Difference between revisions of "Immaculate Conception"

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The Roman Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854, states that "in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin."

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated on 8th December.

Immaculate Conception is often erroneously linked to the Conception of Jesus rather than Mary. Jesus would have had no need for an Immaculate Conception, given his deity. Mary, however, being human, was given the grace of perfection to serve as the vessel of the Lord.

Protestant positions on this topic differ immensely. They believe Mary to be a normal human being, a sinner, who was used by God to bring Christ into the world. This is a reasonable point of view given the lack biblical support of Mary being "exempt from all stain of original sin."

Pertinent Scripture texts demolish the Roman principle:

"For ther is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all..." I Tim. 2:5-6

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23 (emphasis added)

"And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin." I John 3:5 (emphasis added)

"If we say that we have no sin, we decive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. I John 1:8

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12

These passages allow the possibility that not even Mary could have been without blemish, making a well-grounded opposition to the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.

External links

• Immaculate Conception The Catholic Encyclopedia.