For more resources on this subject, see our earlier article “Catholicism.”
The Roman Catholic Church teaches the assumption of Mary. This means that Mary was taken bodily into heaven after her death. The Catholic Catechism (1994) states,
Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians.[1]
The Most Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was completed, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of her Son’s Resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all members of his Body.[2]
A Biblical Response to the Assumption of Mary
While this doctrine is relatively harmless, we cannot affirm it, because it lacks biblical support.[3] We do not have an extended critique of this doctrine, because this is not expressly stated in Scripture. Even Catholic apologist Karl Keating writes, “No express scriptural proofs for the doctrine are available.”[4] When asked where the proof from the Bible of this doctrine, Keating answers, “Strictly, there is none. It was the Catholic Church that was commissioned by Christ to teach all nations and to teach them infallibly. The mere fact that the Church teaches the doctrine of the Assumption as something definitely true is a guarantee that it is true.”[5] Likewise, Even authoritative Catholic theologian Ludwig Ott writes, “Direct and express scriptural proofs are not to be had.”[6]
However, we simply see no justification for this doctrine in Scripture. Thus we feel uncomfortable affirming an extra-biblical teaching like this—even if it is a relatively harmless doctrine.
[1] Catechism of the Catholic Church. Section 966.
[2] Catechism of the Catholic Church. Section 974.
[3] Catholic apologists like Dave Armstrong usually appeal to other examples of translation into heaven to support this doctrine, such as Enoch (Gen. 5:24), Elijah (2 Kings 2:11), Paul (2 Cor. 12:2-4), and the final rapture of the church (1 Thess. 4:16-17). They also build this doctrine off of the Immaculate Conception. Armstrong argues, “The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin flows of necessity from the Immaculate Conception and Mary’s actual sinlessness. Bodily death and decay are the result of sin and the Fall (Gen. 3:19; Ps. 16:10). Thus, the absence of actual sin and Original Sin ‘breaks the chain’ and allows for instant bodily resurrection and also immortality, just as God intended for all human beings.” Armstrong, Dave. A Biblical Defense of Catholicism. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute, 2003. 190-191.
[4] Keating, Karl. Catholicism and Fundamentalism. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1988. 273.
[5] Keating, Karl. Catholicism and Fundamentalism. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1988. 275.
[6] Ott, Ludwig, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma. Rockford, IL. TAN Books and Publishing. 1976. 208. Cited in Armstrong, Dave. A Biblical Defense of Catholicism. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute, 2003. 189.