A Christian Analysis of Rome's Marian Dogmas

Chapter 1

4. Mary’s Bodily Assumption into Heaven

Conclusion Contents -- 4 of 74 -- 4 I n Roman Catholic theology, there are four defined Marian dogmas: Mary as the Mother of God, her Perpetual Virginity, Immaculate Conception, and bodily Assumption into Heaven. These

Chapter 2

2. CCC 971; Pope Paul VI, Marialis Cultus 56, 02 Feb 1974.

-- 6 of 74 -- 6 A t the outset, it is necessary to clarify the basis on which matters such as these are to be examined. Rome maintains that the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church functions as an infallible judge i

Chapter 3

3. She is so embellished that she eclipses the true Mary and especially the person and work of Christ,

as Martyn Lloyd Jones described Roman Catholic apostasy, “it is not so much a matter of denial of the Truth, but rather such an addition to the Truth that eventually it becomes a departure from it.” (The Roman Catholic C

Chapter 4

1. Theologians call this way of speaking about the two natures of Christ in relation to his Person, the

Communication of Properties (Communicatio Idiomatum). This doctrine is expressed in Westminster Confession 8.7, “Christ, in the work of mediation, acteth according to both natures; by each nature doing that which is prop

Chapter 5

7. It is often the case that ignorant Evangelicals may not know the history of this phrase, nor

understand the communication of properties, and therefore object to calling Mary “the mother of God.” But this does not automatically make them Nestorian nor mean that they deny the divinity of Christ. John Davenant call

Chapter 6

11. E.g. “Mary is honored in the Church with special reverence. Indeed, from most ancient times the

Blessed Virgin Mary has been venerated under the title of 'God-bearer.' In all perils and needs, the faithful have fled prayerfully to her protection." (Pope John Paul II, RM 42). “Mary's role in the mystery of Christ an

Chapter 7

13. R.C. Sproul, Are We Together? A Protestant Analyzes Roman Catholicism, p. 104. Indeed,

Haffner openly admits and thoroughly argues that “Mary's Motherhood, did not however stop with the mystery of the Incarnation, but continued on in Christ's earthly life…Mary's maternal participation in Her Son's sacrific

Chapter 8

14. R.C. Sproul, Are We Together? A Protestant Analyzes Roman Catholicism, p. 115.

15. “Honorandi ergo sunt propter imitationem, non adorandi propter religionem.” (Augustine, Of True Religion, ch. 55, § 108; p. 102). 16. "Although recognizing the special role of Mary in the incarnation of the Son, the

Chapter 9

1. When Rome professes Mary’s perpetual virginity, it does not only

include her bodily virginity, but also what they call “virginity of the senses,” -- 23 of 74 -- 23 that is, that she was completely free of concupiscence. 19 Thus, for the Church of Rome today, the dogma of perpetual v

Chapter 10

2. When Roman dogma states that she remained a virgin “even in the act of

giving birth,” they allege that she, being sinless, and not under the curse of Eve (Gen 3:16), was immune to the pangs of childbearing and that her reproductive organs did not undergo the physical changes that ordinarily

Chapter 11

12. Contrary to the notion of a painless supernatural birth, verse 2 states

“she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.” Assuming for the sake of argument Mary is the Woman described, this would undermine a key aspect of Rome’s dogma of perpetual virginity and M

Chapter 12

1. It is also problematic to suggest that the mere physical presence of Christ

left an indelible mark of holiness on Mary’s womb such that Joseph could -- 25 of 74 -- 25 not be intimate with his wife without dishonoring her and God. As Aquinas argued, “this error” of believing Mary had marital re

Chapter 13

2. Rome commonly argues from Mary’s response to the angel’s

announcement, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34), that she had taken a vow of virginity and was therefore morally incapable of consummating her marriage with Joseph. 33 One biblical exegete respond

Chapter 14

3. It took a little while into the Reformation before Christians became more comfortable departing

from PVM or thinking of Mary and Joseph as an actual married couple being intimate. I counted 16 confessions that allude to Mary’s perpetual virginity, out of the total 127 in the 4 volume “Reformed Confessions of the 16

Chapter 15

5. In response to the argument that Jesus being the “firstborn” implies more children see Matthew

Henry’s commentary on Matthew 1:25. On texts referring to Jesus’ brothers and sisters, see William -- 29 of 74 -- 29 Perkins on Galatians 1:19 (Commentary on Galatians, Works 2.64). On Matthew 1:25, that Joseph "knew h

Chapter 16

7. Regarding the “great disturbances” and copious debates in church history about Mary’s perpetual

virginity, John Calvin wrote: "Let us rest satisfied with this, that no just and well-grounded inference can be drawn from these words of the Evangelist as to what took place after the birth of Christ… What took place af

