Table Of ContentLUIGI GAMBERO, S.M.
MARY
IN THE MIDDLE AGES
The Blessed Virgin Mary in the Thought of
Medieval Latin Theologians
Translated by Thomas Buffer
IGNATIUS PRESS SAN FRANCISCO
Title of the Italian original:
Maria nel pensiero dei teologi latini medievali
© 2000 Edizioni San Paolo, Milan
Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations (except those within citations)
have been taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible,
Catholic Edition. The Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible: the
Old Testament, <C> 1952; the Apocrypha, @ 1957; the New Testament,
@ 1946; Catholic Edition of the Old Testament, incorporating the Apocry
pha 0 1966; The Catholic Edition of the New Testament, CI 1965, by the
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America.
Cover art:
The Virgin Taking Leave of the Apostles
(detail from the Maesta altarpiece)
Duccio di Buoninsegna
© Scala / Art Resource, New York
Cover design by Roxanne Mei Lum
© 2005 by Ignatius Press, San Francisco
All rights reserved
ISBN 0-89870-845-1
Library of Congress Control Number 20031e05 173
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
Abbreviations IS
Introduction 17
READING: Mary's True Role in the Economy of Salvation 21
PART ONE
AUTHORS OF THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES
Seventh-Eleventh Centuries
Prologue 25
I ILDEPHONSUS OF TOLEDO (d. 667) 27
Invocation of the Virgin 28
Divine Motherhood 29
Ever-Virgin 29
The Blessed Virgin and Human Salvation 30
Consecration to the Blessed Virgin 3 I
READING: A Prayer Inspired by the Mystery of the Incarnation 32
READING: Consecration to the Virgin Mary 34
2 THE VENERABLE BE DE (d. 735) 36
Mary's Greatness 37
Virgin and Bride 38
Eve-Mary 38
Mary and the Church 39
Witness to Marian Devotion 40
READING: As It Was Fulfilled in Mary, May the Word of God
Also Be Fulfilled in Us 41
READING: Mary's Spirit of Humility and Service 41
3 AMBROSE AUTPERT (d. 781) 43
The Feast of the Purification of Mary 44
Mary Our Mother 45
The Sword of Simeon 45
The Feast of Mary's Assumption into Heaven 46
Mary, Worthy of Praise 47
Mary's Heavenly Intercession 47
Mary, Type of the Church 48
READING: Mary, Image of the Church 48
READING: Mary~ Greatness 49
4 THE CAROLINGIAN RENAISSANCE 51
5 PAUL THE DEACON (d. ca. 799) 53
Symbol and Reality in Exalting Mary 53
The Humble Virgin 54
Mary's Love for Jesus 55
Mary's Assumption into Heaven 56
The Virgin's Heavenly Mission 57
READING: The Heavenly Glory of the Mother of God 57
READING: Mary~ Mercy Extended to Human Creatures 58
6 ALCUIN (d. ca. 804) 60
Defender of Christological and Marian Dogma 61
Alcuin's Deep Personal Devotion to the Virgin 62
READING: The Virgin Mother of the Incarnate Word 64
READING: An Anonymous Prayer 65
7 RABANUS MAURUS (d. 856) 66
Mary in Messianic Prophecy 67
The Name of Mary 68
Summary of Rabanus Maurus' Marian Teaching 69
Mary's Glorification and Heavenly Mission 71
READING: Mary~ Humility in the Mystery of the Visitation 71
READING: Greatness of the Divine Motherhood 72
8 PASCHASIUS RADBERTUS (d. 865) 74
Controversy over Mary's Virginity during the
Birth of Christ 75
Mary's Assumption into Heaven 77
Marian Devotion 78
READING: The Glory of the Blessed Virgin in Heaven 80
9 FULBERT OF CHARTRES (do 1028) 81
The Woman of the Prophecies 82
Predestined from the Moment of Her Conception 83
