The Mystery of Mary

THE Blessed Virgin Mary stands at the heart of the Christian tradition. She holds a unique place in the Church's theology, doctrine and devotion, commensurate with her unique position in human history as the Mother of God. Over the centuries much has been written about every aspect of Our Lady's life and work, and their theological implications: a systematic text on Our Lady helps us to share in the joy of study and re¿ection on Mary's being and action in the economy of Salvation. In this book, Dr Paul Haffner offers a clear and structured overview of theology and doctrine concerning Mary, set in a historical perspective. He outlines the basic scheme of what constitutes Mariology, set in the context of other forms of theological enquiry, and, working through the contribution of Holy Scripture-in the Old Testament forms of prefiguration and the New Testament witness, he proceeds to examine each of the fundamental doctrines that the Church teaches about Our Lady. From the Immaculate Conception to Mary's continuing Motherhood in the Church as Mediatrix of all graces, the reader will find here a sure and steady guide, faithful to tradition and offering a realist perspective, not reducing the concrete aspects of Mary's gifts and privileges to mere symbols on the one hand, and not confusing doctrine and devotionalism on the other. The Mystery of Mary, with a foreword by Dom Duarte, Duke of Braganza, was published to celebrate the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the definition by Pope Blessed Pius IX of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady. This book is now published in a revised edition describing recent developments in Mariology.