Mary Magdalene. Who was she really? Will we ever know? Was she really the sinner and harlot that the Catholic Church portrays?
Mary Magdalene. Was she the woman at Jesus’ side? Was she the first female apostle? Are there any written records about her? If yes, who keeps them locked up, and why?
Mary Magdalene. Do we have to rethink her reputation? Was she probably somebody completely different to how the Bible describes her? May she finally come out of the shadows of the past?
Mary Magdalene. Are we open and ready to look at her in a completely new light? Do we have the courage to
question old knowledge? Do we believe in the so-called truth which we have accepted uncritically? Or, do we listen to our hearts?
Mary Magdalene. Who are you really?
Virtually no other historical figure causes as much controversy concerning their life and work, as Mary Magdalene. She polarizes opinions. Descriptions of her range from whore to saint, from Ascended Master to Jesus’ wife.
What has lead you to this homepage? What do you believe in?
in the bible
I admit I am far from being familiar with the Bible, although I grew up in a strongly Christian environment. As far as I remember, from my Religious Education lessons at school, Mary Magdalene has never been portrayed in a favourable light by the church. She was described as a whore and a sinner, a woman from whom seven demons had to be cast out.
In 591, Pope Gregory I. equated Mary Magdalene with the sinner who washed Jesus’ feet and whose name had been
unknown. This identification has become an integral part of Catholic tradition concerning Mary Magdalene. But she has also often been identified with Mary of Bethany, Martha of Bethany’s, and Lazarus’, sister. Later the attribute ‘sinner’ was misinterpreted as ‘prostitute’. Until 1996, in Ireland, one could find Magdalene homes, an organization, lead by Catholic nuns to help ‘fallen girls and women’.
the saint
How ‚Mary Magdalene the sinner‘ became ‘Saint Mary Magdalene’ in the course of Christian tradition, is hard for me to understand.
'Mary Magdalene followed the Lord, she stood under the cross, and the risen Master has shown himself to her first – at least, according to John’s gospel. Throughout the gospels all those who are mentioned as disciples and followers of Jesus are called saints – except Judas who betrayed Jesus. They have proved themselves as saints, as they recognized, acknowledged and followed the Lord.
Mary Magdalene was not proclaimed a saint by the Pope,
neither were the Holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, Holy Joseph, the holy Apostles, Saint John the Baptist, the holy martyrs of the first centuries, and practically all the other saints of the first Christian millennium, simply because there was nothing like canonization. Anybody who was worshipped by faithful people as such, was a saint; later it was up to the Bishop to confirm this worship.
Canonization by the Pope was introduced in the Middle Ages; over the centuries certain rules and criteria have been developed – but they do not always fit the early saints…’
the ascended master
Although I have written a book about Ascended Masters myself, I would like to mention Edwin Courtenay’s explanation of ‘Ascended Masters’ :
‘The Ascended Masters are human beings who have gone before us. They lived on earth and, after a circle of incarnations, which were on a spiritual level very enlightened, have reached the step to ascend. They were enlightened, godlike and therefore capable of expanding their awareness, and freeing themselves from the material world. They were able to change themselves and the world around them, and work wonders.
These beings do not have to return to earth to develop
and grow. They have reached a spiritual level where there are no limitations, no form and time, no sound and colour. This level is a dimension of awareness, called Shambala or the ascended level. These Masters are not our Masters, but their own Masters. They have united their energies and light, and now exist in a collective awareness. They have put off character and personality and are only pure thoughts and light, surrounded by a multiple faceted diamond. Each facet represents an incarnation. Through these windows the Masters receive experience and knowledge and send their collective awareness to earth. This can be received by channel-mediums to help and guide people on their evolutionary path.’
jesus' wife
What some consider blasphemy, others see as a natural thing: the assumption that Mary Magdalene was Jesus’ wife. One can find very contrary information in literature:
‘Mary Magdalene was not only the woman with a special closeness to Jesus – the assumption that there was an erotic relationship between her and Jesus is an old one. As a woman (!) she was the first one to hear about the news of Christ’s resurrection, which is the basis of Christianity. Afterwards, she also had to spread the news.
‘Jesus was not married. There is no hint of an erotic relationship between Jesus and Mary of Magdala (a place in Galilee) in any reliable report. She was extremely grateful to Jesus, and adored him, because he had cast
seven demons from her. She was a member of a group of
women who materially supported Jesus, and his twelve disciples, on their journeys (Luke 8, 2-3).’
The Gospel of Jesus's Wife:
A New Coptic Gospel Papyrus
Resources about the fourth-century papyrus fragment available here are images of the fragment and a translation of the text; information (in question-and-answer format) about the fragment; and a draft of Karen L. King's article about the gospel papyrus. Read more... http://www.hds.harvard.edu/faculty-research/research-projects/the-gospel-of-jesuss-wife