BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Spirituality Mary Magdalene

I recently put together a service for my U.U. Church about Mary Magdalene. I have always been fascinated by her. Much as she was an 'inconvenient' woman to the early church.. they couldn't get around her. She was mentioned 13 times in the New Testament. So, they turned her into a whore instead.

But, the Gnostic Gospels present a very different image of the Magdalene, one of an intelligent, devoted and inspired disciple.
I am really happy that Mary is at last getting the recognition she deserves, thanks particularly to Dan Brown, and his Da Vinci Code. Although it is a work of fiction, it has inspired people to research and respect the Magdalene for who she really was.

I agree wholeheartedly Linda. I believe she was one of the most important, and influential of the followers of Jesus. I think (just my personal opinion) that she was not named as one of the 'apostles' simply because she was a woman in a male dominated society. I also do not believe that Jesus regarded her as less than the male members of the group.

The portrayal of her as a whore seems to be something of a conspiracy to defame, to my thinking.

Ann.

Why do you believe she was influential? Why do you believe that she was an important disciple? Because someone made up a story in a fiction novel?

You will believe stuff like that but you won't believe stuff written in the Bible. That makes no sense. You call the Bible fiction but you won't believe a word of it. However, you'll put stock in a work that is known and clearly states to be fiction

Amadeus.. She was a very influential personage. The very fact that she was mentioned in the NT proves that much. And, if you read my intro to this thread, you will see that I did mention that Dan Brown's work was fictional, but that it stirred up a new interest in the Magdalene.

She was also, according to scriptures, the disciple who remained at the side of Jesus along with his mother Mary, throughout the entire ordeal. And, she was also the first person that Jesus talked to after the resurrection, which earned her the title of apostle to the apostles.

There are also other historical sources that describe Mary and her relationship to Jesus, including the Gnostic Gospels, in particular the Gospel of Mary.

You may not find the other sources credible, but I certainly do.

I would suggest that before you even begin to join into THIS thread that you do some research of who Mary Magdalene was. "The Woman with the Alabaster Jar" is a good book for starters.

I don't see the Bible as fiction.. actually it is chock full of historical information. And, as a history and theology buff, I find the content to be quite fascinating in it's portrayal of what life must have been like in those ancient times.

However, I have to admit that I do believe that the God of the Bible is fictional.. and I base that belief on years and years and years of study of basically every religious system that exists out there.

It is my belief and I don't expect that anyone else has to share that. If others believe he exists and that belief makes them happy.. than I say "Go for it!"

But, Mary Magdalene was not a fictional character, anymore than Jesus or Luke or John... She was very real. And, like it or not.. she is probably the most well loved and honored woman of the scriptures next to the Virgin Mary.

I agree that if Mary Magdeline had been a man she would have been an Apsole! She was there at the cross the first to see Jesus and the others did not belief that Jesus had rose from the Dead so... Yes because this is a mans world Mary Magdeline got the shaft in Histroy!!! I think there was alot of Women in the Bible that I would have loved to hear there side of the story!!! the bible wrote by man inspired by God deals mostly in fact and history where a woman auther would show a more emotional, relational side of God and Jesus!!

My sentiments exactly!

Ann.

You know what would rock? To do the research, and then write a fictional acct, as Brown does, loosely based on history, combined with personal interpretations of what we think these women of the bible may have actually been like. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it. Its called historical fiction. My matron comes from Babylonian civilization and plays an extremely short part, and hopefully when I feel like I have enough research on her, I would like to someday compose an epic suggesting what that mythical account was like through her eyes.

When I was in middle school, a teacher of mine lent me the novel Grendel, the story of Beowulf told from the perspective of the monster that Beowulf slayed.

I absolutely agree with the sentiments that suggest Magdalene held more sway than what is written in the bible. In fact, I have seen several specials on history channel that outline other factors that question the sex of this mysterious disciple that many think was Magdalene. For instance in the painting of the last supper, this feminine figure is seated next to Christ, and they seem to share a more intimate degree of space between the two of them, than they do with the other disciples in that image. It has also been purported that I think it was James who was extremely jealous of Magdalene because Christ imparted knowledge to her that was not meant for the mind or hearing of James and the other male disciples. Clearly this ought to suggest that there was a special place for a woman teacher/mystic in Christ's Christianity. However I have my doubts that what he taught should even be considered Christianity, so much as it should be called gnosticism - since what he spread was spiritual knowledge and not a bastardized iconic ideology based on his namesake.

I'm new and was searching for Gnostic references when I came upon this thread. I would like to add that I think Mary was well regarded and perhaps even thought of as highly as the other apostles up until Constantine and the Nicean Council which eradicated any references and texts that they didn't personally agree with. Unfortunately that purge effectively rendered Mary to the role of fallen woman/prostitute in an effort to expunge women from any importance in the bible. Most Gnostic texts (which exist despite similar efforts to wipe them out) indicate that Mary was a close confidant to Jesus, perhaps even closer than Peter. Sue

Hi Sue (GrannyM) hehe

This book will blow your socks off...

Kinda scary for me.. I'm a dude !

http:
//www.amazon.com/Mary-Magdalene-Divine-Feminine-ebook/dp/B002LSIIPS/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

I do believe that Mary Magdalene was an integral part of Biblical historical relevance. The importance of women in much of Christianity has been understated and underrated. In my family and for even centuries the women held the spiritual knowledge and its power. It was passed to the next generation through teaching and many times it was "transferred" to the next woman by timing and a touch, if that makes sense. That was the impartation done to begin a new path. In my case it skipped a generation and a gender. Impartation is not understood by many these days and one would have to experience it to fully know what it entailed. To us was just a beginning.

I believe that it was generally the women that were entrusted with the familys spiritual direction for centuries because many times the qualities found in them are of a more nurturing, spiritual, and instinctively tender nature. On the flip side women were the warriors of many ancient tribes due to their quick and cunning defensive skills. The combination of both sides of the coin provided a more suitable navigator.,,,,dave