Was not the Babylonian Astarte selected as the goddess prototype of Mary?

1 min readUpdated 12 October 2022

No. Astarte was a mythical non-historical person; Mary was historical. The legends concerning Astarte make her a goddess associated with all that is licentious and immoral. The historical Mary has never been regarded as a goddess, and was the purest woman who ever set foot on this earth.

Radio Replies Volume 1 by Rev. Dr. Leslie Rumble MSC and Rev. Charles Mortimer Carty

Keep the conversation thoughtful.

Historical language and viewpoints in the original collection are preserved. For current official teaching, consult the Catechism and the Holy See.

Report an error or ask the editor

FOLLOW THE THREAD

More to explore.

All articles

The Bible14 min read

Was St. Paul the Head of the Gentile Churches and St. Peter Only the Head of the Jewish Churches?

The Catholic Church firmly holds that the early Christian community was a unified body, not divided into separate Jewish and Gentile sections with distinct heads. Christ established one Church, as evidenced by his prayer for unity in John 17:20-21 . The apostles, under Peter’s leadership, worked together to spread the Gospel to …

Read the answer

Other Christians & Religions7 min read

Is the Church a Mythical Something Apart from Its Individual Components?

The Catholic Church is fundamentally understood as the Body of Christ, a theological reality that unites all the faithful under the headship of Jesus Christ. This concept, rooted in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 , emphasizes the unity and diversity of its members, each contributing to the whole. The Church is not a mere collection of i…

Read the answer

Sacraments & Worship1 min read

Do you deny that the early Christians practiced healing?

I deny that it was anything like a universal practice. Some early Christians were specially endowed by God with the power of healing, in order that the Church might appeal to onlookers in a special way. But the Church has been built, and there is no need to show a stone from the quarry whence it was hewn in order to prove its ex…

Read the answer

KNOWLEDGE SHARED. FAITH STRENGTHENED.

Keep the door open.

Your optional contribution helps keep these resources free to read.

Support this independent site