s advocate.

28. The Second Eve. Saving Eve
But Mary caused a new branch to sprout
forth from Eve, the ancient vine, and in
this the new life made its abode.”
“With the body from the Virgin he entered Sheol... and came to Eve,
the mother of all the living. She is the vine, whose wall the Evil
One pierced with her own hands and by whose fruit he made men
taste death. And Eve, the mother of all
the living, became the source of death for
all the living.
Ephrem of Syria
(306-373)

29. The Second Eve. Saving Eve

31. The Prefect Woman

32. The Prefect Woman
Saint Athanasius
(337- 397)
“Mary... was a pure virgin, with a
harmonious disposition... She did not want
to be seen by men... She remained
continually at home, living a retired life and
imitating a honeybee... She generously
distributed to the poor what was left from
the work of her hands... She prayed to God,
alone to alone, intent on two things: not to
let a bad thought take root in her heart and
to grow neither bold nor hard of heart... Her
speech was recollected and her voice was
low.”

33. The Prefect Woman
Saint Ambrose (337- 397)
“She is the gate of the sanctuary,
which no one shall pass, only the
God of Israel.
This gate is the Blessed Virgin Mary,
of whom it is written: ‘The Lord
shall pass through Her’ and it shall
be closed following the birth. For
she conceived as a Virgin and gave
birth as a Virgin”.

34. The Prefect Woman
Saint Ambrose (337- 397)
“Let, then, the life of Mary be as it
were virginity itself, set forth in a
likeness, from which, as from a
mirror, the appearance of chastity
and the form of virtue is reflected.
From this you may take your pattern
of life, showing, as an example, the
clear rules of virtue: what you have
to correct, to effect, and to hold
fast.”

35. The Prefect Woman
Saint Ambrose (337- 397)
“...a virgin not only in body but also in
mind...
...humble in heart, grave in speech,
prudent in mind, sparing of words,
studious in reading...
...intent on work, modest in discourse...
...good will to all... avoid boastfulness, to
follow reason, to love virtue.”

36. The Prefect Woman
Saint Ambrose (337- 397)
“When did she pain her parents even by a
look? When did she disagree with her
neighbors?
There was nothing gloomy in her eyes,
nothing forward in her words, nothing
unseemly in her acts, there was not a
silly movement, nor unrestrained step...
Why should I detail the sparseness of
food, her abundance of services...”

37. The Prefect Woman
Saint Ambrose (337- 397)
“...there were no seasons of slackness,
but days of fasting...
...yet when her body was sleeping her
soul was awake...
She was unaccustomed to go from home,
except for divine service, and this with
parents or kinsfolk. Busy in private at
home, accompanied by others abroad...”

38. The Prefect Woman
Saint Ambrose (337- 397)
“... found at home in privacy, without
companion... she did not desire any
women as companions...
Mary trembled being disturbed... at the
form of a man... a stranger as to men...
...her ears were modest and her eyes
bashful.
...she kept silence.”

39. The Prefect Woman
Saint Ambrose (337- 397)
“...for whatever she did is a lesson...
...her example alone is a lesson for all...
...imitate the pattern.”

40. The Prefect Woman
Saint Ambrose (337- 397)
“...for whatever she did is a lesson...
...her example alone is a lesson for all...
... imitate the pattern.”

41. Mother of God

42. Mother of God
Theotokos
(God-Bearer)

43. Council of Ephesus (431)

44. The Debate
Theotokos or Christotokos?
(Mother of God or Mother of Christ)
Cyril of Alexandria
(378-444)

45. The Debate
Mary is called Theotokos because she
brought forth after the flesh God
personally united to the flesh.
Mary is called Theotokos, not because
God had his beginning within her, but
that his holy body was born of her.
The flesh of Christ is the flesh of
God.
A hypostaitc union.
Cyril of Alexandria
(378-444)

46. The Debate
Mary is called Theotokos because she
brought forth after the flesh God
personally united to the flesh.
Mary is called Theotokos, not because
God had his beginning within her, but
that his holy body was born of her.
The flesh of Christ is the flesh of
God.
A hypostaitc union.
The Meaning of the Incarnation!
Cyril of Alexandria
(378-444)

48. The Channel of Grace

49. The Channel of Grace

50. The Channel of Grace
1. The Title of “Lady”
2. Focuses on the relationship between a
son and mother.
3. As Mother, she has partial
responsibility for human salvation.
4. Mary is the Mother of all recreated
things, including the Church.
5. Mary is the day to day link between
God and humanity.
Anselm of Canterbury (d. 1109)

51. The Channel of Grace
“If the storms of temptation arise, if you
crash against the rocks of tribulations,
look to the star, call upon Mary.”
Bernard of Clairvaux (d. 1153)

52. Immaculate Conception
“Hail Mary, full of grace.”
(Born Saved)
“The Immaculate Conception means
that Mary, whose conception was
brought about the normal way, was
conceived without original sin or its
stain.”

53. Immaculate Conception
“Hail Mary, full of grace.”
(Born Saved)
“She was therefore redeemed by the
grace of Christ, but in a special way—
by anticipation.”

54. Immaculate Conception
“Hail Mary, full of grace.”
(Born Saved)
“The doctrine of the Immaculate
Conception was officially defined by
Pope Pius IX in 1854.”

55. Immaculate Conception
“Hail Mary, full of grace.”
(Born Saved)
Objections
Tertullian (d. 240)
Origen (d. 253)
Basil (d. 379)
Bernard of Clairvoux (d. 1153)
Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274)

56. Immaculate Conception
“Hail Mary, full of grace.”
(Born Saved)
Early Advocates ?
The Angel Gabriel.
Augustine was close...
He held that Mary was sanctified
shortly after her conception.

57. Queen of Heaven

58. Queen of Heaven
Is Mary the Queen of Heaven?
She is the Mother of the Lord.
(Luke 1: 43)
Her son is called King.
(Matt 21: 5)

59. Queen of Heaven
Is Mary the Queen of Heaven?
John Damascene wrote,
“When she became mother of
the creator, she truly became
queen of every creature.”

60. Co-Redemptrix

61. Co-Redemptrix
1. She gave birth to Christ
2. Mediatrix, the Intercessory Role

62. The Meaning of Mary
What would it be like without
Mary?

63. The Meaning of Mary
What would it be like without
Mary?
1. She provided the Flesh of the
Incarnation.
2. Would women have been totally
excluded from the Church?

64. “From now on all generations will
call me blessed, for the Mighty One
has done great things for me.”