The Virgin Mary (book)
Encyclopedia
The Virgin Mary: The Roman Catholic Marian Doctrine is the English title of Italian
Protestant theologian Giovanni Miegge
's 1950 work La vergine Maria: Saggio di storia del dogma. In the original Italian language
it has gone through four printings, the most recent in 2008.
's 1947–8 Mariologia. It touches on a variety of doctrinal points, including the idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary
, then turns to the uses of terms referring to Mary, including "Mother of God" and "Queen of Heaven
". Georges A. Barrois of Princeton Theological Seminary
sees it as an attempt to find out the time and place when Roman Catholic doctrine "became inconsistent with the spirit or with the patterns of thought of original Christianity".
, and published in 1956 by Westminster Press
. Reviewers present differing viewpoints on the quality of Smith's translation. Robert M. Grant of the University of Chicago
praised it, with the exception of minor errors such as the plural "apocrypha" where singular "apocryphon
" should be used instead, and referring to the Society of Jesus
as the "Company of Jesus". However, Eamon Carroll of The Catholic University of America
was much more critical, describing it as "full of failures to express the sense of the Italian at all". In particular he criticises a passage in which a declarative statement of Saint Leo the Great (Pope Leo I
) was made into an interrogative in translation, completely inverting the meaning, and the frequent mistranslations by way of false friend
s.
The French translation, by Jacqueline Tadjer-Orenpo, was published in 1961.
, particularly in his interpretation of Mark 3
: 31–35 and John 19: 25–27, where he states that Mary is "rebuked" by Jesus. Similarly, Miegge argues that Roman Catholic theologians "read too much" into the words of the angel Gabriel
to Mary in Luke 1
: 28 (the Annunciation
), an assessment with which Barrois agrees; however, Barrois also states that Miegge seems to put too little weight on these words. Carroll, himself a Catholic who admits that he is disposed to disagree with Miegge's analysis, praises the clarity with which Miegge analyses Catholic and Protestant differences in their conception of Christianity, but evaluated his description of Catholic Marian belief and practise as "often far removed from reality". It was also reviewed in the International Review of Mission and The New York Times
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Protestant theologian Giovanni Miegge
Giovanni Miegge
Giovanni Miegge was an Italian Protestant theologian and author on religious issues. He was professor of theology at the Waldensian school of theology in Rome, Italy....
's 1950 work La vergine Maria: Saggio di storia del dogma. In the original Italian language
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
it has gone through four printings, the most recent in 2008.
Overview
The book presents, in chronological order, the development of Roman Catholic Mariology. It is primarily a critique from a Protestant viewpoint of Gabriel RoschiniGabriel Roschini
Gabriel M. Roschini, O.S.M. , was a Roman Catholic Italian priest and professor of Mariology, who published over 900 titles on Mariology. During the pontificate of Pope Pius XII, he worked closely with the Vatican on Marian publications....
's 1947–8 Mariologia. It touches on a variety of doctrinal points, including the idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary
Perpetual virginity of Mary
The doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary, expresses the Virgin Mary's "real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to Jesus the Son of God made Man"...
, then turns to the uses of terms referring to Mary, including "Mother of God" and "Queen of Heaven
Queen of Heaven
Queen of Heaven is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary by Christians, mainly of the Roman Catholic Church, and also, to some extent, in the Anglican, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox churches, to whom the title is a consequence of the Council of Ephesus in the fifth century, where the Virgin...
". Georges A. Barrois of Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary is a theological seminary of the Presbyterian Church located in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey in the United States...
sees it as an attempt to find out the time and place when Roman Catholic doctrine "became inconsistent with the spirit or with the patterns of thought of original Christianity".
Translations
The book was translated into English by Waldo Smith, with an added foreword by John A. MackayJohn A. Mackay
John A. Mackay was a Presbyterian theologian, missionary, and educator. He was a strong advocate of the Ecumenical Movement and World Christianity.-Early life and education:...
, and published in 1956 by Westminster Press
Westminster John Knox
Westminster John Knox is in Louisville, Kentucky and is part of Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, the publishing arm of the Louisville, Kentucky based Presbyterian Church . Their publishing focus is on books in:-History:...
. Reviewers present differing viewpoints on the quality of Smith's translation. Robert M. Grant of the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
praised it, with the exception of minor errors such as the plural "apocrypha" where singular "apocryphon
Apocryphon
"Apocryphon" , plural apocrypha, was a Greek term for a genre of Jewish and Early Christian writings that were meant to impart "secret teachings" or gnosis that could not be publicly taught...
" should be used instead, and referring to the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
as the "Company of Jesus". However, Eamon Carroll of The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
was much more critical, describing it as "full of failures to express the sense of the Italian at all". In particular he criticises a passage in which a declarative statement of Saint Leo the Great (Pope Leo I
Pope Leo I
Pope Leo I was pope from September 29, 440 to his death.He was an Italian aristocrat, and is the first pope of the Catholic Church to have been called "the Great". He is perhaps best known for having met Attila the Hun in 452, persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy...
) was made into an interrogative in translation, completely inverting the meaning, and the frequent mistranslations by way of false friend
False friend
False friends are pairs of words or phrases in two languages or dialects that look or sound similar, but differ in meaning....
s.
The French translation, by Jacqueline Tadjer-Orenpo, was published in 1961.
Reviews
Miegge comes in for criticism from Barrois for his scriptural exegesisExegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
, particularly in his interpretation of Mark 3
Mark 3
Mark 3 is the third chapter of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It contains a conflict over healing on the Sabbath, Jesus' calling of the Twelve Apostles, and his conflicts with some scribes and his own family.- Healings :...
: 31–35 and John 19: 25–27, where he states that Mary is "rebuked" by Jesus. Similarly, Miegge argues that Roman Catholic theologians "read too much" into the words of the angel Gabriel
Gabriel
In Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is an Archangel who typically serves as a messenger to humans from God.He first appears in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke Gabriel foretells the births of both John the Baptist and of Jesus...
to Mary in Luke 1
Luke 1
Luke 1 is the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It describes the events leading up to the birth of Jesus. It is written to Theophilus, who could be a real person or could simply mean a fellow Christian as theo philus is Greek for God lover...
: 28 (the Annunciation
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
), an assessment with which Barrois agrees; however, Barrois also states that Miegge seems to put too little weight on these words. Carroll, himself a Catholic who admits that he is disposed to disagree with Miegge's analysis, praises the clarity with which Miegge analyses Catholic and Protestant differences in their conception of Christianity, but evaluated his description of Catholic Marian belief and practise as "often far removed from reality". It was also reviewed in the International Review of Mission and The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
.
Editions
.-
- Second edition 1959. .
- Third edition 1982, with preface by Alfredo Sonelli. .....