Chapter 17

8. Turretin likewise states, “This is not expressly declared in Scripture, but yet is piously believed

with human faith from the consent of the ancient church” (IET XIII.xi.21, vol. 2, p. 345). And William Perkins, “we make not this opinion any article of our belief” (A Golden Chain, ch. 18, Works VI, p. 54). And Richard

Chapter 18

15. This principle was traditionally expressed as, “theologia symbolica non est argumentativa.”

Symbolic theology is not the basis of argument. “Theology that is the result of symbolical or allegorical reasoning cannot provide the foundation or presupposition of a new argument. Proper argumentation begins from simp

Chapter 19

17. E.g. The Coming Home Network International, The Protestant Reformers on Mary (YouTube).

Matt Fradd, Protestant "Reformers" PRAISE The Virgin Mary (YouTube). Notice also how they -- 30 of 74 -- 30 use statements from very early in the Reformation when the Reformers themselves were still evaluating Roman ac

Chapter 20

20. Paul Haffner, The Mystery of Mary (2004), p. 134. Cf. CCC 493-4. “The unique privilege of the

Immaculate Conception influenced the whole development of the spiritual life of the young woman of Nazareth. Filled with the Lord's exceptional gifts from the beginning of her life, Mary was oriented to a total gift of s

Chapter 21

22. Docetism is the heresy that Jesus was not fully human, but superhuman or spiritual and not

physical; it often included the idea that Jesus was born through Mary rather than from her. “Tertullian, in his attempt to counter the doctrine of Docetists, Marcionites and Gnostics, who all undermined the humanity of C

Chapter 22

26. Mary “in giving birth did not lose her virginity, inasmuch as it cannot be lost or injured except by

intercourse with a man.” (Petrus Van Mastricht, Theoretical-Practical Theology 1.5.10.9, vol. 4, p. 301). In the mid-twentieth century, several Roman theologians sought to revise Rome's in partu doctrine by affirming an

Chapter 23

29. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica III Q. 28, A. 3. Regrettably, even some Reformed

theologians in an effort to be irenic, fell into similar views: “It is probable that the womb in which our Savior received the auspices of life (whence he entered into the world, as from a temple) was so consecrated and

Chapter 24

37. Although, the plain reading of Scripture, the obligations of marriage (1 Cor 7), and the baseless

& superstitious reasons for perpetual virginity may most naturally lead one to surmise that her marriage after Jesus’ birth was no different than any other marriage. -- 33 of 74 -- 33 T Dogma Defined by Rome he Immacul

Chapter 25

1. Pope Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus (1854). “Through the centuries the Church has become ever more

aware that Mary, ‘full of grace’ through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854: ‘The most Blessed Virgin Ma

Chapter 26

4. Reformation Heritage Study Bible, note on Luke 1:28. Huldrych Zwingli, following Erasmus,

likewise corrected the Latin translation with the original Greek and the analogy of faith: “Here you should notice that the phrase ‘full of grace’ is the translation of the Greek word kecharitōmenē, which means ‘beloved’

Chapter 27

8. William Perkins, The Problem of Forged Catholicism, Works VII, pp. 397-399. Perkins cites

Augustine, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Eusebius of Emesa, Maximus, Bede, Remigius of Auxerre, Anselm, Rupert of Deutz, Peter Lombard, Bernard of Clairvaux, Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas, Antoninus of Florence, Nicholas of Lyra, J

Chapter 28

13. Some attempt to argue that Mary's doubt didn't constitute sin. Gavin Ortlund explains why that

is not the case: 1. Origen links Mary's being scandalized with the Apostles being scandalized, e.g. Peter's denial of Christ. 2. Origen states that Mary's doubt is a reason why Jesus had to die for her sins, quoting Roma

Chapter 29

17. For example, Aquinas states that just as Jeremiah and John were regenerated in the womb (Jer

1:5; Luke 1:15), so was Mary (Summa Theologica III Q. 27, A. 1), which is speculative and not able to be proved from Scripture. Also, he denied that Mary committed any actual sins (ST III Q. 27, A. 4). This is not just a

Chapter 30

18. In addition to Thomas Aquinas, William Perkins cites Bonaventure, Cajetan, Anthony of Padua,

Alexander of Hales, Hugo of Saint Victor, Richard of Saint Victor, John Capreolus, Albertus Magnus, Gregory of Riminy, Durandus of Saint-Pourçain, Bartolomé de Medina, and “very many Dominicans," concluding, “So that it

Chapter 31

21. E.g. Augustine wrote that Jesus was “begotten and conceived, then, without any indulgence of

carnal lust, and therefore bringing with Him no original sin…” (Enchiridion 41, NPNF 1-3.251). Herman Witsius quotes Cocceius & Cloppenburg debating this particular aspect (Economy of the Covenants 2.4.11, vol. 1, p. 197

Chapter 32

23. E.g. Girolamo Zanchi gives a fourfold causation of Jesus’ sinless conception: From the 1) efficient

cause, the Holy Spirit without the seed of a man; 2) the matter from which, the prepared and sanctified substance of Mary; 3) the person in whom, the divine person of the Son, “This nature was conceived, not outside the

Chapter 33

25. Joshua Mazrin, Is Mary Still Mediatrix of Graces?, Catholic Answers, 06 Nov. 2025. "This

motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfilment of a

Chapter 34

27. Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis Christi, “The Mystical Body of Christ” (1943), section 110.

