Mariology

Mariology is the general study of St. Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, which is generally considered important for understanding why Mary was the mother of Jesus.

Catholics hold Mary much higher than protestants do, typically praising her as a righteous woman, which is fertile ground for God's incarnation. The immaculate conception, which holds that Mary was born without original sin, is official Catholic doctrine. Protestants generally consider Mary a sinner like the rest of humanity and do not uphold Mary in most ways, although she is typically still respected as the mother of God.