Monday, July 21, 2008

Do Evangelicals and other Protestants Really Believe Jesus Had Brothers and Sisters?

Just a question really in general and I am saying this as a former Baptist!!! I started thinking about this after I read Regula Fidei. post St. Luke 2:7, On the Virginity of St. Mary. (Great post with tons of Church Fathers)

I suppose there are two different but related questions` that are often in the mix- That is did Jesus have siblings , and/or did the Blessed Virgin Mary remain celibate after she bore Jesus.

It seems that many people spend a great deal of time trying to prove that Mary had sex with Joseph after Jesus was born and that leads to the brother/sister question

Though I see a some attempts by Christian people to prove he had brothers and sisters (more precisely to prove the Catholic position wrong) , I can't recall many actually believing this as a former Southern Baptist. I can't recall either that I was taught this in Sunday school.

Now no doubt some believe that Jesus had physical step brothers and sisters , but I wonder how much of this arguing over this is a Catholic gotcha game instead of what prevailing attitude is in their faith community.

2 comments:

  1. It wouldn't even be an issue except for the Roman doctrinolatry of Mary's perpetual virginity.

    David in Grand Coteau

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  2. Well I think you have a point and of course there is the ORthodox viewpoint too.

    I guess I am trying to recall if the issues of brothers and sisters was even talked about or if it assumed that he did have any

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