28. “The Hebrew pronoun (hu’) is masculine. For some reason, the reading “she” (ipsa) came into the Latin Vulgate rendering of Gen. 3:15 instead of the masculine “he” (ipse), leading some medieval and Roman Catholic writ

Chapter 35

30. Joel Beeke, Systematic Theology vol. 2, ch. 51.

-- 48 of 74 -- 48 T Dogma Defined by Rome he doctrine of Mary’s bodily assumption into heaven teaches that, at the end of her earthly life, she was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, as reflected in the followi

Chapter 36

1. The Assumption of Mary is not just a quaint theoretical belief for

Roman Catholics, it demands their devotion and piety, and obligates them to religiously observe many rituals unto her. Pope Francis urged that “devotion to Mary is not spiritual etiquette; it is a requirement of the Chri

Chapter 37

2. The Vatican has repeatedly claimed that Mary’s assumption serves as a

pledge or surety for believers of our future glorification and resurrection: “Belief in Mary's bodily Assumption into heaven will make our belief in our own resurrection stronger and render it more effective.” 39 “just a

Chapter 38

3. It is held that since Mary was assumed bodily into Heaven, she can now

appear to people on earth. Roman Apologist Robert Sungenis states "She was given a mission from God to communicate God's message directly to the people on earth. If her body had not been assumed into Heaven, she could no

Chapter 39

7. Gavin Ortlund, What It Means To Be Protestant, pp. 169-170. See also his YouTube video essay,

Why Mary’s Assumption Is Indefensible (17 Aug 2023). “Although this exegesis would subsequently become quite popular and has endured even to this day, there is no evidence of its existence before Epiphanius. On the contr

Chapter 40

8. Ortlund footnotes about the celestial imagery: “There are too many passages like this to cite, but

G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999), 625–31, gives a fuller list, noting in particular the usage of sun and moon imagery in some cases, such as Song of Solom

Chapter 41

14. Westminster Confession of Faith 32.1-2.

15. “That general sentence pronounced upon Adam and all Adam's seed, must needs also take place in the virgin Mary, ‘Thou art dust, and to dust shalt thou return’ (Genesis 3:19). Christ only is excepted, and that by the

Chapter 42

23. Stephen J. Shoemaker, The Ancient Traditions of the Virgin Mary's Dormition and Assumption

(Oxford University Press, 2006), p. 285. Gavin Ortlund likewise writes, “The fact that the earliest attestation of the bodily assumption comes in a Gnostic text has led many scholars to conclude the assumption is a heter

Chapter 43

30. The Romanist appeal to texts describing the saints ruling with Christ (e.g. Matt 19:28; 1 Cor 6:2-

3; Rev 3:21; 5:10) is a false analogy because Mary’s alleged heavenly rule is qualitatively different and supereminently above the capacity of a mere creature, let alone anything described in Scripture for the people of

Chapter 44

33. William Perkins likewise sees this as idolatrous: “The virgin Mary made a goddess. The Roman

false gods are two. The first is the virgin Mary, whom the pretended catholics of this time, of a saint make a goddess, for they call her the ‘queen of heaven, the queen of the world, our Lady the mother of grace and mer

Chapter 45

35. The General Roman Calendar contains 18 feasts dedicated to Mary, three of which are “holy

days of obligation,” meaning that Roman Catholics are conscientiously obliged under pain of mortal sin to attend Mass and refrain from unnecessary servile work (cf. Feast Days of Mary, Marians of the Immaculate Conceptio

Chapter 46

41. Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Letter on certain questions regarding

Eschatology (Recentiores Episcoporum Synodi) (17 May 1979), 6. The SCDF was the Roman Curia’s supreme doctrinal body (successor to the Inquisition founded in 1542 to persecute Protestantism) charged with safeguarding and

Chapter 47

45. Timothy Kauffman, Quite Contrary: A Biblical Reconsideration of the Apparitions of Mary, part

2, pp. 75-104. Much of Kauffman’s analysis aligns with William Perkins’ assessment of the apparition of Mary at Loreto, Italy, in which he gives six arguments that “she is made a goddess, being worshipped with the very s

Chapter 48

46. Demonstrating how Rome is possessed by the spirit of antichrist, see William Perkins: Rome

Denies the Mediatorial Offices of Christ; and Francis Turretin: How Rome Denies The Father And The Son. 47. “Men, on account of their perversity and the curiosity of their enmity toward God, want to recognize the truth t