Abstract

ABSTRACT

The Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – A Theological Study of the Historical Development of the Doctrine.

On December 8, 1854, under the pontificate of the blessed Pope Pius IX, the Catholic Church declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. According to it, because of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God was preserved from all stain of original sin from the first moment of her conception.

The pious belief in the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception has constantly existed throughout the Church’s history. The Church Fathers from the apostolic and patristic period have shown a remarkable and consistent devotion to this doctrine, especially amongst the early Greek Fathers. In their writings, the patristic Fathers considered the Blessed Virgin as the New Eve (or the Second Eve) whose destiny had been foretold in the Holy Scripture (Genesis 3:15) and who had been preserved from any stain of original sin with supreme holiness and purity.

The theological debate on this doctrine reached a new height in the Medieval period where several prominent doctors and theologians expressed their supporting as well as opposing opinions to the doctrine. During this time, John Duns Scotus (1266-1308) had emerged as the most passionate defender of the doctrine and his bold theological defense was seen as the decisive turning point advancing the Church’s gradual acceptance of the doctrine in the subsequent centuries. Scotus’ defense is principally based on the doctrine of the Absolute Primacy of Christ which asserts that Jesus Christ is able to mediate for His Mother the fullness of grace by preserving her from contracting the original sin from the first moment of her conception.

After Scotus for almost 5 centuries, the Church continued to navigate in resolving conflicting opinions and to intervene at the essential moments of history which culminates in the official declaration of the dogma in 1854.