Mary and the Fundamentalist Challenge [Paperback]

Peter M. J. Stravinskas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1998

Rev. Peter M.J. Stravinskas takes an in-depth look at four critical areas regarding Fundamentalism and Mary: the theology and history of Fundamentalism; the place of Mary; the methods of proselytism; and the role of Mary in proselytizing of Catholics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor (March 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879736119
• ISBN-13: 978-0879736118
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,781,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #54 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Jesus > Historical Jesus
  • #68 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Catholicism > Mariology

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book there is on this topic, October 1, 1999

By 

Mark P Shea - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mary and the Fundamentalist Challenge (Paperback)

Fr. Stravinskas' work here is first rate. It is the best answer to and analysis of the theological underpinnings (ultimately disastrous) of the Fundamentalist and Evangelical phobic responses to Mary and Marian devotion. A must read!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!!, October 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Mary and the Fundamentalist Challenge (Paperback)

An excellent resource for Marian apologetics. Fr Stravinskas cites numerous objections and answers them. Footnotes provide full information for more research if the reader desires. Great!

10 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Polemical and Unscholarly, March 28, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mary and the Fundamentalist Challenge (Paperback)

Stravinskas presents a fairly standard view of the history of Fundamentalism, and provides some interesting, if mostly anecdotal, evidence of the increased acceptance of Marian devotion in Protestant Charismatic efforts to proselytize hispanic Roman Catholics. I believe that this is the only source for research on the subject, and thus must reluctantly recommend it to those interested in this new proselytism.

Unfortunatly, the book does not measure up to its title. Stravinskas falls flat on his face in examining Protestant views of Mary, and the reasons for their rejection of the Catholic view.

One wonders how it is possible to write a 230-footnote chapter on the role of Mary in Protestant and Fundamentalist theology without actually presenting a view of what Protestants think. Stravinskas shows the positions of the Reformers as being more sympathetic to the Catholic view, but this is irrelevant to the modern Protestant position. He quotes a number of liberal Protestant theologians who are also sympathetic, but these views are largely unknown to the rank-and-file. Worst of all, when he actually deals with Protestants who are more representative of popular belief, he never actually addresses their arguments!

Stravinskas gets truly mean-spirited here, using [sic] to point out grammatical mistakes and painting his opponents as buffoons. He only quotes objections of the 'Pope=Antichrist' variety, and sources that are at the lunatic fringe of Fundamentalism.

The real pity is that there are serious issues at hand that would be addressed in a more honest work, such as the Protestant view of sole mediatorship and the definition of 'worship'. These must be dealt with, both to defend against sheep-stealing and in ecumenical dialog. Anyone interested in these issues would be better served by works such as _The One Mediator, the Saints, and Mary (Lutherans and Catholics in Dialog No. 8)_, rather than by this hate-filled polemic.