rschristopher on Nostr: Ironically, most of the reformers, including Calvin, held very positive views of Mary ...

Ironically, most of the reformers, including Calvin, held very positive views of Mary (including perpetual virginity) and would likely be appalled to see how modern Protestants treat her.

To be fair, of all the things that would shock people of that era, this would be low on the list, seeing their congregations turn into Unitarian mockeries (funding abortions, openly gay female pastors, etc) would be higher on their outrage list.

Agree though their soteriology was the culprit. You end up, inevitably, either with Immaculate Conception or you have to demote Mary in a way that ends up in Nestorianism. I think that’s why iconoclasm was fashionable with many reformers, ignoring Mary helped them to avoid Nestorianism and Immaculate Conception while still holding Penal Substitutionary Atonement.