Four questions about Mary

Four quite brief, if curious, questions posed by members of the inter-faith seminary, and my responses to them:

Question: Are there any ways in which Sophia, Wisdom, is represented in ways that are like Mother Mary and/or Mary Magdalene?

Sophia, the personification of Divine Wisdom, which itself is called the 'light of creation' is described (Sirach 14.20-15.3) as coming out 'like a mother' to meet those who have sought her and who 'fear the Lord' and master God's law. She will receive them 'like a young bride' and give them the 'bread of understanding' and the 'water of wisdom'. The qualities possessed by Sophia include strength, assertiveness, creativity, a sense of justice, and an ability to nurture. Very importantly, she is described as seeing herself as coming from God and taking root among God's people.

Mary, mother of Jesus, was a young bride, who gave birth to and nurtured Jesus throughout his childhood, remained present during his ministry, despite his statements of apparent rejection which are included in the gospels, and gave a nudge in his direction at the wedding at Cana-in-Galilee when the wine ran out. We don't know if she was with Jesus and his followers during the events of Holy Week, but it is recorded that she watched him die. She displays courage, faith, hope, thoughtfulness (in her 'ponderings'), protectiveness, normal maternal anxieties, and steadfastness.

Mary Magdalene is believed to have been one of the closest of Jesus' immediate circle, to whom he displayed affection/love. The gospel of Philip (59.6-11) records that there were three women who "always walked with the master: Mary his mother, his sister, and Mary of Magdala, who is called his companion; for Mary is the name of his sister, his mother, and his companion". By anointing Jesus at Bethany, Mary Magdalene displays a greater, perhaps more intuitive, understanding of what is happening than his other disciples. She too is present in Jerusalem, at the crucifixion, and is the first to go to the tomb, running to tell the others what she finds – who have to check it out for themselves. She displays a willingness to take risks and to face down ridicule, and absolute loyalty and trust in Jesus, for whom she poured out her most precious possession, the oil of nard. She was brave in the face not only of her male colleagues and peers but also in the context of the Roman authorities.

Sophia might thus be seen as being like both the Marys in so far as all three embrace their chosen roles, are strong and assertive, and are willing to take the risks of love.

Question: How might the image of the influential Mother Mary at the wedding at Cana-in-Galilee affect the world around us?

According to the story about the wedding at Cana-in-Galilee, Mother Mary, who was there with her son (and some say it was actually his own wedding to Mary the Magdalene) saw clearly what the people needed, what was running out: she identified the problem. Then she identified what was needed to resolve the problem and who could do this. And finally she went to that person (Jesus), told them the situation, told others to obey that person, but left it to that person to make their own decision as to whether to act or not.

Mary thus demonstrated the powers of observation, of analysis, of perception, of communication, and of diplomacy. She also put other people's needs ahead of her own, being willing to act for their benefit, regardless of how this might affect her or how she might be perceived, such as bossy or interfering, which is implicit in the response Jesus is said to have initially made: Woman, what has that to do with me?

And if, at the wedding, she acted at least in part to prompt the beginning of her son's public ministry (his first miracle) which would lead to his death, then she shows courage and resolve and love as well as personal confidence, and a long-term perspective as well as a short-term one.

Many people are preoccupied with the short-term, and with their own needs and desires. If more people acted as Mary did, taking her as a role model, then the long view would be more important, leadership would depend on the qualities the person possesses, not on their bank-balance or their cronies, and we would all set aside what others might think of us, and get on with doing what we know to be the right thing.

Question: Throughout the history of the Christian church, God the Creator has always been regarded, or at least described, as male. Does the existence of a masculine divine force prove the existence of a feminine divine force?

In fact, God has not quite always been regarded as exclusively male...

… but you are right that that has been the predominant view.

I don't think it makes sense to think of God as either male and female, nor as both, and nor as neither! I believe that the Divine is beyond gender. However, I do believe that the Divine, and our relationship with the Divine, encompasses both male and female.

The concept of a masculine divine force, God the Father, has dominated exoteric Christianity for centuries, but that neither proves nor disproves the existence of the feminine divine force, God the Mother. Male and Female are what we know, what we are (albeit complicated by the 'sliding scale' of our femininity/masculinity) therefore we are inclined to make, or at least perceive, God in our own image, as male and/or female. It makes God more personal, more approachable, more relatable, if we think of the Divine as Him or Her - or, given the terrible damage that this unbalanced view causes, Him and Her. But God is neither only male nor only female; nor is God male and female: God is so much greater than we can ever imagine.

We need to remember - if this is what we believe - that it is we who are created in God's image, not vice versa, and this is not simply a matter of gender, and even less of sexuality, but of creativity, of compassion, and of care.

Question: How has the church defined Mother Mary, and why? And what ill-effects as this had on Christians and on our de facto Christian western culture.

In apocryphal documents, Mary is often referred to as a Temple Virgin. These hierodules were in no way prostitutes but rather were priestesses and/or those women dedicated to work in the Temple, who, after their time of service, were often given in marriage to respected men of the community (such as Joseph?). Mary is said to have worked at the Temple as a weaver, having been presented there by her parents at the age of three.

However, the church/churches have defined and venerate Mary as a Virgin, in the sense of someone who is and always has been celibate, and subject to an 'immaculate conception'. It has been denied that Jesus' brothers and sisters were born to Mary, suggesting they were Joseph's children by a former, deceased wife. This image of Mary is thus very unbalanced, negating her sexuality, and effectively contributing to the division of women into 'virgins' or 'whores'. This in turn contributes to an unbalanced understanding of male & female, has allowed men to dominate within the Church and within western society, and has justified the suppression of women and of feminine qualities and abilities to the point of horrific damage to individuals and to our societies.