JOHN DUNS SCOTUS AND HIS DEFENCE
OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
Noel Muscat OFM
OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
Noel Muscat OFM
Blessed John Duns Scotus (1265/66 – 8th November 1308), besides being known as the “Subtle Doctor”, is also referred to as the “Marian Doctor”. It was he who presented a systematic theology of the Marian privilege of the Immaculate Conception, which the Catholic Church officially proclaimed as a Dogma of Faith in the Apostolic Constitution Ineffabilis Deus of Pope Pius IX (8th December 1854), of which we are this year celebrating the 150th anniversary.