Perpetual Virginity of Mary

Definition and Meaning

The perpetual virginity of Mary is the teaching that Mary, the mother of Jesus, remained a virgin throughout her life. Virginity here refers to the state of never having had sexual relations, and the teaching holds that this remained true not only before Mary conceived and gave birth to Jesus but also afterward. The doctrine is distinct from the virgin birth, the confession that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. The phrase "born of the Virgin Mary" in the Apostles' Creed refers to the virgin birth, which most churches confess in common. Acceptance of perpetual virginity, by contrast, varies from church to church.

Biblical and Historical Background

No passage of Scripture directly states this doctrine. Several texts, however, are interpreted in differing ways.

• Matthew 1:25, "And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son": interpreters differ over whether "till" implies marital relations afterward.
• Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55, and Galatians 1:19: these passages mention the brothers of Jesus—James, Joses, Judas, and Simon—as well as his sisters.
• Luke 2:7: Jesus is called Mary's "firstborn son."
• John 19:26–27: from the cross, Jesus entrusts his mother to a disciple.

There are three main interpretations of the "brothers" of Jesus:

• Children of Joseph from a previous marriage: This view appears in the second-century apocryphal Protoevangelium of James and is chiefly followed in Orthodox tradition.
• Cousins or other close relatives: This view was advanced by Jerome in the late fourth century in his refutation of Helvidius and became widely accepted in the Catholic Church.
• Children born to Mary and Joseph of Nazareth after Jesus: This view was argued by Helvidius and is held by many Protestants today.

In 553 the Second Council of Constantinople called Mary "ever-virgin" (Greek aeiparthenos). Thereafter the teaching became established as doctrine in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. During the Reformation, Martin Luther and Huldrych Zwingli affirmed it, while John Calvin is known to have refrained from a definitive judgment. John Wesley is also reported to have accepted it. In later Protestantism, however, rejection of the teaching gradually became more common.

Practice in Korean Churches

• In Korea, the Catholic Church professs this teaching in its doctrine and prayers, for example by invoking "Blessed Mary ever-Virgin" in the Confiteor at Mass.
• The Orthodox Church in Korea likewise honors Mary in its worship, calling her "ever-virgin."
• Among Korean Protestant churches, the confessions of faith of the major denominations—Presbyterian, Methodist, Holiness, Baptist, and Full Gospel—do not specifically address the question. In preaching and Bible study, the brothers of Jesus are commonly interpreted as Mary's children. Some church members view the doctrine critically, associating it with Catholic veneration of Mary.
• The Anglican Church of Korea has not defined it as official doctrine, and understandings are known to vary according to the traditions of individual congregations and members.