The Theotokos and Protestants

Michael Pahls has a brilliant post on his blog at Reformed Catholicism - Classically Protestant *and* Constructively catholic, entitled The Theotokos and Doctrinal Criticism.

He discusses Catholic and Orthodox Mariology (referred to as Mariolatry by anti-Catholic Protestanst) and the problems Protestantism has with them.

Most Protestant difficulties with Roman Catholic and Orthodox Mariologies (not identical theologies, by the way) stem from a failure to understand the intrinsic connection between Mary and the Church. ...
Saying "Mary is the Mediatrix of all graces" is nearly identical to saying, "the Church is Mediatrix of all graces." ...
A sacramental understanding of the Church is, of course, a prerequisite for finding this teaching acceptable. For Roman Catholics, the Orthodox, Presbyterian/Reformed Christians, Lutherans, and Anglicans this should be old hat. ...
If it was necessary to assume Mary's physical body into heaven for her to receive an anticipatory share in the Resurrection, than the resurrection body of Jesus and of us demands an essential continuity with our present embodiment. In other words, Jesus is not merely “alive to God� in a disembodied way as more liberal Christians wish to affirm. ...
The only really good grounds on which Protestants might object to Roman Mariology  ...

See also my essay on the Theotokos on my website.