Mary and the Fathers of the Church: The Blessed Virgin Mary in Patristic Thought

by Luigi Gambero

Father Luigi Gambero, internationally-known expert on early Christianity, presents a comprehensive survey of the development of Marian doctrine and devotion during the first eight centuries. Focusing on the lives and works of over thirty of the most famous Church Fathers and early Christian writers, Fr. Gambero has produced a clear and readable summary of the richness of the patristic age's theological and devotional approach to the Mother of God.

The book contains numerous citations from the works of those men who developed the defining Christological and Mariological positions that have constituted the foundational doctrinal teaching of the Church. Each chapter concludes with an extended reading from the works of the patristic authors. A number of these texts have never before been published in English.

The thought of the Fathers and early Christian writers continues to fascinate readers today. Their theological acuity and spiritual depth led them faithfully into the mysteries of Sacred Scripture. Their vast experience made them reliable and trustworthy witnesses to the faith of the people of God.

Genres: Catholic, Religion, Theology, Christianity, Church History, Christian, History

439 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1999

Reviews

[Jack Smith]

This is a very well compiled survey of patristic writing on Mary. The author is commendably unbiased and readily admits where patristic thought is either altogether lacking, or in opposition to later teachings on Mary. This probably wasn’t the intention of the author - but after reading I came away more convinced of the Protestant convictions regarding Mary, than I was before I read this book.

[Monica Hull]

This book convinced me that those of us born as Protestants probably believe inaccurate things about Mary. It is highly likely that we don’t give her enough honor for who she really was and the massive gift that we received through her. However, going back to what was believed about her and written about her through the centuries, it seems that myths were developed around her that are held as truth. I’m not convinced that these myths are correct, especially the ones that were developed so late.

[Thomas Harrison]

 
 
To be forthright, I am a protestant, but the three stars which I have allotted do not have anything to do with the theology I subscribe to.

I wanted to read a well-written book from the perspective of the church fathers on Mary. Although each chapter was short, Gambero did a decent job recapitulating various church fathers' doctrine and writings on Mary. I thoroughly enjoyed his historical approach to the patristical ideas of Theotokos and Mary’s virginity before, during, and after the birth of Christ. Which, for my protestants, is a bit different than the doctrine of the perpetual virginity.

In the last few chapters, we finally get into the immaculate conception and just dip into her death and annunciation.

Now, what are my issues with Gambero’s writing? At times throughout the book, he, unfortunately, stretches what a church father says to fit Catholic dogma and teaching. I was often left scratching my head in incertitude regarding the theological link he was creating.
Frequently, a church father transcribed in defense of the virginity of Mary, for Christological reasons, and Gambero interpreted this as exaltation of Mary in place of Christ.

If you want a well-written volume on Mariology from the perspective of the fathers, then pick up this book. I would forewarn you that there will be a Catholic predilection, dare I say blind spot, and only a couple Marian dogmas are truly written about. I would read this book if you are inquisitive about the historicity of the virgin birth and how the early church interpreted this supernatural event. If you want to read about the early church’s teaching behind the immaculate conception, I would recommend looking elsewhere because Gambero does not touch on it much.

Perhaps, it is a great book on the immaculate conception, showing how little the early church and fathers themselves touched on the idea.
 

[Phillip Johnson]

Good overview. Would be an excellent reference for the thought of a specific father on Mary. As a whole, you can see the development of Marian doctrines over time, especially in the context of political events and theological debates, which the author alludes to. As a Catholic, the author makes no apology when hunting for evidences of Marian doctrines specific to the RCC. However, he is fair in his assessments - admitting when the evidence is pro, lacking, or even contra to the position of the RCC.

[Joshua Watson]

I have to say this was a very good introduction to Mariology from an honest and critical voice within the Latin Catholic church. I was very impressed that the author did not try to superimpose later doctrine into the early Church fathers but showed the natural development of what is now a complex Mariology within the Latin Church. I would highly recommend this book for anybody looking for a historical glance of how the Apostles and Patristic fathers viewed the Blessed Virgin Mary.

