The Gospel of Mary of Magdala

How did Karen King pull a riveting 200 page rabbit out of an ancient, several page long hat? The good news that it was no trick. This gospel and King's commentary are substantial. I have a special place in my heart for scholars who can reach me at my level: not by dumbing down their message but by lifting me up via gifted explanation. Karen King is indeed gifted. That gift consists not just of knowledge and communication skills, but of a deep honesty that keeps her open and, it seems, a deep humanity that enables her to reach out to scholars and laypeople alike. Although the role of women is necessarily a vital part of "The Gospel of Mary" and of this book, as a male reader I felt totally included. The author of "The Gospel of Mary" and Karen King both speak to all of us. It is difficult not to feel proud of Mary (and King) and distressed that so many men have failed to extend the same inclusiveness to women. Before being lost, "The Gospel of Mary" was circulated for several centuries: hopefully now it and King's "Gospel of Mary of Magdala" will be known for many more. As King translated from this gospel: "Anyone with two ears capable of hearing should listen!"

Reviewers who downgrade this scholarly work have confused their beliefs with an impartial evaluation of the merit of this book. The scholarship here allows us to have a glimpse of the early Christian era separate and apart from the politics--and power--established by the Church. To say that the Bible in its current form fell from heaven is to preach ignorance, and anyone who wants to know the truth about Jesus and his message will embrace this and other scholarly works if they love the truth.

Even in the canonical gospels Mary from Magdala was a remarkable woman. She followed Jesus, witnessed the crucifixion, saw the empty tomb and was one of the first, if not the very first person, the risen Christ appeared to. In Karen King's translation of the Gospel of Mary, she is no less remarkable.Incomplete, brief and based on three fragments from the 5th and 3rd centuries the Gospel of Mary reveals what Andrew refers to as "strange ideas." In a dialogue first between the risen Savior and disciples, and then between the disciples themselves about a vision of Jesus and teachings revealed to Mary alone ideas are presented that are unique to this gospel although there are clearly echoes of these ideas in other sacred writings. For example, there is a distinction made between the material body and the soul with the true self defined as the soul alone. Sin exists only when the soul is distracted by passions of the body and therefore is estranged from spiritual concerns. The familiar, "seek and you will find" is interpreted as the need to seek inwardly to discover the spiritual that is within us all.The teachings from Mary's vision of Christ are disputed by Andrew and denied by Peter who says he does not believe that Christ would tell a woman what he did not reveal to men. Levi confronts Andrew and Peter affirming that Mary is spiritually mature and as worthy as anyone. Levi then heeds the direction given by Jesus to go and teach the word.Ms. King discusses the changing role of women in the early church and the gradual establishment of the canonical gospel. Perhaps most interesting of all, she emphasizes the variety and diversity of early church writings and beliefs reminding us that our religious heritage is much more unsettled and unsettling than out view from the present looking backwards may suggest.

Karen L. King has written a groundbreaking book about the Gospel of Mary (of Magdala), a manuscript which was discovered in the dry sands of Egypt. King's study gives us glimpses of early Christianity which she believes was far more diverse than we had ever before imagined. The Gospel of Mary (of Magdala) was written in the 2nd Century and purports to be a conversation between the resurrected Jesus, Peter, Andrew, Levi and Mary. Each of these people, of course, was an historical figure, but their roles in the Gospel of Mary not only includes what has been remembered of the historical people, but also the positions they have come to represent in the 2nd Century Christian Church. Of prime importance is the role of women in the leadership of the Christian Church. According to King, the historical Mary of Magdala probably was an eminent leader in the early Church and the role she plays in the book is an advocate of women's leadership. Peter is opposed to her and Andrew supports him. Levi plays a peace-making role and Mary is shown to understand the teachings of Jesus more than all of the other Apostles. After Jesus departs the scene in the book's dialogue, Mary steps into his place to comfort and encourage the others demonstrating that she is the most outstanding Disciple of all. King takes a fleeting look at other newly-discovered manuscripts of Christian origins, giving the reader a kaleidoscope view of how much the early Christian communities had different theologies, all of which stemmed from the life the teachings of the Historical Jesus. Karen King is an excellent scholar and I highly recommend her book, The Gospel of Mary (of Magdala). It is an education. William M. LindenHouston, [email protected]