Is the Marian title of Co-Redemptrix contained in Revelation? As we continue our theological reflection on this crucial question, it becomes essential to establish a biblical foundation for our inquiry, as Scripture is the “soul of theology” (Verbum Domini, 31). To navigate this challenging task, St. Anselm’s dictum, fides quaerens intellectum (“faith seeking understanding”), offers a fitting hermeneutical key to approach Scripture in such a manner.
To begin, the role of “faith”[1] is vital. In interpreting Scripture, we need a “hermeneutic of faith” which views “the books of both the Old and New Testaments in their entirety, with all their parts, are sacred and canonical” (DV, 11). Without this faith, a “secularized hermeneutic” (VD, 35) may emerge, casting doubt on the central mysteries of our Faith, such as “the resurrection of Christ” (VD, 35). However, “faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:17). Therefore, faith must also “seek understanding,” which requires a “careful investigation [of] what meaning the sacred writers really intended, and what God wanted to manifest by means of their words” (DV, 12). This dual approach [RAW1] enables Scripture to function in its rightful place as “the soul of theology” (VD, 35), guiding us to move beyond the literal sense of a text to the more profound spiritual unity of Scripture, which culminates in Christ, the living Word (VD, 39).
One effective method of fides quaerens intellectum [RAW2] is the typological approach, which explores Old Testament “types” and their New Testament fulfillments (VD 41, CCC 128). St. Paul, for example, spoke of Adam as a “type” of Christ [RAW3] (Romans 5:14). Building upon this “type,” we can also explore a parallel, whether the “woman”[2] in Genesis functions as a “type” of Mary.
Through a “hermeneutic of faith,” [RAW4] the living Tradition of the Church has identified key parallels between the “woman” in Genesis and Mary, particularly in two crucial moments: the wedding feast of Cana (John 2:4) and the crucifixion on Calvary (John 19:26) (CCC 2618). Whereas the old “woman” invited the old Adam to commit the first sin (Gen 3:6), at Cana, the new “woman” now invites the new Adam to perform the first “sign” (John 2:11, cf. Pitre, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary, 27). At Calvary, where Jesus completes His redemptive work and fulfills the prophecy in Genesis 3:15 (“now shall the ruler of this world be cast out” (John 12:31)), Mary is revealed as the “woman” standing by the foot of the Cross, ready to receive her first child.
As we seek a deeper understanding of these events, several questions arise. First, if Mary fulfills the title of the new “woman,” mirroring Christ as the new Adam, how might this support her potential title as Co-Redemptrix? Second, given that the crucifixion represents the culminating moment of Christ’s work of redemption, what is the significance of Jesus addressing Mary as “woman” in this context? Third, if the death and resurrection of Christ is the fulfillment of the prophecy in Genesis 3:15, how does Mary’s cooperation in this event shed light on her role in redemption?
[1] “Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself” (CCC 1814).
[2] Adam “does not give her the name Eve until after they commit the first sin (Genesis 3:20)” (Pitre, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary, 17). Furthermore, “in the book of Genesis, Eve is called “Eve” only once; she is called “woman” eleven times” (Ibid., 27).
[RAW1]You are absolutely right, however, you could still be more precise. There are two key aspects that you have to take into consideration: DV 12 + VD 37.
[RAW2]Is this really a method? Probably it is more an approach …
[RAW3]This corresponds to the “spiritual sense” (see VD 37)
[RAW4]That leads to understand Scripture through a “spiritual sense”
Prodigal Catholic 