I was about to post on Mary in the Christmas narrative, and the woeful level of biblical literacy displayed by no one ever's favorite Christmas song, but Doug Wilson did it for me. I don't really have much to add to his stirring commentary but the following:
1) There is a reason for a biblically high view of Mary, and it is not because she is a demiurge or alter christus (Wilson did a great job highlighting the "omniscence problem"). Most young men of the Reformed stripe hold up the apostle Paul as a role model, and well they should. The character of Mary in scripture is a a very solid parallel for young Christian women, who it must be said, suffer a numerical dearth of such role models.
2) Mary's special character comes entirely from the Holy Spirit and is a free, unmerited gift, as is her role as Theotokos, but that does not make the character, or the role, less important, but rather, magnifies said Spirit, as the Magnificat attests to.
3) The alternative perspective, that Mary was, (and it must be said, the titular song reflects it) some dumb farmgirl with no distinguishing marks who had no idea what was going on even after being told by an angel, shares both a detriment and an origin with the aforementioned ministers suppressing the season of Advent. The detriment: that God's work in mankind lacks a full-orbed presentation and that sciptural benefits (in this case, role models, in the other, sacred time) are stripped to serve the "cause". The origin: that "cause" which is resembling Romanism as little as possible. Folks, Christ purchased our spiritual freedom and the heroes of the Reformation purchased our political freedom. Put down the pitchforks and look for Christ in his seasons and saints, his Word and his ordinances. Stop looking for Jesuits in the pulpit and inquisitions where there are inquiries.
May the Jesus Christ who humbled himself to be born of the virgin make your holiday season merry and bright this year. And maybe turn off Spirit 105.
~JS
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