| ||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
A fascinating alternative to the traditional image of Mary of Magdala, with a detailed examination of the Gospel of Mary.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I wanted to discover some evidence for the character and history of Mary Magdalene. This book turned out to be an excellent source which has helped me to understand so much about Mary. The author leaves aside the way in which her contributions to Christianity may have been distorted by the Church, and concentrates instead on the information which we have, which turns out to be a lot, and from several places, with much of it in agreement. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to find out about the real Mary. Thank you, Dr De Boer, for this piece of fascinating, detailed and well-argued writing about the enigmatic character who is Mary Magdalene, who may have been supremely important during Jesus's lifetime and afterwards.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
7 reviews
65 of 67 people found the following review helpful
clear and informative
1 Oct 1998
Format:Paperback
This book was truly a pleasure to read. It is written clearly and gives a great deal of information in a relatively small space. It is worthy reading for one doing serious research, yet also qualifies as fun reading for one who is simply interested in Mary Magdalene. It includes excerpts from the Gospel of Mary, which are fascinating. I highly recommend this book to anyone.
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Meditations on the record
29 Sep 2004
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed this book a great deal. I failed to agree with the author's conclusions, but doubt the intent was to convince. She shares her own meditations, but they are inspirational comments rather than legal epitaphs.
The book starts with a review of contemporary treatment of the icon 'Mary Magdalene'. We make a pilgrimage to a church dedicated to her and experience the emotions her passion play evokes. This image is then undermined by reviewing the history of Mary Magdalene's persona as described by church fathers over the last 1800 years.
De Boer then goes beyond the church fathers to the earliest evangelical quotes attributed to Mary herself: The Gospel of Mary Magdalene. While the document is at least 1500 years old, it isn't clear what it represents: does it quote the words Mary spoke or is it simply another 'myth' about Mary.
De Boer spends a good deal of time addressing the problem of differentiating the three personas attributed to Mary:
1. Mary, the follower of Jesus presented in the canonic gospels,
2. Mary, the priestess of Christ as presented in the Gospel of Mary Magdalene,
3. Mary, the 'reformed prostitute' as presented by medieval European church fathers.
In the end, De Boer concludes the 'real' Mary was accurately quoted in the Gospel of Mary Magdalene.
The book starts with a review of contemporary treatment of the icon 'Mary Magdalene'. We make a pilgrimage to a church dedicated to her and experience the emotions her passion play evokes. This image is then undermined by reviewing the history of Mary Magdalene's persona as described by church fathers over the last 1800 years.
De Boer then goes beyond the church fathers to the earliest evangelical quotes attributed to Mary herself: The Gospel of Mary Magdalene. While the document is at least 1500 years old, it isn't clear what it represents: does it quote the words Mary spoke or is it simply another 'myth' about Mary.
De Boer spends a good deal of time addressing the problem of differentiating the three personas attributed to Mary:
1. Mary, the follower of Jesus presented in the canonic gospels,
2. Mary, the priestess of Christ as presented in the Gospel of Mary Magdalene,
3. Mary, the 'reformed prostitute' as presented by medieval European church fathers.
In the end, De Boer concludes the 'real' Mary was accurately quoted in the Gospel of Mary Magdalene.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Jesus' Constant Companion
13 Jun 2006
Format:Paperback
Originally penned in Dutch, Esther de Boer's "Mary Magdalene" (1996) arrives in the English translation (Bowden's 1997) as a fresh new look at Jesus' closest female disciple (p. 65-67). Although Mary is historically elusive de Boer proffers considerable well-reasoned insight and scholarly reflection about this great lady saint. This 143-page paperback is well resourced with a five page select bibliography and 14 pages of endnotes. De Boer concludes the book with a helpful 3-page index of ancient texts.
Incorporating each of the earliest references about Mary of Magdala (from the New Testament Gospels, to the Gospel of Mary, to the Gospel of Philip, to various patristic writings) the author understands that "the earliest sources that mention [Mary] are not about her" (p. 19). De Boer believes the early silence about Mary is deliberate. She works diligently to fill in many of the Magdalene story spaces.
Avoiding the controversial arguments about Magdalene's personal (and perhaps married) life with Jesus of Nazareth, De Boer speaks only from documented Marian traditions. Mary Magdalene comes from the area of Tiberias, in Galilee. She follows Jesus through his ministry providing for him out of her own means. She is present for his crucifixion and resurrection. Then, she disappears from the official pages of history.
De Boer shows that Mary Magdalene does not receive much press in the synoptic gospels but that the Gospel of John gives her a real presence allowing Magdalene to speak (p. 56). From this book one learns early church leaders knew Mary as an "apostle" (p. 60), that Peter appears hostile to Magdalene in the Gospel of Mary (p.69), and that the Gospel of Philip calls Mary Jesus' constant "companion" (p. 71). She is quick to point out that such companionship does not necessarily connote sexuality. De Boar then provides a helpful six page insertion from the Gospel of Mary (her own translation from the original Greek) to enhance her interpretation (chapter 4).
De Boer's writing style is more devotional than academic giving this book an approachable feeling that convinces. Although she occassionally gets side-tracked by her feminist background, De Boer's opinions do not distract from her subject.
If you are unfamiliar with Mary of Magdala this book will quickly inform you. I read it in a very short time (making notes on almost every page). Much of its information has been transcribed into my Revised English Bible.
This book is recommended to all who are curious about Mary Magdalene, New Testament students, and Bible studiers.
Incorporating each of the earliest references about Mary of Magdala (from the New Testament Gospels, to the Gospel of Mary, to the Gospel of Philip, to various patristic writings) the author understands that "the earliest sources that mention [Mary] are not about her" (p. 19). De Boer believes the early silence about Mary is deliberate. She works diligently to fill in many of the Magdalene story spaces.
Avoiding the controversial arguments about Magdalene's personal (and perhaps married) life with Jesus of Nazareth, De Boer speaks only from documented Marian traditions. Mary Magdalene comes from the area of Tiberias, in Galilee. She follows Jesus through his ministry providing for him out of her own means. She is present for his crucifixion and resurrection. Then, she disappears from the official pages of history.
De Boer shows that Mary Magdalene does not receive much press in the synoptic gospels but that the Gospel of John gives her a real presence allowing Magdalene to speak (p. 56). From this book one learns early church leaders knew Mary as an "apostle" (p. 60), that Peter appears hostile to Magdalene in the Gospel of Mary (p.69), and that the Gospel of Philip calls Mary Jesus' constant "companion" (p. 71). She is quick to point out that such companionship does not necessarily connote sexuality. De Boar then provides a helpful six page insertion from the Gospel of Mary (her own translation from the original Greek) to enhance her interpretation (chapter 4).
De Boer's writing style is more devotional than academic giving this book an approachable feeling that convinces. Although she occassionally gets side-tracked by her feminist background, De Boer's opinions do not distract from her subject.
If you are unfamiliar with Mary of Magdala this book will quickly inform you. I read it in a very short time (making notes on almost every page). Much of its information has been transcribed into my Revised English Bible.
This book is recommended to all who are curious about Mary Magdalene, New Testament students, and Bible studiers.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Religion & Spirituality > Bible > Bible Studies > New Testament
- Books > Religion & Spirituality > Bible > Reference > Study > New Testament
- Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Theology > Bible > New Testament
- Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Theology > Saints & Hagiography
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
