Sharifa Stevens, BOW Ministry Team Member

Kelley Mathews, BOW Ministry Team Member

Protestants in general often don't talk much about Mary, mother and disciple of Jesus. Kelley Mathews, however, provides us with lots to think about from her interesting insights into who she was and her life and witness.

What are the Seven Sorrows in her life? Kelly talks about them and what we can learn from Mary about being a disciple.

Don't miss this lively discussion about Mary, mother and disciple of Jesus.

This episode is also available on video.

Recommended resources

Women in the Story of Scripture podcast episode

Artwork mentioned:1) Michelangelo Buonarroti, The Pietà, 1498-1499, St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. 2) Artist Unknown, Theotokos, Our Lady of Sorrows, created 6th-7th century.

Timestamps:

00:21 Introductions

01:35 Why Talk about Mary?

02:40 Mary of the Seven Sorrows

05:31 Simeon's Prophecy

07:43 The Pietà

09:38 Protestants and Mary

10:59 What can we learn from Mary as a disciple?

17:06 The through-line between Mary's Magnificat and Jesus' themes

20:18 Mary's humility

25:26 Mary behind the scenes

29:04 Art depicting Mary

32:58 Mary as an eyewitness

35:00 Resources

TranscriptSharifa >> Hello, everyone, and welcome to Beyond Ordinary Women Ministries. I am your host, Sharifa Stevens, and today I have the pleasure of talking to Kelley Mathews. Kelley Mathews has ministered to the church through writing and editing for over 25 years, though it does not look like it! Kelley has co-authored eight books, including 40 Questions About Women in Ministry. She is a freelance writer and editor, a former women's ministry director and Bible study teacher.

She has been married to John, a school administrator, for 27 years. They are parents to four active, mostly grown children. Kelley earned her Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary in the year 2000 and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry in New Testament from Houston Theological Seminary. Welcome, Kelley.

Kelley >> Hello. Hello. It's kind of fun being on this end of the screen, right?

Sharifa >> I'm glad.

Kelley >> Right. Yeah. I'm usually one of the interviewers.

Sharifa >> But today I'm interviewing you because we are going to be talking about Mary, the mother of Jesus. Now we're talking about her perhaps in a different light than the audience might usually be used to her. We usually don't hear about Mary unless it's Christmas time. Right?

Kelley >> Right. Right. Seems a little weird to be talking about her now because it's nowhere near Christmas when we're recording. And you should be listening to this after the New Year for sure.

Sharifa >> Exactly. But when we only hear from Mary about Mary at Christmas time, there is so much depth and wisdom that we miss. She is a part of our cloud of witnesses, so to speak.

Kelley >> Yeah.

Sharifa >> Someone to glean wisdom from and to learn from and to take inspiration from. Well, you’re studying about Mary in part for your dissertation.

Kelley >> Yes.

Sharifa >> I want to get into it with you. One of the ways that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is identified in the larger church and traditionally in the Roman Catholic Church is as Mary of the Seven Sorrows. Is that correct?

Kelley >> Yes.

Sharifa >> What is. . .

Kelley >> Mary has a lot of titles.

Sharifa >> A lot of Titles.

Kelley >> That's yeah, that's definitely one thing I think Protestants don't understand or may not even be aware of is the fact that the larger church and we could say the Catholic Church with this started way before there was any division of church when we were all united in the Patristic Era and then through the Medieval Time and all that.

Mary was very much honored and she came by all these different names to emphasize different parts of her character and role within the church. Typically, as someone that would be an intercessor,