The Virgin & The Dragon: A Life Story of the Virgin Mary by John Hibbert

AUTHOR’S INTERVIEW

Why is there so little written about Mary apart from those of Catholic persuasion?
John Hibbert: The Scriptures do not actually give much information at all about Mary and so Bible expositors have not dealt very much with her as a subject. Because of Roman Catholic veneration of her, the Protestant section of the church has unfortunately made the subject almost taboo. By doing this we have lost respect for a woman who the Bible declares to be "highly favoured" and "blessed among women" and have been deprived of literature regarding her life. I think that I have shown in my book that there is an abundance of information about Mary to be explored and lessons to be learned simply by asking questions like "What must it have been like for her?"

Coming from a non-Catholic background, don’t you think you will be criticized for dealing with such a subject?
John Hibbert: I am certainly aware that I may be criticized by my peers for my honouring of Mary. I don’t particularly care; I am used to criticism and I think my shoulders are wide enough to take it. I happen to think that Roman Catholics have a lot to offer the world. Their adherence to many of the fundamental truths of the Gospel and to the biblical morality which is the bedrock of Christian society, has to be admired in a time when many Protestants are compromising essential truth across the board. I also understand why they revere Mary as they do. I don’t agree with it, but I understand it.

Equally, don’t you think you will be criticized by Catholics who, after all, have been venerating Mary for millennia?
John Hibbert: I am sure I will also be criticized by Roman Catholics for showing Mary to be a human being with flaws and weaknesses like the rest of us. I would ask them not to be hastily dismissive, but to read the book with an open mind. It is written with the best of motives and with a desire to give to this amazing woman the honour and respect she deserves. It is my intention to unite, not divide, but this can only truly be accomplished on the basis of truth.

Notwithstanding these possible criticisms, what essential lessons do you think that Mary can offer all Christians?
John Hibbert: We have so much to learn from the story of Mary. How desperately the world needs teenagers, and older people, who will make the kind of commitments that she made. She surrendered herself to walk a way which she knew would bring her hardship, pain and suffering. In a society where everybody seems to want as much as possible for as little as possible, she is an example of selfless living. She was an amazing mother, recognizing the need for the spiritual health of her son, as well as his natural needs, a matter which is sadly neglected today. She also knew when to let go, surely a lesson we all need to learn in our family relationships. She never became bitter about her lot, choosing rather to be positive and learn from her afflictions. And she never quit! She did not know the meaning of defeat! She was unswervingly loyal, first to God, but also to her fellow men.

I found myself wanting to go back and read the Scriptures and historians such as Josephus again (I haven’t done so in years!) in order to check some of the events that you describe - do you think that this is one of the strengths of the book i.e. to make people interested in the primary texts?
John Hibbert: Absolutely! Your question brings tears to my eyes. This is my dream, my over-riding motive, to awaken in Christian and non-Christian alike the desire to explore the Scriptures and find out for themselves some of these life-changing treasures of the Gospel. To hear that you have found yourself wanting to do this encourages me beyond expression. That’s fantastic!

But would you be happy if people simply took the book on face value i.e. as a wonderful story about a girl growing up with added difficulties?
John Hibbert: Of course I am happy for people to simply enjoy the book. I think that to feel the romance and emotion of this amazing story is a delightful experience. When I was writing it I often found myself lying awake in the night because I could not escape the emotion of living the story with Mary. I also think that those who just read it as a novel will automatically be benefited by the story and hopefully be better people for having read it.

There are other figures in the Scriptures of whom we know little but who are, nonetheless, pivotal (e.g. John the Baptist). Do you have any plans to write about them in the same way? - I hope so!
John Hibbert: I so much enjoyed the experience of writing about Mary. I was somewhat disappointed to reach the end of it. There are so many other fascinating life stories in the Scriptures which can be treated in the same way. Yes! I think I’m addicted! I am already half way through the life of Abraham, and what an astonishing story it is. I just hope as many people as possible will be touched by my small contribution to the world of books.