The "Debate Over Mary's Role" article (Front Page, Sunday Dec 21) seemed to accurately reflect what many Catholic leaders say they feel about Mary's role as Co-matrix, but was incomplete in it's definition of the difference between what Catholics and Protestants believe about her. Belief in Mary as a mediator of any sort creates an impossibly unbridgable gulf between Catholicism, and what Protestants refer to as "Biblical" Christianity. I own a copy of a Catholic Bible, along with my Protestant versions - all translations are plain in saying that only Jesus intercedes on behalf of the church.

1 Timothy 2:5 says, "For there is one God, and one mediator between man and God, the man Christ Jesus... (KJV)". My Catholic Edition (published by Memorial Bibles Int'l, Inc and "approved by" the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the U.S. Catholic Conference) contains the same scripture, rendered "For there is one God. There is one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus..."

Jesus' atoning death on the cross provides direct access to the "throne room" of God for all who believe in him, without the need for a further mediator or intercessor. To pray to Mary, or any other "saint" is not only unnecessary, but in direct opposition to what all Bibles teach about Jesus' distinct role as mediator, and especially what they teach about whom to pray to. Jesus taught that our prayers would be answered if offered in His name (John 14:13-14).

For this topic, it is not enough to stop at merely pointing out that Jesus is the only mediator for humanity mentioned in the Bible. To accurately portray the reasons for the gulf between Catholicism and Protestantism, I must also point out that Protestants who have studied this believe prayer to Mary is actually sin. Not only is prayer to Mary, or saints, neither mentioned or encouraged in the Bible, but further study shows that doing so is actually listed among the different types of witchcraft. Deuteronomy chapter 18 (Catholic Bible) says to not become, or to consult with, a fortune-teller, soothsayer, diviner, spell-caster, "... nor one who consults ghosts and spirits or seeks oracles from the dead. Anyone who does these things is an abomination to the Lord... (Deut 18:9-12)" Prayer, or talking, to any person, good or bad, saint or sinner, who is no longer living, is Biblically referred to as necromancy, a type of sorcery.

While it could be feebly argued that Christian saints are not dead, but in Heaven, therefore talking to them is not technically witchcraft, it must be noted that they are as dead as those now in Hades, and all are pending final judgment (Rev 20:11-15). Only Jesus has raised from the dead and obtained the resurrection body that all believers are eventually promised. Those in heaven are still awaiting the resurrection (1 Thess. 4:16), and are as dead as one gets, or as 1 Cor 15:51 says, "asleep."

As stated in the article Sunday, nowhere does the Bible state that Mary ascended before dying, but the Bible does state that both Enoch and Elijah did so (Gen 5:21 and 2 Kings 2:11) and we don't pray to them, nor assign them special status; if they were mentioned in the Bible as having ascended, would not Mary's ascension be important enough to mention? According to the Bible, it never happened, and neither her, nor Joseph's death, are recorded in the New Testament. We must assume that they died, or assume that anybody not specifically stated as dying ascended, which would be absurd. Even trying to argue that it is not witchcraft to pray to these saints does not change the fact that the Bible says that only Christ is our mediator.

The gulf between Catholicism and Protestantism is not merely a question of semantics. This issue boils down to sorcery and idolatry, and grows from there. Catholics who pray to saints are guilty of the sin of necromancy, and should repent. To place the very human Mary as co-redeemer would be in violation of the 2nd and 3rd Commandments (Exodus 20), and the current Pope is wise avoid such an action. The Protestant view is that Mary, Peter, Paul and all others are included in the "all" from Romans 3:23, "...all have sinned, and are deprived of the glory of God." While Mary was obedient to God's calling on her life, and I am grateful that she was, she was a sinner saved by grace like the rest of us. She is no more deserving of special status than millions who obey God's calling for their life, whether that means martyrdom, pastoring, missions work, or going through with an "unplanned" pregnancy. Catholic leaders would do well to turn their flocks away from saints such as Mary, and back toward the risen Jesus, instead of leaving him on a cross and giving his glory to others.

Guy Malone - author, Come Sail Away: UFO Phenomenon and the Bible
PO BOX 291926 Nashville TN 37229-1926
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