Jeremiah 7:18
The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the
fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven,
and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to
anger.
In Catholicism, the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, is
often venerated as the 'Queen of Heaven'. This title is not explicitly
mentioned in the scriptures, but has been adopted by them. The Council of
Ephesus in 431 AD, which affirmed Mary as the ‘Theotokos’ or 'God-bearer', played
a significant role in establishing her queenship. Their view of Mary's role as
the mother of Jesus, the King of Heaven, and her perpetual virginity,
contribute to her status as the 'Queen of Heaven'.
Mary's queenship is depicted in Catholic art and liturgy,
often showing her crowned and holding the child Jesus. They have assumed her an
intercessory role, serving as a mediator between humanity and the divine, is a
key aspect of her queenship. The Feast of the Queenship of Mary, celebrated on
August 22, is a testament to the enduring significance of Mary's queenship in Catholic
tradition.
The concept of the virgin mother is a fundamental part of
Christianity, embodied in the figure of Mary, the mother of Jesus. This idea,
however, is not exclusive, but is a recurring theme in various religious
traditions throughout history. One of the main biblical arguments against the
Perpetual Virginity of Mary is the reference to Jesus' 'brothers' and 'sisters'
in several New Testament passages (Matthew 13:55-56, Mark 6:3, Acts 1:14, 1
Corinthians 9:5, Galatians 1:19).
Another argument against the Perpetual Virginity of Mary is
the interpretation of Matthew 1:25, where it is written that Joseph "did
not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son". Using 'till'
implies that Joseph and Mary had marital relations after Jesus' birth. It would
be highly irregular (and is not mentioned) that her husband did not consummate their
marriage and have relations with his wife all the days of his life, unless they
were estranged.
Virgin mother deities have been present in religious traditions
predating Christianity. In ancient Egypt, they revered the goddess Isis as the
mother of Horus, whom she conceived posthumously from her slain husband Osiris.
Although not a virgin birth in the Christian sense, Isis's conception of Horus
involved divine intervention and miraculous circumstances, exhibiting parallels
to Mary's narrative, often referred to as the 'Queen of Heaven'. Isis was
associated with motherhood, magic, and resurrection.
In the Greco-Roman pantheon, virgin goddesses like Athena
and Artemis were highly esteemed. However, their virginity was associated more
with their independence and autonomy rather than motherhood. The exception to
this was the birth of Perseus, where Zeus impregnated Danaë through a shower of
gold, a narrative bearing some similarity to the Annunciation in Catholic
tradition.
In Hindu mythology, they worship the goddess Kanya Kumari as
the virgin deity. In one legend, she was to marry Lord Shiva, but when he
failed to show up at the wedding, she remained an eternal virgin. Several
goddesses are venerated as 'Queen of Heaven', including Lakshmi, the goddess of
wealth and prosperity, and Parvati, the goddess of love and devotion.
In Buddhist tradition, Maya, the mother of Buddha, dreamt of
a white elephant entering her side, after which she found herself pregnant.
This supernatural conception, like the Christian Annunciation, underscores the
divine nature of Buddha. Maya does not play a significant role in the religion
beyond her function as the Buddha's mother.
The notion of a 'Queen of Heaven' is not exclusive to
Christianity and can be traced back to pre-Christian traditions. In ancient
Mesopotamian religions, the goddess Inanna (later known as Ishtar) was revered
as the 'Queen of Heaven'. She was associated with love, beauty, sex, war,
justice, and political power. Inanna's myths, such as her descent into the
underworld and her sacred marriage ritual, highlight her role as a powerful and
complex divine feminine figure.
The Greco-Roman tradition also featured 'Queen of Heaven'
figures. Hera, the wife of Zeus, was the queen of the gods and the goddess of
women, marriage, family, and childbirth. Despite Hera's often volatile nature
in myth, her queenship was an integral part of her identity. In the Roman
tradition, Juno, the equivalent of Hera, also held the title of 'Queen of
Heaven'.
Catholics often pray to Mary for intercession and venerate
idols of her. This is an un-biblical practice: a key biblical verse often cited
to discourage prayer to Mary is 1 Timothy 2:5, states, "For there is one
God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus." This
verse clearly establishes Jesus as the sole mediator and prayers should be
directed to Him alone.
The practice of praying to Mary is also challenged based on
Jesus' teaching on prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, where He instructs His disciples
to pray directly to "Our Father in heaven". This instruction implies
that prayer should be directed to God alone.
We must remember the incident recorded in Luke 11:27-28,
where a woman in the crowd exclaims, "Blessed is the womb that bore you
and the breasts at which you nursed!" Jesus responds, "Blessed rather
are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" Jesus' response
discourages special veneration of Mary, emphasising instead the importance of
hearing and obeying God's word.