Doctrine of Virginity of Mary - Different Points of View

Doctrine of Virginity of Mary - Different Points of View

The Virgin Mary is revered and honored throughout the Christian faith.
In the 14th century a shift in Theology occurred over the ideology of the Virgin Mary.
The Marian Doctrines, which are the Immaculate Conception Doctrine and the Assumption Doctrine are two areas where a majority of fundamentalist's part in theology from the Roman Catholic Church.

Tenneva Jordan, noted author, once was quoted as stating; "a mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." The sacrifices that mothers in general make for their children are numerous; yet alone if you were THE mother of Christ. The Virgin Mary is honored throughout Christianity, but has also caused many bitter years in history over her accurate place in Theology.
Historians agree that Mary was the daughter of Joachim and Ann. Scripture suggest that she was related to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. Many scholars agree that she most likely grew up in Nazareth. Her parents had chosen, Joseph of Nazareth for her to marry around the age of fourteen or fifteen. Soon after this engagement, the Archangel Gabriel, came to Mary to announce that she would bear a child, and he was to be the Son of God. Scripture explains that the conception of the child was through the Holy Spirit that was sent by the Father God himself.
At this point is where theology began to part between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. The core of the disagreement is over the concept of original sin. The source of debate regarding Mary occurs with the Marian Doctrines, which refer to the Immaculate Conception Doctrine and the Assumption Doctrine.
During the 14th century, theologians began to differ with the concept of original sin. The Immaculate Conception Doctrine states that Mary was conceived just like that of any other human, but without the stain of original sin. Roman Catholic theology believes that she was saved from original sin by God's grace from the moment of her existence, and this continued throughout her entire life. Part of this could be attributed to the fact that early theologians believed that original sin was actually passed to a child from the parent at the physical moment of conception.
The Orthodox Theology views original sin that every human being has a share in the guilt of Adam's sin and disobedience to God from the moment of conception. The main crux is that people are born with the shared responsibility and also through human nature of personal sin. Every human being will suffer and then die. There is no belief that at the moment of conception the original sin is physically transferred to the infant. The concept of original sin is more a spiritual matter verses that of a physical matter. Orthodox Theology believes that Mary was born with original sin, but remained unstained by the grace of God. Another note of significant difference is that the Orthodox Church views the Immaculate Conception Doctrine as placing Mary apart from the rest of mankind. By doing this, and making her free of original sin then the belief is that there is no way that Christ could have been truly become man. Christ had become Incarnate to save God's children. In order for this to occur, then Mary would have had to be the same as the people Christ came to save, not set apart from.
In regards to the theology of the Assumption of Mary there is also a difference in Theology. The Roman Catholic belief is that at the end of Mary's death she was assumed, body and soul, into Heaven much like that of Enoch and Elijah. The Orthodox belief is that Mary died a natural death, and three days later she arose much like that of Christ and was greeted into Heaven by Christ himself.
Undeniably, no matter which theology one adheres to, Mary was touched by God and held the highest honor ever given to mankind, to rock in her arms the Son of God!

SOURCES:
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