Marian Studies Volume 52 The Marian Dimension of Christian Article 5 Spirituality, Historical Perspectives, I. The Early Period 2001 How Can Spirituality be Marian? Johann G. Roten University of Dayton Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.udayton.edu/marian_studies Recommended Citation Roten, Johann G. (2001) "How Can Spirituality be Marian?," Marian Studies: Vol. 52, Article 5. Available at: https://ecommons.udayton.edu/marian_studies/vol52/iss1/5 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Marian Library Publications at eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Marian Studies by an authorized editor of eCommons. For more information, please contact
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[email protected]. Roten: Spirituality Spirituality HOW CAN SPIRITUALITY BE MARIAN? Johann G. Roten, S.M.* "There is nothing better than true devotion to Mary, con, ceived as an ever more complete following of her example, to in, troduce one to the joy ofbelieving."1 Can this statement, formu, lated with the spiritual formation of future priests in mind, be applied to all Christians? Is it true that sound Marian devotion is "an essential aspect of Christian spirituality"F Or must we con, cede that Marina Warner's prophecy has come true, namely, that the "reality of her [Mary's] myth is over; the moral code sheaf, firms has been exhausted"?3 While reducing Marian devotion to an expression of the "traditionalist counter,movement," a recent sociological study reached a different conclusion: "With the weight of the history I reviewed ... firmly supporting the following con, elusion, I contend that Marian devotion will continue well into the next millennium.