Synopses & Reviews
Mary Magdalene, Jesus's Closest Disciple
Marvin Meyer, one of the foremost scholars of the Gnostic Gospels:
translates and introduces the Gnostic and New Testament texts that together reveal the story and importance of Mary Magdalene
includes new translations of the Gospels of Mary, Thomas, Philip, and related texts about Mary Magdalene
discloses, with Esther A. De Boer, the long-suppressed story of Mary's vital role in the life of Jesus and in the formative period after his crucifixion
- presents as authentically as possible the real Mary Magdalene
Review
“[Sheds] new light on the role and the spiritual importance of Mary Magdalene in the early Christian tradition.” Spirituality and Health magazine
Synopsis
The Gospels of Mary presents English translations of the earliest and most reliable texts that shed light on Mary Magdalene-texts that unveil her importance as Jesus's beloved disciple and an apostle and evangelist in her own right, a figure whose importance for Christianity is only now emerging from the shadows of history after years of suppression by the early Church.
Marvin Meyer's translation of the Gospel of Mary and several other Mary-related texts (including passages from the New Testament Gospels) reveals a vibrant oral tradition in which Mary Magdalene is not only a follower of Jesus, but also his companion and closest disciple.
An interpretive essay by Esther de Boer, a respected scholar of the Gospel of Mary, places Meyer's translation in context.
Marvin Meyer is the foremost expert on the Nag Hammadi texts and the texts about Jesus outside the New Testament. He is Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies and Co-Chair of the Department of Religious Studies, and Director of the Albert Schweitzer Institute, at Chapman University, Orange, CA. He is also the author of The Gospel of Thomas and The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus.
"An excellent compilation of all the earliest texts, both gospels and apocrypha, in which Mary Magdalene appears, showing her importance to the early Church, and highlighting her powerful
roles as disciple, apostle, and companion of Christ." -Susan Haskins, author of Mary Magdalene: Myth and Metaphor
--Spirituality and Health magazine
Synopsis
Mary Magdalene, Jesus's Closest Disciple
Marvin Meyer, one of the foremost scholars of the Gnostic Gospels:
translates and introduces the Gnostic and New Testament texts that together reveal the story and importance of Mary Magdalene
includes new translations of the Gospels of Mary, Thomas, Philip, and related texts about Mary Magdalene
discloses, with Esther A. De Boer, the long-suppressed story of Mary's vital role in the life of Jesus and in the formative period after his crucifixion
- presents as authentically as possible the real Mary Magdalene
About the Author
Marvin Meyer, general editor of this collection, is one of the foremost scholars on Gnostic traditions, the Nag Hammadi library, and texts about Jesus outside the New Testament. He is Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies and director of the Albert Schweitzer Institute at Chapman University in California. Among his recent books are The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus: The Definitive Collection of Mystical Gospels and Secret Books about Jesus of Nazareth; The Gospels of Mary: The Secret Tradition of Mary Magdalene, the Companion of Jesus; The Gnostic Discoveries: The Impact of the Nag Hammadi Library; The Gnostic Bible; and The Gospel of Judas.