Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States
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I'm a Catholic, enquiring as to the official stance of the Oriental Orthodox Church on Mary's sinlessness. I It appears that you believe that the Theotokos was conceived with original sin. Do you believe that she ever really committed actual sin, or was she preserved from these?  Furthermore, what do you think of the thoughts expressed in the following link: http://www.east2west.org/discus/messages/10/47.html?1025118443.

It's by an Eastern Catholic (of the Byzantine Catholic Church of America) who thinks that our supposed differences on this issue are more semantic than anything else. Is this reconcilable with Oriental Orthodoxy?

I do not think that semantics is the real cause of differences between the churches. This is  a matter of totally different dogmas. Our Orthodox Church believes that the holy Theotokos was conceived with the original sin and its consequences. The wages of sin is death. Adam and Eve had to die for their sin and consequently all their offspring were born dead. Death here is not a physical but a spiritual death. Sin has changed the nature of man from being in the likeness of God to a corruptible nature. St. Mary was born with this nature. Consequently  she did need the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for her salvation. She herself made it clear by saying, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior" (Luke 1:46-47). To claim that St. Mary is the Immaculate Conception makes the Cross not really needed for everyone; and therefore diminishes the importance of the Cross.

According to the Scriptures, our Church believes that St. Mary was favored by God. "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" (Luke 1:28).

He protected her and overshadowed her. She, with the power of the Holy Spirit, kept herself pure and holy. "And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God'" (Luke 1:35).
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