Which doctrine teaches Mary was conceived without Original Sin?

• A. Perpetual virginity
• B. Assumption
• C. Divine motherhood
• D. Immaculate Conception

Answer: (D)

The Immaculate Conception teaches that Mary was conceived without Original Sin, preserved from humanity’s fallen state from the very moment of her conception by a special grace of God in anticipation of Christ’s merits. This means she entered life free from the stain of sin that affects all other people. The point of this doctrine is to explain how Mary could be a pure vessel for Jesus, who himself is without sin, and to affirm God’s gracious plan in choosing her.

Other Marian beliefs describe different aspects: perpetual virginity refers to Mary's lifelong virginity, before and after Jesus’ birth; the Assumption is the belief that Mary was taken body and soul into heaven at the end of her earthly life; Divine motherhood identifies Mary as the mother of Jesus, recognizing her role in Christ's humanity. While these are important truths about Mary, they do not describe the condition of her conception itself, which is specifically what the Immaculate Conception asserts.