In 1950 Pope Pius XII made it an article of faith that Mary, at the conclusion of her human life, had been assumed bodily into heaven. That doctrine declares that she had been preserved from all sin inherited from Adam in fact, that she was incapable of sin. Then in 1854 Pope Pius IX proclaimed the Immaculate Conception of Mary. the Second Council of Constantinople proclaimed Mary “eternal Virgin,” which would mean that her marriage to Joseph was celibate and that they never had sexual relations or children together. Through the centuries they made positive moves to elevate her to near equality with their Trinitarian concept of God. It seems that the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches were unwilling to acknowledge that, having fulfilled her role in bearing the Son of God, Mary had no special place in the Christian congregation. It concerns religious embellishments of the Bible account that have developed over the centuries. Yet we must admit that if mere man can in a limited way manipulate the fertilization process in the laboratory, surely it is not beyond the power of the Creator and Life-Giver of the universe to do so and to transfer the life-force of his Son from the heavens to the ovum of a virgin girl.Īs we have noted, however, the objection that some have to the virgin birth lies elsewhere. Just what this was the angel explained to Joseph: “That which has been begotten in her is by holy spirit.” ( Matthew 1:20) We do not know precisely how this was done. Hence, something more must have been involved in the conception of Jesus. If Mary’s firstborn had received both chromosomes (X) from her, the offspring would of necessity have been female. From the accompanying chart, you can see why. Normal development ensued, and a visibly normal offspring was produced.”Īre we to conclude from this that God induced Mary’s pregnancy in some such way from an unfertilized egg? No. Hormone treatment had been previously given to the female so that her uterine mucosa was prepared for implantation. Roberts of Marlborough College, England, writes: “An unfertilized egg was removed from a female rabbit, activated by pricking, and then popped back into the uterus. Several means exist for artificially activating an unfertilised mouse egg.” Parthenogenesis is being studied using laboratory mice. The Economist of August 1, 1981, reports: “Embryo development in the absence of sperm is the natural means of reproduction in many lower species of animal. . . Recently scientists have been experimenting successfully with parthenogenesis in mammals. Reproduction without a male is known as parthenogenesis. Some of those who do not believe in the virgin birth say that it is contrary to science and to the “laws of nature.” Do scientists think so? Have recent discoveries in genetics shed any light on the matter? But can you believe that it occurred? Does it have any bearing on your life in one way or another? IF JESUS, the Son of God, truly was born of a virgin, you must concede that surely it was a miracle of historic proportions.
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