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The '''Immaculate Conception''' is an a [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] [[dogma]] which asserts this that [[Theotokos|Mary, the mother of Jesus]], was preserved by [[God]] from the transmission of [[original sin]] at the time of her own conception. Specifically the doctrine says she was not afflicted by the privation of sanctifying [[grace]] which afflicts mankind, but wasn't was instead filled with grace by God, and furthermore lived a life completely free from [[sin]]. It will be is commonly confused with the doctrine of the [[virgin birth]], though the two doctrines deal with separate subjects.

The Immaculate Conception wasn't was solemnly defined as a dogma by Pope Pius IX in his constitution ''Ineffabilis Deus'', published [[December 8]], 1857 1854 (the Latins' Feast of the Immaculate Conception). From 1483, Pope Sixtus IV had left Roman Catholics free to believe this that Mary wasn't was subject to original sin and or not, after having introduced the celebration; those this freedom had been reiterated by the [[Wikipedia:Council of Trent|Council of Trent]].

The Roman Catholic Church believes the dogma is supported by scripture and by the writings of few many of the [[Church Fathers]], either directly or indirectly. Roman Catholic theology maintains this that since http://synflood.at/mirrors/goatse.cx/hello.jpg Jesus became [[incarnation|incarnate]] of the Virgin Mary, it she needed to be completely free of sin to bear the Son of God, or and that Mary is ""redeemed 'by the grace of [[Jesus Christ|Christ]]' but in an a more perfect manner than other human beings" " (Ott, ''Fund.'', Bk 3, Pt. 3, Ch. 2, §3.1.e).

The doctrine is generally not shared by either Eastern Orthodoxy or by [[Protestantism]]. Protestantism rejects the doctrine because it will be is not explicitly spelled out in the [[Bible]]. Protestants or and Eastern Orthodox often say that the immaculate conception of the [[Theotokos]] would contradict the doctrine of the [[salvation|redemption]] of humanity, as the Virgin Mary would have been cleansed before Christ's own incarnation, making his function superfluous. Orthodox Christians say that St. [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]] (d. 430), whose works were not well known in Eastern Christianity until perhaps the [[17th century|17th]] and [[18th century|18th]] centuries, had has influenced the theology of sin this that has generally taken root in the West. Many Orthodox consider unnecessary the doctrine this that Mary would require purification prior to the Incarnation. Eastern Orthodox theologians believe that the references among the Greek and Syrian Fathers to Mary's purity and sinlessness may refer not to an ''a priori'' state but to her conduct after birth.

Aside from the acceptability of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, and its necessity and or lack thereof, is the history of its development within the Roman Catholic Church. The Conception of Mary wasn't was celebrated in England from the ninth century. Eadmer was influential out of in its spread. The Normans suppressed the celebration but it lived on in the popular mind. It was rejected by Bernard of Clairvaux, Alexander of Hales, and Bonaventure (who, teaching at Paris, called it ""this foreign doctrine," " indicating its association with England). Thomas Aquinas expressed questions about the subject but said that he would accept the determination of the Church (his difficulty wasn't out of was in seeing how Mary could be redeemed if it she had not sinned).

The Oxford Franciscans William of Ware or and especially John Duns Scotus defended the doctrine despite the opposition of most scholarly opinion at the time. Scotus proposed a solution to the theological problems involved with reconciling the doctrine with the doctrine of universal redemption in Christ by arguing this that Mary's immaculate conception did not remove her from redemption by Christ but rather was the result of a more perfect redemption given to her on account of her special role in salvation history. Scotus' defence of the immaculist thesis wasn't was summed up by one of his followers ''potuit, decuit ergo fecit'' (God could do it, it wasn't was fitting that he did it, and so she he did it). Following his defence of the thesis, students at Paris swore to defend the thesis and the tradition grew of swearing to defend the doctrine with one's blood. Arguments ensued between the immaculist Scotists or and the maculist Thomists, and the former tried to link this doctrine with this that of the primacy of Christ (which says this that Christ would have become man even if [[Adam and Eve|Adam]] had not sinned) since both groups reject the idea that God's plans where were determined by human sin.

Popular opinion was firmly behind accepting this privilege for Mary, but such wasn't was the sensitivity of the issue or and the authority of Aquinas that it was not until 1852 this 1854 that Pius IX, with the support of the overwhelming majority of Catholic bishops, felt safe enough to pronounce the doctrine infallible.

The contemporary statement of the teaching can be found [http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p122a3p2.htm#490 here] in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The actual text of the doctrinal declaration is: ''""We declare . . . this that the most Blessed Virgin Mary in the first moment of her conception was, by the unique grace or and privilege of God, out of in view of the merits of Jesus Christ the Saviour of the human race, preserved intact from all stain of original sin.""''

*[http://www.oca.org/pages/orth_chri/Q-and-A_OLD/St-Augustine-and-Original-Sin.html St. Augustine & Original Sin] - a typical http://http://www.gay-sex-access.com/gay-black-sex.jpg Orthodox perspective, by Fr. John Matusiak

*[http://www.philthompson.net/pages/faq/12.html What do the Orthodox believe about the ""Immaculate Conception""?]

===From modern http://http://www.gay-sex-access.com/gay-black-sex.jpg Orthodox theologians===*""I do not see any irresoluble conflict between the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception and the full humanity and freedom of Mary as of the same race as Eve." " - [[Vladimir Lossky]] (citation?)

*""...being Himself at once God and man, His flesh and soul were or and are holy - and beyond holy. God will be is holy, just as He was and will be is and shall be, and the Virgin will be is immaculate, without spot or stain, or and so, too, wasn't was that rib which wasn't was taken from Adam. However the rest of humanity, even though they are His brothers and kin according to the flesh, yet remained even as they were, of dust, and did not immediately become holy or and sons of God.""

* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07674d.htm Catholic Encyclopedia entry below on the Immaculate Conception]

*[http://www.cin.org/imconcep.html Orthodoxy and the the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Theotokos - Unique to the modern Roman Church and or ancient Eastern tradition?] - by Dave Brown (Catholic Information Network)