The debate still rages on moves to effectively deify the virgin Mary.
The issue of Mary remains one of the hottest debates on the Protestant/Roman Catholic divide, and new proposals for Marian doctrines are likely to ignite a theological conflagration. At stake is not only the biblical understanding of Mary, but the integrity of the work of Christ.
The current debate came to light in the Vatican newspaper L'Observatore Romano, which reported in early summer that the pope had asked a commission of Catholic theologians to consider the advisability of declaring Mary 'Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix of All Graces and Advocate for the People of God'. According to the paper, the 23 theologians - all experts on Mariology - unanimously recommended that the pope drop the proposal. And yet, according to a constant stream of reports in the media, this pope is not easily deterred. John Paul II seems intent upon raising Marian devotion to new heights under his pontificate, and his consistency in this regard is reflected in nearly every papal statement.
