Read ill-legalism's interview with the author Scot McKnight
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Mary? Really. A
Review of The Real Mary: Why Evangelical |
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The book is divided into three sections. Part I, making up the bulk of the book, takes us through a historical look at Mary throughout scripture. Part II devotes three chapters to the ongoing life of Mary in the church, explaining the origins of much of Roman Catholic tradition and dogma surrounding Mary. McKnight treats this topic with respect, pointing out the essential presuppositions that mark the divide between Catholics and Protestants on the subject of Mary. The fact that the book is published by Paraclete Press is ample evidence of his even-handed, courteous treatment of Catholics. His charitable approach is a refreshing tonic to the often vituperative animosity commonly found in Evangelical writing. Part III, consisting of a single chapter, summarizes the crux of McKnight’s theme - that Evangelicals need to reclaim at least what the Bible says about Mary. To be honest, we are likely to hear more sermons about “Doubting Thomas” of whom much less was recorded in scripture, than we are of the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. Heresy is sometimes defined as truth out of balance. Evangelicals recognize that Mary has received a disproportionate amount of emphasis in the Roman Catholic church with relation to her mention in scripture. However, instead of giving a proportional emphasis to her role in the gospel narrative, many Evangelicals de-emphasize her almost to invisibility, mentioning her only during the holiday season. I cannot recall ever hearing a sermon taken from or examining the Magnificat. Attempting to correct Roman Catholic excesses, Evangelicals may have erred in the other extreme. McKnight attempts to return balance to the discussion by placing Mary back into perspective as part of the story of Jesus. I applaud his efforts in this regard and would recommend this book for that purpose. The book is neither a scholarly examination of the place of Mary, nor an adoring paean extolling her virtues, although the scholarship and respectful treatment behind the text are obvious. This is an easy book to read, intended for a popular audience and well suited to reflection on what it was like to be a young mother of the Messiah in a dangerous world. By humanizing the account of the gospels, McKnight takes us beyond the encrustation of centuries of tradition to look at the flesh-and-blood person who was the mother of our Lord. Indeed, we can join with Mary in her Magnificat praising the God who saw fit to reveal himself in human flesh in the person of Messiah Jesus for the purpose of delivering the world from its sins. Beyond that, McKnight advocates the collective church setting aside a Mary Day to reflect on the life of Mary and the meaning of her impact on the Church. Personally, I am disinclined to support such because we lack days dedicated to Paul, Peter, James and others of whom the Bible says more. However, for those who would benefit from the discipline of reflecting on the importance and influence of Bible characters at set times, McKnight provides a helpful guide. Indeed, he includes a comprehensive list of scriptures, suggestions for reflection, prayers, and hymns at the back of the book for this purpose. Perhaps it is time that all of us took a moment to reflect on what it means to yield ourselves, as Mary did, to the call of God in our lives. By Rick Presley |
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