Mariam, the Magdalen, and the Mother [Paperback]

Deirdre J. Good (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 11, 2005

"Offers a multifaceted discussion of the Magdalene traditions—traditions that echo well-known themes in the Hebrew Bible that go back to the story of Moses and of his sister, Miriam.... [Good] enriches our understanding of the resonances and complexity of the traditions surrounding this figure." —Elaine Pagels, author of Beyond Belief and The Gnostic Gospels

This volume presents a comprehensive portrait of Mary Magdalen. It offers original work by well-established Jewish, Christian, and Muslim scholars on the religious and prophetic experience of Mary Magdalen and her depiction in Christian art, and on aspects of Mary Magdalen's composite identity, which overlaps Miriamic, Gnostic, early Christian, and Manichaean traditions, together with Islamic and patristic traditions of Jesus' Mother. Rather than revisiting her singularity, this volume argues that the Miriamic roots of Mary Magdalen's composite identity and prophetic vision are prominent in all religious traditions of the first five centuries of the Common Era.

The contributors are Hosn Abboud, Diane Apostolos-Cappadona, J. Kevin Coyle, Mary Rose D'Angelo, Mary F. Foskett, Deirdre Good, Antti Marjanen, Carol Meyers, Claudia Setzer, and Stephen J. Shoemaker.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Good's edited book is both a challenge and a delight. The challenge is watching ten competent scholars working carefully with a multitude of languages and religious traditions to bring a fresh assessment of the woman named Mary Magdalen. The complexity of the endeavor is captured in the book's stated intention, Rather than revisiting her singularity, Mariam, the Magdalen and the Mother argues that the Miriamic roots of her composite identity and prophetic vision are prominent in all religious traditions of the first five centuries of the common era. The delight of the book is discovering the relationship of the names Miriam, Mary, and Maria, and the relationship of the women bearing these names. The scope of the book widens with essays dealing with Mary in Gnostic gospels, Islam, and Manichaeism. This work has copious footnotes, an impressive array of works cited, and a useful index. It would be a difficult task for the general reader, but advancing students, scholars, and professionals will find it revealing and rewarding. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper—level undergraduates and above. —A. L. Kolp," —Baldwin-Wallace College, 2005nov CHOICE

(Baldwin-Wallace College, 2005nov CHOICE )

About the Author

Deirdre Good, Professor of New Testament at General Theological Seminary in New York, is author of Reconstructing the Tradition of Sophia in Gnostic Literature and Jesus the Meek King.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Indiana University Press (May 11, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0253217512
• ISBN-13: 978-0253217516
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #602,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Deirdre Good was born in Kenya, grew up in the UK, and now lives in New York City. She teaches New Testament at The General Theological Seminary and has published several books on Matthew's Gospel, "family values" at the time of the New Testament, on Mary Magdalene, on the Wisdom figure in Gnostic literature, and most recently, Studying the New Testament (with Bruce Chilton).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A compilation of erudite essays by knowledgeable Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars on the biblical figure of Mary Magdalene, November 9, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mariam, the Magdalen, and the Mother (Paperback)

Compiled and deftly edited by Deirdre Good (Professor of New Testament, General Theological Seminary, New York City), Mariam, The Magdalen, And The Mother is a compilation of erudite essays by knowledgeable Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars on the biblical figure of Mary Magdalene as present aspects of her composite identity drawn from Jewish, Gnostic, early Christian, and Manichean traditions. This impressively diverse collection of viewpoints also covers Islamic and patristic traditions about Jesus' mother Mary. Taken as a whole, Mariam, The Magdalen, And The Mother presents a fascinating, scholarly, yet completely accessible exploration of the Miriamic roots of Mary Magdalen's composite identity and prophetic vision that played an important and controversial role during the first five centuries of the Christian movement. Also available in a hardcover edition (02533-45332, $50.00) Mariam, The Magdalen, And The Mother is a strongly recommended addition to personal and academic Christian Studies and Religious Studies library reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What's in a Name?, June 13, 2005

By 

The Rev. Dr. Kris Lewis (Massachusetts USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mariam, the Magdalen, and the Mother (Paperback)

Plenty if the name is Mary. For those looking for female figures in scripture, Mary Magdalen has long been an important if mysterious figure. Interest in Mary, the mother of Jesus remains high as well. In Mariam, the Magdalen and the Mother, edited and introduced by Deirdre Good, Professor of New Testament at the General Theological Seminary, Christian, Jewish and Muslim scholars explore the Miriamic tradition from many angles. Prof. Good sets the stage by arguing that Mariam is a better translation of the name we normally render as Miriam or Mary. Seeing Mariam in the text rather than Mary opens up the interconnections among the various Marys not only in Christian scripture but in writings from all the religious traditions of the early Common Era and highlights the coherence in both the name and the roles of these figures. Following on this notion, other contributors to the volume explore Mary Magdalen's various roles as disciple and prophet, examine the role of Mary in Gnostic texts, and trace the evolution of the portrayal of Mary Magdalen in Christian art. The interdisciplinary and interfaith approach of this volume moves the discussion of Mary Magdalen and the Miriamic tradition in ways that a more narrow focus could not, and opens the door for further investigation of Mariam in all her instantiations. It is a fascinating read for anyone interested in the role of women in scripture and in the world in which Christianity developed.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A first-rate resource., August 26, 2005

By 

Dr. Katherine Kurs (NYC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mariam, the Magdalen, and the Mother (Paperback)

An important, interdisciplinary anthology; engaging, thoughtfully presented, scholarly-yet accessible to the intelligent reader; and with a much-needed historical and inter-religious perspective. Essential reading, especially as a counter to so much fanciful material currently on the market in this area.

The Rev. Dr. Katherine Kurs