The Star of the Sea 84
Mary's Power of Intercession 85
READING: The Woman Who Crushes the Serpent~ Head 86
READING: Mary~ Glory and Intercession in Heaven 87
10 THE CLUNIAC REFORM AND
MARIAN DEVOTION (Tenth Century) 88
Odo of Cluny (do cao 943) 88
Odilo of Cluny (do 1049) 89
Mary, Model of the Monk 90
The Blessed Virgin and Monastic Virtues 91
READING: Mary Appears to the Monk Converted by Gdo 93
READING: Mary~ Poverty 93
READING: Mary, Peifect Mirror of Holiness 94
II PETER DAMIAN (do 1072) 95
Outstanding Dignity and Perfection of the Mother of God 96
Eve's Curse and Mary's Blessing 97
The Mother of God and the Eucharist 98
Mary and the Church 99
Devotion to the Mother of the Lord 99
READING: The Entire History of Salvation Is Rtjlected in Mary 100
READING: Mary and John Assumed Bodily into Heaven 101
READING: Praise for the Greatness of the Mother of God 101
PART TWO
A GOLDEN PERIOD FOR MARIAN DOCTRINE
Twelfth Century
Prologue 105
I ANSELM OF CANTERBURY (do 1109) 109
The Problem of the Immaculate Conception 110
Marian Theology and Prayer to the Virgin III
Mary, Mother of All Believers 114
The Spiritual Inspiration of Anselm's Marian Teaching 114
READING: It VVtls Fitting That Christ Should Be Born of a Virgin 115
READING: Calling upon Mary for Salvation 115
2 EADMER OF CANTERBURY (do 1124) 117
Mary Preserved from Original Sin 118
Mary as Exalted Creature 119
Prayer to Mary 121
READING: Marys Role as Our Mother 122
READING: Marys Glory in the Ascension of Christ 123
3 RUPERT OF DEUTZ (do 1130) 124
The Problem of the Immaculate Conception 125
The Mystery of the Blessed Virgin, Bride of
the Eternal Father 125
Mary at the Foot of the Cross 126
Queen of Heaven and Earth 127
READING: Model of the Church 128
READING: The Kiss of God 129
READING: Mother of Us All 130
4 BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX (do 1153) 131
Mary in the Mystery of the Incarnation
133
Mary Stands between Christ and Humanity
135
Devotion to Mary
137
Mary and Original Sin
137
Mary's Assumption into Heaven 138
READING: The Name of Mary 139
READING: The Sword of Simeon 140
5 PETER THE VENERABLE (do 1156) 142
His Marian Piety
143
Faith and Devotion
144
Mary and the Holy Spirit
145
READING: In Honor of the Mother of the Lord 146
6 ARNOLD OF BONNEVAL (do after 1156)
Mary and Redemption
Mary in the Glory of God 151
READING: Mary and the Mystery of the Incarnation 152
READING: Mary on Calvary 153
7 AMADEUS OF LAUSANNE (do I I 59) 155
His Mariological Legacy 155
Mary between the Two Testaments 156
Mary and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit 157
Mary's Role in the Glory of God 160
READING: Mary in the Glory of God 160
READING: Our Helper and Mediatrix 161
8 AELRED OF RIEVAULX (do 1167) 162
Mary, the Ideal Creature 163
Assumed into Heaven 164
Mary's Mediation 165
Spiritual Mother 166
Devotion to Our Lady and Queen 167
READING: Sorrow at the Loss ofJ esus 168
READING: Mary, the Bride of Christ 169
9 ISAAC OF STELLA (do cao 1169) 170
An Ecclesiological Mariology 171
Mary, the Virgin Earth 171
Mary in the Mystical Body 172
The Motherhood of Mary and the Motherhood
of the Church 173
Mary in Heavenly Glory 173
READING: Mary and the Church Are One and the
Same Mother 175
READING: Mary Assumed into Heaven 175
10 PHILIP OF HARVENG (do 1I83) 177
Mary and Her Son 178
Assumed into the Glory of Heaven 179
Mary and the Church 180
