Mary in the Plan of God and in the Communion of the Saints

Book excerpt: "Mary the mother of Jesus Christ, has always been a stumbling block to understanding among divided Christians. Many Protestants have believed that the Marian devotions practiced by Catholics detract from the centrality of Jesus himself. To Catholics, the dilution of Mary's role in the history of salvation by Protestants has come across as harsh and even unscriptural." "The Dombes Group in south cental France, comprised of Roman Catholic and Reformed scholars, has taken a fresh look at the place of Mary in Christian faith and concluded that she has been more the victim than the cause of discord. The participants found themselves "at one" in their acceptance of the virginal conception and motherhood of Mary. At the same time, the group reminded their coreligionists of areas where both sides still need to be "converted" to authentic Christianity. While warning against the excesses of goddess-theology, they nevertheless concluded that Mary exemplifies "the decisive and perfect example of the Yes which Christian faith must utter.""--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved