Question 15: Why don’t you pray the Rosary?

Answer: To be totally honest, I am not thoroughly familiar with the Rosary, but after a little bit of research, here is what I found out as well as the reason why we do not “pray the Rosary” at our church: The Catholic Rosary is a ritualistic prayer to God the Father and to Mary using a chain of beads to guide the individual through the prayers. The beads on the Rosary represent five “decades”, each with 11 beads – 10 small ones and one larger bead. For each small bead, the “Hail Mary” is prayed, while a prayer to God the Father is made for the larger bead. Because there are so many more smaller beads, the Rosary is hence essentially a prayer to Mary. While the Rosary is not specifically addressed in the Bible, there are several problems with it from a biblical perspective:

1. The Bible forbids paganistic ritualism – Matthew 6:7-8 tells us in no uncertain terms: “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. ⁸Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”

2. The Bible says that there is ONE mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ (I Timothy 2:5-6). Jesus Christ, and Him alone, is our High Priest (Hebrews 8:1-2, 9:11-14). Part of the Rosary consists of prayers offered to Mary. Plainly put, this is unscriptural blasphemy.

3. The wording of the Rosary is also blasphemous. To address Mary as “Holy Mary” is wrong. This title is not fit for any fallen human being and it is never used in the Bible as a title for a fallen (sinful) man. Further, to address Mary as the Mother of God is also blasphemous. Mary was not the mother of God and is never mentioned as such in the Bible. Indeed, she was the mother of Christ’s humanity, but Jesus has been God for all eternity and the Godhead has no motherhood. Further, to address Mary as “full of grace” is also blasphemous. Only Jesus Christ is said to be full of grace - John 1:14 tell us “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” The Bible does say that Mary is “highly favored” and “blessed among women,” but this is very different from being full of grace. The only grace that Mary has is the grace that she received from Jesus Christ in the salvation from her sin!