The Virgin's Mediation in Heaven 181
Philip's Mariology 182
READING: Most Beautiful among All Women
READING: The Virgin's Love for the Most Wretched
II ALAIN DE LILLE (d. ca. 1203)
His Life and Works
The Commentary on the Song of Songs
Bride of Christ
Mary and the Church
The Ultimate Destiny of the Blessed Virgin
READING: The Four Virtues of the Incarnation
PART THREE
THE AGE OF SCHOLASTICISM
Thirteenth Century
Prologue
195
1 ANTHONY OF PADUA (d. 123 I) 197
The Evangelical Doctor
197
His Kerygmatic Mariology 198
The Virgin Mother of God
199
Mediatrix of Salvation and Grace 201
A Woman Filled with Gifts and Virtues 202
READING: The Virgin and the Allegory of the Bee 203
2 BONAVENTURE (d. 1274) 206
The Seraphic Doctor 206
His Marian Doctrine 207
Mary and the Incarnation 209
Mary's Mediation 210
Mary's Spiritual Motherhood 212
Devotion to Mary 213
READING: "Standing by the Cross ofJ esus" an 19:25) 213
3 CONRAD OF SAXONY (d. 1279) 216
Mary's Blessed Birth 217
Mary's Spiritual Beauty 218
Queen of Earth and Heaven 218
Mary's Intercession 219
READING: Mary's Wonderful Beauty 220
READING: The Humble Sweetness of the Mother of God 221
READING: The Exalted Dignity of the Mother of God 221
4 ALBERT THE GREAT (d. 1280) 222
A Great Son of St. Dominic 222
His Marian Doctrine 223
Mary's Immaculate Conception and Holiness 225
Mother and Spouse of Christ 226
The Virginity of the Mother of God 227
Mary Assumed into Heaven 228
Mary's Place in the Economy of Salvation 228
Mother of Men 230
Devotion to Mary 231
READING: Blessed Are You Because You Believed! 231
READING: The Virgin's Intervention at Cana 232
5 THOMAS AQUINAS (d. 1274) 234
Marian Doctor 234
His Marian Doctrine 235
ANew Mariological Perspective 236
The Sanctification of the Virgin 237
Mary and Salvation 239
READING: The Marriage between Mary and Joseph Was
a True Marriage 240
READING: The Body of Christ liVtls Formed from the
Most Pure Blood of Mary 241
READING: Mary Is Exempt from the Curses of Sin 242
6 JOHN DUNS SCOTUS (d. 1308) 243
Outline of His Life and Times 243
Scotus' Marian Doctrine 244
Mary's Motherhood 245
Mary's Virginity 247
The Virgin Is Preserved from Original Sin 248
READING: The Immaculate Conception and the Mediation
of Christ 251
PART FOUR
TOWARD NEW EXPRESSIONS
OF MARIAN FAITH AND DEVOTION
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries
Prologue 255
I RAYMUND LULL (d. 1315) 257
Lull and the Immaculate Conception 258
Mary's Divine Motherhood and Her Humility 259
Fullness of Grace 260
Trinity and Incarnation 260
of
READING: The Fruit Mary's Womb 262
2 UBERTINO OF CASALE (d. after 1325) 264
An Eventful Life 264
Mary in the Life of Jesus 265
Mary in the Mysteries of Jesus' Infancy 265
Mary in the Paschal Mystery 269
The Arbor Vitae, Witness to a Spirituality 271
READING: Jesus Teaches Us to Love His Mother 272
READING: Mary's Mission after the Resurrection of Her Son 273
3 BRIDGET OF SWEDEN (d. 1373) 275
Her Life and Writings 275
A Follower of the Franciscan School 276
Mary and Redemption 277
The Six Sorrows of the Mother of God 278
Mediatrix of Grace 279
READING: The Beauty of Mary's Son 279
READING: The Virgin Praises Her Husband,Joseph 280
4 JEAN GERSON (d. 1429) 281
A Difficult and Committed Life 281
Theological Prudence and Abundant Thought 283
Supporter of the Immaculate Conception 284
Mary's Role in the Work of Salvation 285
Mary's Greatness 287