[Jordan Mills]

Overall, this was OK. It was really well-written, and enjoyable. However, in terms of the evidence of the development of Marine Dogma, specifically the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of Mary, I'm not that impressed.

[Ted]

I enjoyed reading the comments of the various fathers, especially the more ancient ones. Gambero's analysis of them is completely from the dogmatic point of view of the Roman Catholic Church, so he is at times dismayed that earlier fathers don't completely endorse later Catholic teaching on Mary. But reading the father's themselves offers a glimpse into the evolution of Marian thinking through the 2000 year history of the Church, East and West.

[Christian Barrett]

The Roman Catholic bias of Gambero is evident throughout the analysis of the early church texts pertaining to Mary. The dogmatic reading into ancient texts is difficult to parse through at times, and illustrates a lack of clarity in the ancient texts themselves and the existing commentary on the works.

[Bongeorgius]

Fr. Gambero does a good job at summarising the thoughts of individual Fathers concerning the person of the Virgin Mary, however, he does utilise a Catholic lens when reading them and some of his assumptions and conclusions I do not agree with, having an interest in them especially with regards to the very controversial ecumenical topic of the Immaculate Conception. Nevertheless, this should not deter one from using this book as a starter on academic studies on Mariology coming from an apostolic lens. At times, Fr. Gambero is academically honest about what some Fathers (with emphasis on some, not all) have said in concerning the Virgin Mary which is shared by theologians even some two hundred years after a Father. It is a good reference book.

[Dave Brandt]

I sought out this book after having an extensive discussion about Mary with a Protestant friend of mine. I found it well written and very informative. I got some great insights about the important role Mary played in the development of the understanding of who Jesus is.

[Beatrice]

Invaluable resource for learning about Marian attitudes in the early Church.

[Mina]

Luigi Gambero is a professor in Mariology. In this book he illustrates the development of the Mariology doctrine and devotion in the church across the first 8 centuries of Christianity. He uses scripts from the church fathers.
I enjoyed these manuscripts many of which were never translated to English before.

[Nick Meyer]

3 stars, at most. I was not particularly fond of the text and the author exhibits certain pieties and predispositions about which I don't know how to feel. But it is useful, a kind of catalogue, with commentary and excerpts.

[Joseph Richardson]

A very good introduction not only to the development of Catholic doctrine and beliefs about Mary, but to the Church Fathers themselves, to one unfamiliar with many of them. I began with a rather skeptical view of some of the Marian dogmata; after reading this book, I understand, if not accept, most of them. Gambero surveys the most prominent Church Fathers across the patristic age, and examines their Marian theology. Rather annoyingly (but quite Catholicly), he assumes the correctness of doctrines that would not be agreed upon by the Church for generations, if not centuries, and ascribes error to writers prior to that orthodoxy.

[Frank]

This is a scholorary work providing post-biblical developments in Marian devotion and Marian doctrine and devotion in the East and West during that formative period for teaching and doctrinal development known as the Age of the Fathers. A very good insight into what was happening during the first couple hundred years after Mary and the Apostles.

[R.D. Brown]

This was a good book for two reasons, one is it demonstrated the fact that Mary was a central figure in the story of Salvation much like Abraham in the Old Testament. The second reason is the wealth of patristic writings in the book. It is well worth a read just to become acquainted with the patristic fathers.

[Richard Grebenc]

Excellent book with copious quotes from the early Church Fathers of the West and East (Ignatius of Antioch to John Damascene). Copious quotes from these men give wonderful insight into the developing understanding of Mary in the first 700 years of the Church. Each chapter ends with a longer reading from the Father under discussion. A wonderful work for reading or research.

[Suzan]

this book is a wealth of info on the progress of mariology in the Church. I wanted to study from the beginning how devotion to Mary has expanded. I am slowly reading this book in between headaches.