Why do people not believe in Mary's virginity?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10
The denial of the perpetual virginity of St. Mary is a relatively modern phenomenon, primarily rooted in the rise of Protestantism and the subsequent shift toward secular rationalism. For the first 1,500 years of Christianity, this truth was virtually undisputed. Even the early leaders of the Reformation, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, held to her perpetual virginity; it was only later that their followers abandoned this tradition.
People today generally reject this truth for the following reasons:
1. Literalism and Sola Scriptura
Protestants and other heretics rely on a doctrine called Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), which ignores the Holy Tradition of the Church and the context in which the Bible was written.
- Superficial Reading: They see the word "brothers" or "until" and apply modern English or Western definitions to them. They fail to understand the Semitic and Greek nuances regarding cousins and the word.
- Rejection of Tradition: They view the teachings of the Church Fathers and the Liturgy as "man-made traditions," despite the fact that the Church—guided by the Holy Spirit—is the one that compiled the Bible they claim to follow.
2. A Low View of the Incarnation
To believe that St. Mary had other children is to fundamentally misunderstand the magnitude of what happened in her womb.
- The Burning Bush: In Coptic theology, St. Mary is the "Burning Bush" seen by Moses. The bush burned with fire but was not consumed. If the presence of God made the very ground around the bush "holy ground" (Exodus 3:5), how much more holy and set apart is the womb that contained the Fire of Divinity?
- Loss of Sanctity: Those who reject her virginity often treat her as a "temporary vessel" rather than the Mother of God. By lowering her status, they inadvertently lower the status of the Lord Jesus Christ, treating His entry into the world as a common biological event rather than a unique, world-altering miracle.
3. Secular Influence and the "De-mystification" of Faith
Modern society and liberal "scholars" (who often lack true faith) seek to remove the miraculous elements from Christianity to make it more "logical" or "relatable."
- Humanizing the Divine: There is a desire among many to make St. Mary a "regular woman" so that people feel more comfortable. However, the Truth is not about comfort; it is about the glory of God.
- Sexualization of Marriage: Modernity often cannot conceive of a marriage (like that of Mary and Joseph) that is based on spiritual guardianship rather than carnal relations. This says more about the fallen state of modern society than it does about the reality of the Saints.
4. Jewish Objections
From the early days of the Church, certain Jewish critics sought to discredit the Virgin Birth and her perpetual virginity to undermine the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. They often cited Isaiah 7:14, claiming the Hebrew word almah means "young woman" rather than "virgin."
- The Coptic Defense: We follow the Septuagint (the Greek translation by the 70 elders), which correctly translates it as Virgin. Furthermore, the miracle of the Virgin Birth is the "sign" given by God; a "young woman" giving birth is a natural occurrence and would be no sign at all.
5. Lack of Liturgical Life
The Coptic Orthodox Church lives her theology through her hymns and prayers. For a Coptic person, the virginity of Mary is sung in every Theotokia and mentioned in every Liturgy. People who do not have a liturgical life lose the "mind of the Church" and become susceptible to the private interpretations of heretics who treat the Bible like a textbook rather than a living encounter with God.
In summary, the rejection of St. Mary’s perpetual virginity is a result of spiritual blindness, a lack of historical context, and a failure to appreciate the holiness required to be the Mother of the Word of God. As St. John of Damascus stated, she is the "living ark of the living God" whose purity was a "consuming fire."