Two days ago, as of this writing, the Vatican released a document (link below) which rejected the use of “Co-Redemptrix” for Mary, the mother of Jesus. The reasoning behind this move is that the title for it “carries the risk of eclipsing the exclusive role of Jesus Christ.”
On paper, this declaration has ended decades (perhaps centuries?) of theological debate between Roman Catholics and non-Roman Catholics. Because there are many within the Roman Catholic Communion who are in favor of the title, and have been pushing for a formal dogmatic declaration from the Vatican, the document under discussion will surely disappoint a lot of devout Roman Catholics.
Note that the document does not totally remove Marian devotion but merely puts that devotion in its proper place. That means the Protestant churches will still have to fight against doctrines such as the Immaculate Conception, the Bodily Assumption of Mary, and her perpetual virginity, all of which have carried theological weight in the lives of the faithful.
The document may be a step in the right direction, but it’s looking like a long uphill climb at the very least.
