Before: Was Mary a virgin? The story of Jesus’ miraculous divine conception is one that has fascinated Christians for centuries. In the gospels of both Matthew and Luke, it is said that Mary conceived a son through the Holy Spirit prior to her marriage to Joseph. These accounts have led Christians to form various theological interpretations of the figure of Mary and her importance, also called Mariologies. Most contemporary churches believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, but the factuality and relevancy of this doctrine have been debated throughout the history of Christianity. Furthermore, the story and character of Mary has impacted both the way Christians view God and the lives of all those living in Christian society. Understanding the history and impact of the story and doctrine of the virgin birth is critical to one’s greater understanding of the Christian tradition. In this paper, I will explore how various interpretations of the story of the virgin birth have been used to both oppress and empower women.
After: How has Mary's virginity impacted the Christian faith? The story of Jesus’ miraculous divine conception is one that has fascinated Christians for centuries. Both the gospels of Matthew and Luke claim that Mary conceived a son through the Holy Spirit before marrying Joseph. These accounts have led Christians to form various theological interpretations of Mary, also called Mariologies. Most contemporary churches believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, but the factuality and relevancy of this doctrine has been debated throughout the history of the church. Furthermore, the story and character of Mary has impacted both the way Christians view God and the lives of all those living in Christian society. Understanding the history and impact of the story and doctrine of the virgin birth is critical to one’s greater understanding of the Christian tradition. In this paper, I will explore how various interpretations of the story of the virgin birth have been used to both oppress and empower women.
In this new introduction, I made the hook more relevant to the purpose of the paper. I also cleaned up poor sentence structures to make the paragraph more cohesive. I think these changes improved my paper.