Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Careers, Workplace and Religion
Mary and Christmas

Mary and Christmas

Last updated on: December 8, 2025 at 8:35 am by William Droel

0 Comments

Mary and Christmas 2025-12-08T08:35:18-06:00 William Droel

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Mary Christmas by Bill Droel

Who invented Christmas? Over the years several people have contributed their variations to the Christmas season—St. Nicholas, St. Francis of Assisi, Charles Dickens and others. However from the Bethlehem stable to today’s observance, Our Blessed Lady is the best answer to the question.

The gospel writers leave us with scant details about Jesus’ mother, Mary. Yet because Christians have long been attracted to her, they have supplemented the gospels with their own memories and legends, with many titles, a few doctrines, with apparitions and devotional feasts and with images.

Christians draw upon an ancient document for a fuller story of Mary, though often unaware of the source. The document is The Protoevangelium of James sometimes called the Gospel of James or the Infancy Gospel or the Birth of Mary. It probably dates from 150 AD. Early copies of the original text still exist.

Though each of the books of the New Testament underwent inclusion tests, The Gospel of James did not make the canonical cut. Nonetheless, assertions in The Gospel of James support Christian doctrine. For example, The Gospel of James upholds the virgin birth of Jesus, an accepted teaching among nearly all Christians. It also affirms the perpetual virginity of Mary, which many Christians accept as doctrine. The Gospel of James is also one source for some liturgical feasts, including that of Jesus’ grandparents, Joachim and Anne.

Further, The Gospel of James is a source for the Immaculate Conception doctrine. Many Christians wrongly conflate Immaculate Conception with the Virgin Birth. A way to put it: Immaculate Conception pertains to Joachim and Anne who conceived a daughter who lived sinlessly. Whereas the Virgin Birth refers to Mary’s delivery of Jesus.

Interestingly, Islam shares Marian doctrines with Christianity. Mary (Maryam bin Imran), though giving birth to Jesus (Isa bin Maryam), was a virgin, says the Holy Qur’an. Further, most Muslims have no problem with Immaculate Conception because the prophet Mary was a pure vehicle for conveying the will of God.

Dogmatic arguments swirled around and through the early Christian church. Was Jesus only a spirit? Or was Jesus only human, an exceptional human? Was/Is Jesus divine, even though God is One? What is the proper language to use in dogmatic statements about Jesus? What is the Holy Spirit? As dogmatic formalities took precedence, common people turned their interest to Mary, the primary female metaphor for God, and to other saints.

Through the centuries, devotion to the saints added to the vibrancy of Christian spirituality. The danger with popular religiosity, however, is idolatry. Is the Christian worshiping Mary? Worse yet, is a Christian worshiping a statue or image of Mary? Honoring Mary can even drift into heresy when, for example, Mary is called a co-redeemer. The proper truth is that everyone’s redemption comes only through Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection.

After Vatican II (1962-1965) many Catholics cooled to Mary. Some of them thought she should be tested only by strict reason, the principles of biology, physics and the like. But fondness for Mary cannot be squashed. Affection cannot be reduced to scientific explanation nor limited to polite orderliness. In fact, Our Blessed Lady, the God Bearer, is making a 21st century comeback.

Christmas time is full of affection—gifts for family, friends, postal workers, teachers and librarians. It is a time for joyous songs in public places, for parties, special meals, marriage proposals and more. Christmas is a time for imagining peace and acting upon it. Christmas is for letting go of spiritual inhibitions. Christmas is Mary’s time. Hail Mary, the inventor of Christmas. “My spirit delights in God my Savior,” she says.

Droel edits INITIATIVES (PO Box 291102, Chicago, IL 60629), a printed newsletter about faith and work.

Home and Religion

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 2, 2025

Thanks for Immigrants

Next Post

January 29, 2026 The Church and the Political Machine

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Bill-I observe that subsidiarity/localism is actually a big issue. Some of the alienation that is ..."

Chicagoan

Localism

"l think that this commentary by Bill Droel offers a perspective that can help the ..."

Chicagoan

Turning To Politics

"Droel commits the sin of lying to the innocent and unable to defend themselves. He ..."

I Love Libertarians

Strikes

"I propose that the best way to help working class people in the US is ..."

bill wald

Extreme Capitalism

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 June 2021 May 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Nebuchadnezzar see inside the fiery furnace along with the three men?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A fourth figure like "a son of the gods" An angel with a sword A vision of his own kingdom A great cloud of smoke