Product Description

Restores to the forefront of the Christian tradition the importance of the divine feminine.
* The first complete English-language translation of the original Coptic Gospel of Mary, with line-by-line commentary.
* Reveals the eminence of the divine feminine in Christian thought.
* Offers a new perspective on the life of one of the most controversial figures in the Western spiritual tradition.

Perhaps no figure in biblical scholarship has been the subject of more controversy and debate than Mary Magdalene. Also known as Miriam of Magdala, Mary Magdalene was considered by the apostle John to be the founder of Christianity because she was the first witness to the Resurrection. In most theological studies she has been depicted as a reformed prostitute, the redeemed sinner who exemplifies Christ's mercy. Today's reader can ponder her role in the gospels of Philip, Thomas, Peter, and Bartholomew--the collection of what have come to be known as the Gnostic gospels rejected by the early Christian church. Mary's own gospel is among these, but until now it has remained unknown to the public at large.

Orthodox theologian Jean-Yves Leloup's translation of the Gospel of Mary from the Coptic and his thorough and profound commentary on this text are presented here for the first time in English. The gospel text and the spiritual exegesis of Leloup together reveal unique teachings that emphasize the eminence of the divine feminine and an abiding love of nature over the dualistic and ascetic interpretations of Christianity presented elsewhere. What emerges from this important source text and commentary is a renewal of the sacred feminine in the Western spiritual tradition and a new vision for Christian thought and faith throughout the world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #67258 in Books
• Published on: 2002-03-30
• Released on: 2002-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 200 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780892819119
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Booklist
Interest in Mary Magdalene, the quasi-legendary woman of the Gospels who stood in an ambiguous relationship to Jesus, is booming just now. According to noncanonical sources, she was Jesus' wife, and probably not the prostitute with whom she is often conflated or confused. Among those unorthodox sources is one of the fragmentary early texts rejected by the church fathers and now called the gnostic gospels. Found in 1945 at Nag Hammadi in the Egyptian desert, it is a short but complex Coptic text that appears to render the voice of Mary Magdalene. This volume contains English translations of Leloup's French version of the original and Leloup's extensive commentary, which discloses the theology that inspired the lost gospel. Less dualistic and more woman-affirming than the canonical quartet, the Magdalene's gospel might be embraced by contemporary seekers, both Christian and non-Christian. Patricia Monaghan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
. . . taken with the inspired commentary by Jean-Yves Leloup, can help toward making the teaching of Jesus once again alive. -- Jacob Needleman, author of Lost Christianity and The American Soul

. . . the Magdalene's gospel might be embraced by contemporary seekers, both Christian and non-Christian. -- Patricia Monaghan, Booklist American Library Association, April 2002

Leloup's commentary presents a scholarly translation with an inspirational and passionate interpretation. -- Steven Sora, author of The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar

One welcomes this solid telling of the story and meaning of a neglected text at the root of Christian wisdom. -- Matthew Fox, author of Original Blessing

Readers will welcome this perceptive translation of the Gnostic "Gospel of Mary" and the insightful commentary by scholar-mystic Jean-Yves Leloup. -- Margaret Starbird, author of The Woman with the Alabaster Jar

Review
"The Gospel of Mary, taken with the inspired commentary by Jean-Yves Leloup, can help toward making the teaching of Jesus once again alive."
(Jacob Needleman, author of Lost Christianity and The American Soul )

"Leloup's commentary presents a scholarly translation with an inspirational and passionate interpretation. . . . Going  beyond the gospels to the laws of the Torah and the philosophical writings of Kant, the author at once discovers the truer meanings of an ancient text and a message as important today as it was two millennia ago."
(Steven Sora, author of The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar )

"Readers will welcome this perceptive translation of the Gnostic 'Gospel of Mary' and the insightful commentary by scholar-mystic Jean-Yves Leloup. The journey of the soul and other profound and subtle teachings of Jesus and his beloved Miriam will enlighten modern seekers."
(Margaret Starbird, author of The Woman with the Alabaster Jar )

"One welcomes this solid telling of the story and meaning of a neglected text at the root of Christian wisdom, and of a neglected figure who had a special relationship both with the historical Jesus in his lifetime and with the Christ spirit after the death of Jesus."
(Matthew Fox, author of Original Blessing )

" . . . the Magdalene's gospel might be embraced by contemporary seekers, both Christian and non-Christian."
(Patricia Monaghan, Booklist American Library Association, April 2002 )

"There are some fascinating glimpses at gender politics between the earliest followers of Jesus and the enigmatic personage of Mary Magdalene. Christians have come to think of her (with no basis in biblical fact) as the repentant prostitute, while to his followers she was the one Jesus loved 'differently from other women.'"
(KJ, Napra ReView, May/June 2002 )

"He sets the record straight and provides ample commentary on where the historical records went astray."
(New Women New Church, Summer 2003, Vol.26 No.2 )

"I love this gospel . . . it speaks such truth as the Church desperately needs in these times."
(John Gilbert, Ph.D., Gnostic News, December 2003 )

