The Immaculate Conception: A Protestant Evaluation

In this video Gavin Ortlund offers a Protestant appraisal of the Roman Catholic dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

Truth Unites exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth.

Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai.

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00:00 - Introduction
00:52 - Book Recommendation
01:43 - 1) Understanding the Immaculate Conception
04:42 - 2) Evaluating the Immaculate Conception
08:46 - Tertullian
09:20 - Origen
11:48 - Basil
12:31 - Hilary
12:55 - John Chrysostom
16:31 - Augustine
17:04 - Absence of Positive Testimony
19:02 - Summing up the Implications

[owensullivan]

Gavin Ortlund is someone who commands respect from those whom disagree with him, and this is largely due to his gentle and loving yet firm and assertive demeanor. Dr. Ortlund is a model by which we should consider approaching atheists, Jews, Muslims, and members of opposing denominations regarding Christianity.

[elisharp]

As a Protestant I have somehow always assumed the immaculate conception referred only to the virgin birth. I did not know this was a catholic doctrine. Thanks for the explanation! You had me worried when I clicked on the thumbnail!

[johnrevelation]

I found your channel a few days ago as a Protestant Lutherans considering the Marian dogmas. Thank you for showing the history from a true Protestant view. God bless you and anyone reading this that loves the Lord Jesus Christ ❤

[davidlarson]

I am thankful for your consistent perspectives related to these types of controversies. Your videos always educate me in important issues that I had never considered. May The Lord bless you and keep you.

[Mereosity]

Good evaluation, Gavin. It can be easy to assume a lot of prominent historic beliefs were always embraced unanimously until the time of the reformers, especially since that is what so many are being told. When a lot of times, in depth study of the fathers suggest some of these beliefs were later developments in Christian thought. Our recent video on the reformers' view of a self-authenticating canon digs into some of these misconceptions.

[brianetheredge]

Thanks for the clear presentation of what the Immaculate Conception is, and...what it is NOT. Easiest thing in the world to hear "Immaculate Conception" and think "yeah, Mary was a virgin when she bore the Christ" and drop it there, but there's sooo much more (as there usually is when working with Catholicism).

Many prayers for you/yours/your church, and thanks again.

[jackross]

I’d love to see Gavin talk with Scott Hahn about Mary.

[TheophilusH]

man this was a wonderful video! i truly thank you for being so convicted in protestantism, and helping me and many others in our journeys

[rush]

The work put in is greatly appreciated, the infallible Marian dogma are three words I use a LOT these days

[BBassistChrist]

"Some people will try to respond to these passages by questioning their orthodoxy. ... As soon as they say something you like, you bring them back in."

-This is something I very recently experienced. I was in conversation with an Orthodox and he was arguing for the Perpetual Virginity of Mary. Two of his leading sources were the Proto-Evangelium of James and Jerome. I challenged the support of James on a scholarly basis and challenged Jerome on his rejection of James. Apparently, James is a reliable source that Mary was ever-virgin despite not being historically reliable, and Jerome is an infallible source despite rejecting another reliable source. He didn't understand the contradiction of his argument. And this is why Sola Scriptura is important.

[whiskeyhound]

I've been struggling to find a church where I feel like I can worship "correctly" for months now, and was leaning toward the RCC for a little while simply because of the magesterium. I had some misgivings about it at first, and was trying to find a way to quiet my objections and give myself over to the authority of the church on things with which I disagreed. These videos of yours helped me see that there was no reason to look at it that way, and for that alone, you have my thanks. I'm glad you do what you do, and just want you to know that I do think this is in fact important work you're doing. God bless.

[lmorter]

There's nothing in scripture that would suggest that our salvation depends on putting faith in Mary. Jesus is our sole Savior, High Priest, Mediator, Lord and King.

[HectorTheGr]

Thank you Gavin. You’re a blessing to me.

[mf]

Thanks Gavin for your beautiful work
Lord Jesus Christ bless you ❤

[jamestrotter]

The Biblical Mary would be appalled at all the false teaching that has been attached to her. She would tell us today, what she said to the servants at the wedding at Cana; "Do whatever He tells you."-Jn. 2:5, not whatever Popes and councils tell you.

[DrMarkich]

So good, Gavin! Thank you so much for this! I grew up as Eastern-Orthodox, I am a Protestant now and this material is blessing my heart. I knew that even if we dive into the church fathers, there’s so much to explain from our Eastern-Orthodox brothers.

This gives me so much interest and desire to study the church fathers myself.

[TinkerBell-btvu]

Wow I had no idea how much my Catholic School upbringing was influencing my life as a now Baptist Christian. I have been using the term "immaculate conception" referring to the virgin birth. And so when I first saw this video I was thinking "what's wrong with the immaculate conception?" But I am glad I know now that there is a difference between the immaculate conception and the virgin birth. That way, I won't also confuse others when I ever talk about it

[ClauGutierrezY]

What a great video brother. Measured and well argument as usual. Thank you!

[DuP]

So good Gavin! TY so much for your teachings!!

[kyleolson]

Some excellent points.
For anyone interested, here are some quotes from the Ante-Nicene Fathers collection. I have included the volume and page numbers for reference so you can verify and read them in context:
“Christ alone is sinless” - Clement of Alexandria 2.210,
Also from Clement: “For this Word of whom we speak alone is sinless. For sin is natural and common to all” 2.293, “I know of no one among men who is perfect in all things at once, as long as he is still human… The only exception is He alone who clothed Himself with humanity for us” 2.433.
Tertullian: “To the Son of God alone was it reserved to persevere to the end without sin” 3.244. Also, “God alone is without sin. And the only human without sin is Christ, since Christ is also God” 3.221.
Origin: “…it is impossible for a human to be without sin in that manner. In saying this, we except, of course, the man understood to be in Christ Jesus, who did not sin” 4.489.
Cyprian: “Let no one flatter himself with the notion of a pure and immaculate heart” 5.476. Also, “No one is without stain and without sin… In the Epistle of John, it says: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” 5.547.
Methodius: “No one can boast of being so free from sin as not even to have an evil thought” 6.365.
Lactantius: “No one can be without defect as long as he is burdened with a covering of flesh” 7.178.
Please verify these quotes for yourself. See what the earliest Christians believed in this, as well as other subjects.
May God bless you.