What Did the Early Church Believe About Mary? (w/ Mike Aquilina)

I'm joined by prolific author, speaker, and podcaster Mike Aquilina to talk about Mary.

What did the Early Church believe about Mary? What was her role in Christian history leading up to the Reformation? And how should we properly understand the Mother of God?

This is a great discussion for non-Catholic Christians and Catholics alike.

[ubemon]

Awesome interview. I was raised a Catholic, went to Catholic school, even got confirmed, but I wasn't Catechized well. So when I started reading the Bible for myself, I concluded that the Catholic Church was unbiblical, left and became a Born Again Protestant.

After seven years of Evangelicalism, I left the faith and became an agnostic until the start of this year, when I felt drawn back to Jesus.

Now, I'm at a point where I want to follow Jesus but don't know which church to be a part of. Do I go to one of the thousands of Protestant churches that don't agree with each other, or do I come back home to Rome?

I'm leaning more towards the Catholic Church mainly because of the Church Fathers, but there are still dogmas that I feel so uncomfortable accepting---Mary being one of them. This video helped to debunk a lot of my reservations about Mary's role in the Catholic Church. So thank you.

[nathanalex]

Such a great conversation on Our Lady, I’m sure she’s pleased by this and her Son is too with the reverence and gratitude we give to His one of His many graces. Ave Maria

[KenKopelson]

When anyone consecrates themself to Mary, what they are doing is signing up for her to become their #1 and most powerful disciple making teacher. They are enrolling in her training to become a true Saint of Jesus Christ in the quickest and more efficient way.

[peterfloyd]

Amazingly rich in content. Maybe what’s even better is the tonic of cordiality. That cordiality is almost impossible to find in our polarized, acrimonious, bitter dialogue nowadays. Chesterton had that cordiality—and today I stumble upon it again in this video. Thank you.

[tonyl]

Good stuff. Even I'm hearing some new stuff when he talks about Constantine and Julian the Apostate. I'd be interested to know where that is documented.
Brant Pitre's book on the Jewish roots of Mary is also very good.

[tonyl]

"For Eve, who was a virgin and undefiled, having conceived the word of the serpent, brought forth disobedience and death. But the Virgin Mary received faith and joy, when the angel Gabriel announced the good tidings to her that the Spirit of the Lord would come upon her, and the power of the Highest would overshadow her: wherefore also the Holy Thing begotten of her is the Son of God; and she replied, ‘Be it unto me according to thy word.’ And by her has He been born, to whom we have proved so many Scriptures refer, and by whom God destroys both the serpent and those angels and men who are like him; but works deliverance from death to those who repent of their wickedness and believe upon Him." -Justin Martyr in 2nd century (Dialogue with Trypho)

[tonyl]

"In accordance with this design, Mary the Virgin is found obedient, saying, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) But Eve was disobedient; for she did not obey when as yet she was a virgin. And even as she, having indeed a husband, Adam, but being nevertheless as yet a virgin…having become disobedient, was made the cause of death, both to herself and to the entire human race; so also did Mary, having a man betrothed [to her], and being nevertheless a virgin, by yielding obedience, become the *cause of salvation, both to herself and the whole human race….* And thus also it was that *the knot of Eve’s disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary.* For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did *the virgin Mary set free through faith.* " -Irenaeus of Lyon (Against Heresies, 3, 22, 4) in the 2nd century

[KenKopelson]

I see Mary as the GREATEST, MOST ADVANCED, #1 disciple of Jesus Christ. She was the first disciple. She is the most advanced disciple. All of her power, gifting, authority, is exactly the same things all Saints have, only she has the greatest level of it all. She has great power at exorcisms because she is the great executor of the authority that Jesus gave, when he said his disciples had the authority to trample on scorpions and snakes, and to have authority over ALL the power of the enemy. Mary has ZERO ability to be fooled by Satan and demons, so she is the perfect exorcist, just like Jesus was. All the same goes for things like miracles, answers to prayer, intercession, etc. Whatever any Christian can do, she can do, only she does them the BEST.

[tonyl]

Jimmy Akin apparently doesn't believe the Tilma is miraculous. He may stir up people if he ever does an episode on it.

[KenKopelson]

Why say the Rosary was not given to Dominic by Mary herself, where she told him that the people need to "pray her Psalter"? Are we saying that St. Dominic lied or made the story up? What is that based on?

[cbooth]

Jesus' apostles were among the earliest Christians. They believed that...

1. Mary was the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. (Luke 1:31, 35) On the other hand, Catholics believe Mary was the mother of God.

2. only Jesus' Father, Yahweh, should be prayed to. (Matt. 6:6, 9; Ex. 3:15) On the other hand, Catholics believe they can pray to Mary.

3. only the Father should be worshiped. (John 4:23) On the other hand, Catholics believe they can worship Mary along with a fictional triune deity.