"The commentary by Professor LeLoup is beautifully done. He is indeed a scholar of the earth Church."
(John Gilbert, The Temple of Gnostic Yoga, December 2003  )

"Powerful, almost Taoist in range, this is an important book and should be read by anyone interested in Mary Magdalene or the early Church."
(Pamela Crossland, TCM Reviews )

Customer Reviews

A clear look at a sometimes confusing text
Jean-Yves Leloup has written a stunning commentary on the ancient Gnostic text, The Gospel of Mary. Discovered in the late 1800's and published with the more recently discovered Nag Hammadi Library, The Gospel of Mary has puzzled many readers because of its missing pages and esoteric language. This book will take much of the mystery out of this text for general readers and scholars alike.

Most notable, I think, is the translation of "anthropos" as "human" rather than "man." This was a problem with the Gospel of Thomas as well; Jesus and the disciples make comments about women turning into men before they can find the Kingdom of God. At best, these comments were mystifying, and more than a few women found them to be shocking. With this translation, however, Leloup encourages us to think of the comments as meaning that women (and men) must become more spiritually aware before understanding the mysteries of Jesus' teachings.

There is a little bit for everyone in this book, ranging from the original Coptic with facing English translation to an in-depth line by line commentary. It's more than enough to stimulate debate about Christianity's early developments, particularly relating to the authority of women.

Literary Armageddon
Nearly all knowledgeable Biblical scholars realize there have been a wide range of writings attributed to Jesus and his Apostles..... and that some of these were selected for compilation into the book that became known as the Bible.....and that some books have been removed from some versions of the Bible and others have been re-discovered in modern times.

The attention focused on Gnosticism by Dan Brown's DaVinci Code may be debatable, but the fact is that increased attention on academics tends to be predominately positive, so I welcome those with first-time or renewed interest. At least first-timers to Gnosticism are not pursuing the oh-so-popular legends of the Holy Grail, Bloodline of Christ, and Mary Magdalene.

This is great......I seldom quote other reviewers, but there is one reviewer of Pagels' books who confided that he had been a Jesuit candidate and had been required to study a wide range of texts but was never was told about the Nag Hamadi texts. He said:

"Now I know why. The Gospel of Thomas lays waste to the notion that Jesus was `the only begotten Son of God' and obviates the need for a formalized church when he says, `When your leaders tell you that God is in heaven, say rather, God is within you, and without you.' No wonder they suporessed this stuff! The Roman Catholic Church hasn't maintained itself as the oldest institution in the world by allowing individuals to have a clear channel to see the divinity within all of us: they need to put God in a bottle, label the bottle, put that bottle on an altar, build a church around that altar, put a sign over the door, and create rubricks and rituals to keep out the dis-believing riff-raff. Real `Us' versus `them' stuff, the polar opposite from `God is within You.' `My God is bigger than your God' the church(s)seem to say. And you can only get there through "my" door/denomination. But Jesus according to Thomas had it right: just keep it simple, and discover the indwelling Divinity `within you and without you.'"

Here are quickie reviews of what is being bought these days on the Gnostic Gospels and the lost books of the Bible in general:

The Lost Books of the Bible (0517277956) includes 26 apocryphal books from the first 400 years that were not included in the New Testament.

Marvin Meyers' The Secret Teachings of Jesus : Four Gnostic Gospels (0394744330 ) is a new translation without commentary of The Secret Book of James, The Gospel of Thomas, The Book of Thomas, and The Secret Book of John.

James M. Robinson's The Nag Hammadi Library in English : Revised Edition (0060669357) has been around 25 years now and is in 2nd edition. It has introductions to each of the 13 Nag Hammadi Codices and the Papyrus Berioinensis 8502.

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (0140278079) by Geza Vermes has selected works....a complete work is more difficult to achieve than the publisher's marketing concept indicates. His commentary generates strong reactions.

Elaine Pagels has 2 books (The Gnostic Gospels 0679724532 and Beyond Belief : The Secret Gospel of Thomas 0375501568) that have received considerable attention lately. For many, her work is controversial in that it is written for popular consumption and there is a strong modern interpretation. She does attempt to reinterpret ancient gender relationships in the light of modern feminist thinking. While this is a useful (and entertaining) aspect of college women's studies programs, it is not as unethical as some critics claim. As hard as they may try, all historians interpret the past in the context of the present. Obviously there is value in our attempts to re-interpret the past in the light of our own time.

If you want the full scholarly work it is W. Schneemelcher's 2 volume New Testament Apocrypha.

Splendid and Thought-Provoking
At last a Gnostic Gospel is presented in a way that even non-Gnostics can love. Leloup's excellent commentary adequately summarizes the Gnostic world-view without being intrusive, and the light he shines on the Gospel of Magdalene will make you ponder no matter what you believe, even if you believe nothing. It is short enough to read quickly -- but you probably won't. It's too good. Savor its wisdom and go back to it often. It's a spiritual experience par excellance and a bargain to boot.