Tina Beattie is married with four children. After taking a degree in Theology and Bristol University, she moved on to study for a PhD on 'Images of Mary.' She is Lecturer in Christian Studies at the University of Surrey, Roehampton. Sarah Jane Boss is Director of the Centre for Marian Studies, University of Wales, Lampeter, UK.

To understand the cult of the Virgin Mary is to understand the Christian relgion. The Virgin Mary is a ubiquitous but enigmatic presence in Christian history and culture. The tradition about Mary forms a vast and multi-layered aspect of Western history, culture and spirituality. It is not just in the Catholic tradition that Mary has become a particular focus of study and interest. Mary has also become a crucial interest for Christians outside this tradition (Protestant, Anglican) as a path to ecumenical understanding.
This book is intended as a reference book for the student or scholar seeking knowledge of the history and contemporary practice of the cult of the Virgin Mary. It provides new essays which give overviews of particular areas of study - both historical and thematic - together with texts from primary sources and important scholarly articles, some of which appear in English for the first time.
The volume is designed to be suitable for use as a course book at undergraduate and Masters levels. The result is astonishing and will open up whole new avenues for theological and spiritual enquiry. Mary: The Complete Resource will be essential for anyone who has a strong theological or devotional interest in Mary. But it will open the eyes of those who do not.

Introduction
Section One: The Virgin Mary in Earliest Christianity
1. Mary in the New Testament and Apocrypha Chris Maunder
2. The Conception of the Virgin Mary, from The Protevangelium of James
3. The Annunciation, from The Protevangelium of James
4. The Title Theotokos Sarah Jane Boss
5. Theotokos: The title and its significance in doctrine and devotion Richard Price
6. Cyril of Alexandria on the title Theotokos, from the Third Letter to Nestorius
7. Mary in Patristic Theology Tina Beattie
8. The Origins of Marian Art: The evolution of Marian imagery in the Western Church until AD 31 Geri Parlby
9. Marian Liturgies and Devotion in Early Christianity Stephen J. Shoemaker
Section Two: The Cult of the Virgin Mary during the Middle Ages
1. The Development of the Virgin's Cult in the High Middle Ages Sarah Jane Boss
2. The vision of the monk Robert Translated by Sarah Jane Boss
3. Marian Devotion in the Latin West in the Later Middle Ages Eva De Visscher
4. Miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the collection of Johannes Herolt
Section Three: Mariology
1. The Development of the Doctrine of Mary's Immaculate Conception Sarah Jane Boss
2. Extract from a Medieval sermon on the Conception of Blessed Mary
3. The English Reformers and the Blessed Virgin Mary Paul Williams
4. Francisco Suárez and Modern Mariology Sarah Jane Boss
5. Ineffabilis Deus: Dogmatic constitution on the Immaculate Conception (extracts)
6. Extracts from Munificentissimus Deus: Apostolic constitution on the Assumption (extracts)
7. How To Think About Mary's Privileges: A post-conciliar exposition Philip Endean
8. The Fundamental Principle of Marian Theology by Karl Rahner; Translated and with an introduction by Philip Endean
9. Immaculate Mary: The Ecclesial Mariology of Hans Urs von Balthasar Francesca Murphy
10. The Virgin Mary in Anglican Tradition Paul Williams
11. Mary in Ecumenical Dialogue and Exchange David Carter
Section Four: Traditions of Devotion
1. Mary in Early Modern Europe Trevor Johnson
2. Telling the Beads: The practice and symbolism of the rosary Sarah Jane Boss
3. Mary: Images and Objects Simon Coleman
4. Marian Consecration in the Contemporary Church Sarah Jane Boss
5. Apparitions of Mary Chris Maunder
6. Black Madonnas Sarah Jane Boss
Section Five: Mary in Art and Literature
1. Mary in Islam Tim Winter
2. Mary in Nineteenth-Century English and American Poetry Nancy de Flon
3. Mary in Modern European Literature Catherine O'Brien
4. Mary in Film Catherine O'Brien
5. The Iconographic Types of the Virgin in Western Art Maurice Vloberg