Originally Posted by Pilgrim
Originally Posted by john
Pilgrim,

What is your definition of perpetual virginity of Mary and what is your view concerning it? Are you saying that A) Mary's virginity with respect to Jesus or B) Mary's perpetual virginity even after Christ's birth is essential? From my reading, many of the Puritans/Reformers disagreed about this.
1. Perpetual virginity I understand to mean that Mary never had sexual relations with Joseph her husband nor any other man throughout her entire lifetime.

2. My view is that the assertion that Mary was a virgin throughout her entire lifetime is absurd and biblically untenable.

3. I do not think that on its face that the view that Mary was a perpetual virgin is essential. However, some of the reasons behind the doctrine are greatly contrived and the view itself is but a means to attempt to justify other even more pernicious doctrines. For example is the theory which is connected with the removal of Mary from the sphere of ordinary life and duties as too commonplace for one who is to be surrounded with the halo of a demi-god, and to be idealized in order to be worshipped.

4. Faith accepts the biblical passages which speak perspicuously of the family of Joseph and Mary, Jesus and his brothers and sisters.

Pilgrim,

Thanks. I agree as well. I asked because it was not clear from your original quote what you were indicating concerning the idea. I still find it interesting that a number of the initial reformers seem to agree with perpetual virginity or at least not to disagree with it. I suppose this was due to the influence of their times.

John