A reader asks a question about what the role of the Virgin Mary is in Anglican theology. The answer, of course, is "Yes." Anglicans take a wide variety of opinions on the role of Mary. Some largely ignore her, while others have devotion that rivals Medieval catholicism. Let's look at the closest thing we have to an official document on the matter, "Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ," which is an agreed statement issued in 2005 by the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission.
"Among all the saints, Mary takes her place as Theotókos (God Bearer - this goes back to the First Council of Ephesus in 431) - ed.): alive in Christ, she abides with the one she bore, still ‘highly favoured’ in the communion of grace and hope, the exemplar of redeemed humanity,an icon of the Church. Consequently she is believed to exercise a distinctive ministry of assisting others through her active prayer. Many Christians reading the Cana account continue to hear Mary instruct them, “Do whatever he tells you”, and are confident that she draws the attention of her son to their needs: “they have no wine”(John 2:1-12). Many experience a sense of empathy and solidarity with Mary, especially at key points when the account of her life echoes theirs, for example the acceptance of vocation, the scandal of her pregnancy, the improvised surroundings of her labour, giving birth, and fleeing as a refugee. Portrayals of Mary standing at the foot of the cross, and the traditional portrayal of her receiving the crucified body of Jesus (the Pietà), evoke the particular suffering ofa mother at the death of her child. Anglicans and Roman Catholics alike are drawn to the mother of Christ, as a figure of tenderness and compassion." (p. 71)
There are many Anglican Evangelicals that would take issue with the statement that she "exercises a distinctive ministry of assisting others through her active prayer." They would most likely insist that she, as well as all of the other faithful departed, rests in peace until the second coming.
On the other hand, there are many Anglican Anglo-Catholics who would be happy to affirm the two Marian dogmas promulgated by the Roman Catholic church. The first is the Assumption, being that Mary was assumed bodily into heaven (see Mary, Mary!). The second is the Immaculate Conception, which has nothing to do with the virgin birth of Jesus, but has to do with the idea that Mary herself was born without original sin (See Humility, Shame and Guilt).
Historic Anglicanism generally claims that all things that are not explicitly contained in Scripture are up for debate and careful decision in the councils of the church. To quote Article VI of the Articles of Religion:
"Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby,is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation."
Therefore, since the role of Mary is not explicitly spelled out in scripture, no position either pro or con on the Marian doctrines should be made "Dogmatic" (required belief.) Neither should Marian prayer be required or prohibited, although we certainly believe that we have direct access to Christ.
Therefore, in most Anglican worship, devotion to Mary tends to be private instead of public. Generally, the various Books of Common Prayer do not have Marian devotions in them, although variant versions such as the Manual of Anglo-Catholic Devotion do. In a few parishes and in many of our monasteries Marian prayers and musical settings of the Angelus, Regina Coeli, and Salve Regina are a regular part of worship.
So the answer really is "Yes." When talking about devotion to Mary in Anglicanism, one must use the classic dictum, "All may, none must, some should."
FrDavid+
Recent Comments