The Cult of the Virgin Mary: Psychological Origins

by Michael P. Carroll

Book Overview

Tracing devotion to Mary to psychological and historical processes that began in the fifth century, Michael Carroll answers intriguing questions: What explains the many reports of Marian apparitions over the centuries? Why is Mary both "Virgin" and "Mother" simultaneously? Why has the Marian cult always been stronger in certain geographical areas than in others? The first half of the book presents a psychoanalytic explanation for the most salient...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0691028672
• ISBN13: 9780691028675
• Release Date: April 1992
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 254 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

"True Material"

By Albert C. Bender, Author of "YOU ARE FOREVER IN TIME" This book clearly ampliefied for me, this authors knowledge and Intellect on the subject written. It provides information that truly moves to the core of the subject matter that the author speaks about. It is well written thought-provoking throughout. I recommend it highly. I believe that some of the authors critics should do a little reading on Ancient Greek,Roman and even Indian history. They will learn that the "Madonna figure" is but an ancient symbol, that goes back centuries before, in those cultures. In ancient times people believed very strongly in Astrology,Mythology, Myth Making and Cosmic Evolution. Gods born of virgins can be found in every age and country. It was an old and universal myth at the time.

Mixing Freud and Religion

This book will be a hard read for the Catholic Marian faithful, and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets Mr. Carroll on quite a few lists of books to avoid. However, I would like to speak in his defense. First of all this is a book written by a social scientist for social science. It is full of terms that are well understood in the disciplines but that are negatively loaded (One might even say explosive) when read from the standpoint of Catholic Devotional literature. For instance Mr. Carroll describes St. Bernadette Soubirous' Marian aparition, as a halucination. Within the context of his analysis, this is an appropriate psychological term, as nobody else could see the aparition. However to the religious this term invalidates the experience, it makes it unreal.This was clearly not the intention of Mr. Carroll. His research is well documented and his theories well supported. His analysis and arguments are complete. They are thoroughly presented, almost to the point of redundancy. And the fact of the matter is that it works. When we are through with the book we have a deeper understanding of the forces that shape Catholic worship and Marian devotion. I like this book. I have passed it along to friends and family and it has stimulated hours of discussion, debate and even red-faced argument. This book should be read by serious Marian scholars.