Mariology - Don Bosco Utume

Purpose of the Course: The overall aim of this course is to introduce the students to the Blessed Virgin Mary’s role in God’s plan of salvation, prolonged in the Church today.

Learning outcome: At the end of the course the student will have gained a greater understanding and appreciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s figure and role in the Scriptures especially in the New Testament. He/she will also acquire an in-depth grasp of the content and brief history of the Marian Dogmas as well as her place in liturgy, devotion and spirituality.

He would have the foundations necessary to promote a healthy devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Community where he will be living and ministering.

Table of Contents

1.      The Blessed Virgin Mary in the Scriptures

1.1.  In the Old Testament – Prophecies, Figures and Symbols

1.2.1. In the Prophecies

1.2.2. Figures of Mary

1.2.3. Marian Symbols

1.2.  In the New Testament

1.2.1. Letters of Paul

1.2.2 Gospel of Mark

1.2.3. Mary in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke-Acts

1.2.4. Mary in the Gospel of John

1.2.5. Mary in the Book of Revelation

1.2.6. Concluding Remarks

2.      The Blessed Virgin Mary in the Church’s Tradition (The Marian Heritage of the Early Church)

2.1. The early Fathers of the Second Century [Ignatius, Justin, Irenaeus]

2.2. Mary in the apocryphal writings

2.3. The Image of Mary in the African Fathers and Tertullian

2.4. From Nicea to Constantinople - The Great Western Theologians

2.5. The Jerusalemites: Cyril and Hesychius

2.6. The Cappadocian Theologians: Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianz, Amplilochius of Iconium

2.7. The Antiocheans: Theodore of Mopsuestia and John Chrysostom

2.8. Cyril of Alexandria (370/380-444 AD)

2.9. Ephrem of Syria (306-373 AD)

2.10. Fathers and Teachers from the Fifth to the Eighth Century

3.      Mary in Church’s Doctrine

3.1. Mary’s Divine Motherhood: Theotókos

3.2. Mary’s Perpetual Virginity

3.3. The Immaculate Conception

3.4. The Assumption of Mary

3.5. Mary as Mediatress of Graces

4. Mary in Liturgy and Devotion

4.1. From Lumen Gentium to Marialis Cultus

4.2. From Marialis Cultus to Redemptoris Mater

4.3. Mary in the Liturgical Year

4.4. Marian Devotions

4.4. The Three stages of “True Devotion” (de Montfort)

4.5. Mary in the Life of Priests and Consecrated souls