When one of the editors outs himself in the first chapter as a Da Vinci Code fan I expected this book to offer yet another weird and wacky conspiracy theory propelled interpretation of Christianity based on spurious evidence and dubious facts. What I got was a collection of articles, interviews, essays and book extracts from a wide variety of credible sources (ranging from feminist historians, through journalists and novelists, to theologians both practicing and academic).
Divided into sections covering topics such as what the biblical gospels actually say about Magdalene, her role as the apostle to the apostles, how her reputation as a repentant prostitute came about, traditions of women and the sacred, and depictions of her in art, legend and lore through medieval to modern times, this book provides an interesting overview of the many theories about who and what Mary Magdalene actually was.
Though dry in places (some of the articles are from academic papers) and a little repetitive towards the end (the facts are few and can only be presented in so many ways making repetition inevitable) I found this book to be a fascinating, if somewhat heavy read.
I would recommend this book to anyone with a serious interest in the subject as a great starting point for farther research. But for those with a mere passing curiosity it may be better to start with something less intense. And if you’re looking for biblical conspiracy theory look elsewhere entirely.-Lynn
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