Mary, Grace and Hope in Christ. Intercession and Mediation of Mary according to the Seattle Statement

Abstract

The doctoral thesis presents research on the issue of the Catholic concept of the mediation and intercession of Mary and the discussion about it in the Catholic-Anglican dialogue. The thesis opens with the preliminary section, which explains both the relationship between mediation and intercession and the dependence of Mary’s role on the unique mediation of Christ. Due to the fact that the principle of ecumenical dialogue is the agreement of two Christian churches or communities on theology and morality, the author elaborates two early chapters presenting the positions of the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion regarding the mediation and intercession of Mary. Firstly, the history of the development of the theory of the intercession and mediation of Mary in Catholic theology and its understanding are presented (chapter I). Afterwards, studies of Anglican sources are made, analysing and describing the position of Anglican theology on this role of Mary (Chapter II). Knowing the positions of both ecclesial communities, the author then focuses on the dialogue between them on the issue of Mary’s mediation and intercession – a dialogue whose fruits were included in the document Mary, Grace and Hope in Christ, also known as the Seattle Statement (2005). The third chapter of the thesis, which is here published partially, presents both the editorial history of the said document, the statements published in the declaration, and the theological reaction to the published results of the dialogue.