Monday, November 21, 2022

Monday musing ~ about Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene Revealed: The First Apostle, Her Feminist Gospel, and the Christianity We Haven't Tried Yet ~ by Meggan Watterson, 2019, theology, 246 pages

A gospel, as ancient and authentic as any of the gospels that the Christian bible contains, was buried deep in the Egyptian desert after an edict was sent out in the 4th century to have all copies of it destroyed.  Fortunately, some rebel monks were wise enough to refuse-and thanks to their disobedience and spiritual bravery, we have several manuscripts of the only gospel that was written in the name of a woman:  The Gospel of Mary Magdalene.

Mary's gospel reveals a radical love that sits at the heart of the Christian story.  Her gospel says that we are not sinful; we are not to feel ashamed or unworthy for being human.  In fact, our purpose is to be fully human, to be a "true human being" — that is, a person who has remembered that, yes, we are a messy, limited ego, and we are also a limitless soul.  And all we need to do is to turn inward (again and again); to meditate, like Mary Magdalene, in the way her gospel directs us, so that we can see past the ego of our own little lives to what's more real, and lasting, and infinite, and already here, within.

Watterson explains how and why Mary Magdalene came to be portrayed as the penitent prostitute and relates a more historically and theologically accurate depiction of who Mary was within the early Christ movement.  And she shares how this discovery of Mary's gospel has allowed her to practice, and to experience, a love that never ends, a love that transforms everything.

Now, THIS is more in line with what I believe.  I quit calling myself a Christian long ago, not wanting to be confused with those who hatefully scream at others without showing a bit of love or compassion.  I've been calling myself "a follower of Jesus."  In my opinion, Jesus told us to care for one another, not to worship him.  So I'm ready to read this book I downloaded onto my Kindle yesterday.  Anybody want to join me?  I'd love to discuss the book with you.

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