The Apostles' Creed : Born of the Virgin Mary

What does it mean when Christians confess that Jesus was ‘born of the Virgin Mary’? This volume of essays, written by an international group of scholars, approaches this question from various perspectives. From examining the Old Testament backgrounds to exploring the Virgin Birth in various traditions and cultures, each chapter offers fresh perspectives. The contributors explore topics ranging from the Pre-Nicene tradition to modern cinematic interpretations, and from the perspectives of renowned theologians to interfaith dialogue with Islam and Hinduism. Engaging and thought-provoking, this volume promises to illuminate the significance of the Virgin Birth across diverse religious and cultural contexts. Front Cover Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Contents Notes on Contributors The Virgin Birth in the Apostles’ Creed Introductory Remarks Born of the Virgin Mary Various Old Testament Backgrounds Ecce Ancilla Domini Mary as Assistant to God according to Luke 1:26–38 Test or Testimony? Mary’s Virginity in the Infancy Gospel of James (Protevangelium Jacobi) and in Godard’s Film Je vous salue, Marie (Hail Mary) (1984) Born of the Virgin Mary Virgin Motherhood in the Pre-Nicene Tradition Sarah and Mary Mothers of the People The Virgin Birth in the Theology of John Damascene “We Are Mothers When We Carry Him and Give Birth to Him” The Role of Mary as a Virgin, Mother, and Maidservant in the Lives of Francis and Clare of Assisi “This Brought God Down into Mary” Hadewijch on the Pregnancy of the Virgin Mary in the Present Thomas Aquinas on the Virgin Birth Sixteenth-Century Reformers’ Perspectives on the Virgin Birth The Interpretation of “Born of the Virgin Mary” by Romano Guardini ‘Born of the Virgin Mary’ and Islam The Virgin Birth of a Superhero An Intertextual Reading of Mahabharata I. 104.6–16 On Intimate Terms with the Virgin Mary The Counterintuitive Space Offered by “Born of the Virgin Mary” Our Lady of the Covering Depictions of the Virgin Birth in Jesus Films Reality and Meaning of the Virgin Birth An Attempt to Integrate Various Disciplinary Perspectives Index of References Index of Modern Authors Back Cover