"All generations shall call you Blessed."
I don't think it's wrong to do that.
It pleases me to see you acknowledge the rightness of calling the mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ, Blessed Mary - albeit by way of a double negative statement about it not being wrong to obey what holy scripture teaches Christians to do.
But that does NOT mean that ERGO it is a dogmatic fact what Mary uniquely was conceived without original sin.
Blessed Mary was not conceived without original sin. That is an error in thinking on your part. Blessed Mary was conceived without stain of original sin. The former is an absurdity the latter is what the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary says. "
We declare, pronounce and define that the doctrine which asserts
that the Blessed Virgin Mary,
from the first moment of her conception,
by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God, and
in view of the merits of Jesus Christ,
Saviour of the human race,
was preserved free from every stain of original sin is a doctrine revealed by God and, for this reason, must be firmly and constantly believed by all the faithful"
The Bible says no such thing.
This thread is about what the early church fathers had to say about Blessed Mary's sinlessness. The bible implies this doctrine just as the bible implies the dogma of the Blessed and Most Holy Trinity without stating it. But this thread is not about what the bible says on the matter it is about what the Church Fathers say.
Mary's Sinlessness
Early Christian belief always associated Mary with Jesus in the divine plan. The Patristic writers referred to Mary as the "new Eve," who cooperated with Christ, the "new Adam." In the writings of Justin the Martyr (165 A.D.), Irenaeus (202 A.D.), Ephraem of Syria (403 A.D.), Cyril of Jerusalem (348 A.D.), Jerome (420 A.D.), Augustine (430 A.D.), Epiphanius of Salamis (403 A.D.), and John Chrysostom (407 A.D.), Mary is portrayed as bringing life (Christ) into the world, whereas Eve brought death, and Mary's humility and obedience is contrasted with Eve's pride and disobedience.
Mary's sinlessness in general was undisputed by early Christian writers. St. Ambrose (430 A.D.) wrote, ". . . Mary, a Virgin not only undefiled but a virgin whom grace has made inviolate, free of every stain." Concerning Our Blessed Lady, St. Augustine declared, "I wish to have absolutely no question when treating of sin." St. Ephraem, in a poem addressed to Christ, penned "Thou and thy mother are alone in this—you are wholly beautiful in every respect. There is in thee, Lord, no stain, nor any spot in thy Mother." In praise of Mary, he wrote, "My Lady most holy, all-pure, all-immaculate, all-stainless, all-undefiled, all-incorrupt, all-inviolate . . . spotless robe of Him who clothes himself with light as with a garment . . . flower unfading, purple woven by God, alone most immaculate!"
St. Proclus (446 A.D.), Patriarch of Constantinople, wrote, "Mary is the heavenly orb of a new creation, in whom the Sun of justice, ever shining, has vanished from her soul all the night of sin." St. John Damascene spoke of Mary as "preserved without stain." Although agreeing that Mary was sinless in her behavior, the Church Fathers were divided on the question of her inheritance of original sin. Even the great Thomas Aquinas (1274 A.D.) could not resolve the issue; it remained for John Duns Scotus (1308 A.D.) to propose a "preservative redemption" rather than a "restorative redemption" for Mary. The Church took the decisive step on December 8, 1854, when Peter's successor, the venerable Pope Pius IX, infallibly defined the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. It was by this title that, four years later, Mary identified herself to St. Bernadette at Lourdes. And, in 1954, the first Marian Year was occasioned by the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of this beautiful truth. (See
http://www.ewtn.com/library/answers/FR90203.htm )
Apostolic Tradition say no such thing.
In this claim "Apostolic Tradition say no such thing." you err. The quotes shown above are sufficient to show that you err in your claim.
A few individuals began to express that opinion in the 5th Century.
These early church fathers asserted Blessed Mary's sinlessness.
- Ambrose
- Augustine
- Basil
- Clement of Alexandria
- Cyril of Alexandria
- Cyril of Jerusalem
- Ephraim
- Gregory Nazianzen
- Hilary of Poitiers
- Jerome
- John Chrysostom
- Justin Martyr
- Leo I
- Origen
- Tertullian
- Theodoret
Several wrote in the third century AD, some in the second century AD, some in the fourth century AD, and some in the fifth century AD.
One denomination (the RCC) began to officially teach it in the 12th century. One denomination has made it doctrine, not until 1870 (the RCC). But while Mary can and should be called Blessed, that does not affirm that she was conceived without original sin (much less as dogma).
In the Catholic Church it is a dogma of the faith. In your Lutheran denomination it may not be. Many things that are true are not believed as doctrines of the faith in your Lutheran denomination.