How do we frame B.V. Mary?

Who is she to a non Roman-Catholic? What importance does she hold to us?

I respect, adore, and admire the Blessed Virgin. She is Theotokos (the Bearer of God). As foretold by the Angel, she gave birth to Christ in a manger as a virgin, and was later surrounded by the wise men. Though Christ’s divinity did not come from Mary, she truly went through the labor and pain of giving birth—and it was to the Son of God, Christ.

We too know very well that God did not derive his divinity from Mary; but it does not follow that it is therefore wrong to say that God was born of Mary, that God is Mary’s Son, and that Mary is God’s mother. - Martin Luther

How do we treat the BVM? Do we ask her to intercede and forgive us of our sins, as some Roman Catholics might? (I am thinking here of the concepts of ‘co-Redemptrix’ and ‘co-Mediatrix,’ which were ultimately rejected by the Roman Catholic Church itself). I’d say no. Instead, we honor and remember her for taking on the greatest pain - helping raise Jesus as a child, watching him grow, and watching him get crucified.

Many always raise alarms about idolatry when people talk too much about Mary, but I believe a bit of that is overblown. There is, as the Reformers put it, a fine line between high admiration for the grace of God given to Mary and religious service directed toward a human. I know people who get uncomfortable at the mere idea of stained glass depicting Mary because it feels ‘too Roman.’ I disagree, as I believe the intention is not the same. (To digress slightly, this is why I am not a fan of Marian or ‘Our Lady’ chapels and altars with Marian statues; in my opinion, they can become a stumbling block, causing people to lose focus and creating problems for their faith.)

John Wesley and other Reformers believed in her perpetual virginity, but I feel it is ultimately a pious opinion. I am not overly concerned with it, as it does not make or break salvation in my view.

“I believe that he [Jesus] was made man, joining the human nature with the divine in one person; being conceived by the singular operation of the Holy Ghost, and born of the blessed Virgin Mary, who, as well after as before she brought him forth, continued a pure and unspotted virgin.” - John Wesley

I feel at times we can be too fearful of talking about Mary; I have my own deep admiration for her. I hope to take a pilgrimage to Walsingham- not to seek the intercession of Our Lady, but instead to humbly recognize, thank, and be in prayer to God about my own sacrifices and the model of life Mary gave us to follow here on Earth. My goal is to thank God for the mission of Mary, but not to ask her for anything.

I may sound ‘Roman Catholic-lite’ here, but I do believe she, like the other saints, rests alive in Heaven and watches over us to an extent. I thank the saints for their presence and their ears, as they do listen just as Christ does.

Romans 8:34

Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

I have a very tolerant view of the Saints and Mary overall, and I see them as role models of faith. I understand the viewpoint of ‘it is like asking a friend to pray for you’ as well. I also believe that the Saints are listening to us (as I don’t affirm the Reformed view that because they have left this Earth, they do not listen), but I hesitate, full stop, at the intercession of the Saints. I find C.S. Lewis’ approach to be the most reasonable: there is no harm in doing it, but God is closer to us than any Saint in Heaven is, so we might as well just pray directly to God.

There is clearly a theological defence for it; if you can ask for the prayers of the living, why should you not ask for the prayers of the dead? There is clearly also a great danger. In some popular practice we see it leading off into an infinitely silly picture of Heaven as an earthly court where applicants will be wise to pull the right wires, discover the best "channels," and attach themselves to the most influential pressure groups. But I have nothing to do with all this. I am not thinking of adopting the practice myself; and who am I to judge the practices of others? - C.S. Lewis

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

What do I say? I would ask this: Where do your convictions lie? I understand, and I can’t dismiss people who do ask for intercession. I have a saint I cherish the most—Saint Francis of Assisi—who I feel prays for me even when I don’t ask. Just like a friend, he will pray for me even if he never personally knew me. I believe it, because I believe all the saints in Heaven do pray for us on Earth.