From Mother of the Redemption to Mother of All Believers

Antoni Nadbrzeżny exposes the personalistic character of Schillebeeckx''s Mariology. In his book the author presents Mary as a human being whose holiness is great and mysterious. According to the Flemish theologian, Mary becomes the guarantor of the full and true humanity of Jesus. It is a Mariology that finds its foundation in the history of salvation. The book does not follow the path of abstract metaphysics, but pays more attention to the real and existential elements of Mary''s life. This reinterpretation finds its source in the application of phenomenological thought. In his theological picture of Mary, Schillebeeckx rejects all Gnostic, idyllic and dualistic thoughts. The Mother of God appears as someone who seeks God, who shares the tragic fate of the world and recognizes her place and mission in salvation history. She participates in human suffering and the trial of faith.