3. Mary after the Gospels

‘Mary after the Gospels’ explains how beliefs about the Virgin Mary developed over time. It took centuries for Christians to arrive at Marian doctrines that are part of Christianity today. There was a time when Christianity seemed like a religious free-for-all, with Mary featuring in varied ways. By the middle of the 5th century when body-renouncing ideals of asceticism came to the fore within Christianity, the Virgin Mary’s lasting place in Christian piety was also ensured. However, scholars also acknowledge that a lot remains mysterious about how different communities expressed their devotion to Jesus and how Christians’ ideas about Mary coalesced around key Marian doctrines.