In Search of Mary: The Woman and the Symbol

Culleen's search is indeed personal, but it's buttressed with thoughtful historical and theological insights. I appreciated the author's personal narrative in the first chapter, which foregrounded her own inquest into the role Mary had played in her own life and revealed what were her own prejudices and preconceptions. As a Protestant searching for my own relationship with Mary, this book was very helpful in decoding the mystique of Mary, and the roots of some of the cultural accretions. I was particularly interested in the Scriptural basis of Mariology, and was surprised at how MUCH there is--leading to my own repentance regarding judging other Christians as superstitious and non-Biblical. My respect for the reverence of Mary has increased because of this book. Culleen's attempt to view Mary from a more historical, analytic perspective is laudable--and her own coming-to-term with the mythology she inherited as a child is moving. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the history of Mary's role in the Church and society. Whether you are already devoted to Mary, or whether you're curious regarding other people's devotion, this is an excellent source. Those who are Marian devotees will find themselves challenged--skeptics will be enlightened.

I see some very negative reviews on here from people criticizing the book for not emphasizing Mary's historical Jewishness. Well, that is not the purpose of this excellent introduction to Mary's role in Western Christian theology. It is more about how the culture as a whole sees Mary --- from traditional views to modern liberation ideas. I must add that the book is very balanced as well and only the most jaded of conservatives and liberals will take offense at it. I was seeking a book about the history of Mary in Western culture after having a particularly meaningful Jungian-type dream about her. I found In Search Of Mary to be exactly what I was looking for after examining many books in my local bookstore. I can't believe this book doesn't have an average rating of 4 stars. Some more reviews by fairer critics will hopefully rectify the situation soon.

I found Cunneen's In Search of Mary to be a well-written introduction to Marian theology. In a scholarly manner it traces the significance of Mary in the Church and larger society since biblical times. It seems to reflect the author's search for the meaning of Mary in her own Catholic faith, a faith where changing church doctrine in the last several years has obscured her role. Cunneen, a Catholic feminist theologian writes objectively. There is no attempt to overtly promote a renewel of Marian piety. However, she does a good job at refuting the Reformation's attempt to completely eliminate Mary from the Reformed church. She writes particularily well about Protestant women who tried to integrate Mary into their faith in the late 19th century. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to get their feet wet in this fascinating and controversial area. Bob Devereaux, M.D.