Mary Magdalene and Orthodoxy: Apostle, Heroine or Feminist?

Mary Magdalene the so-called ‘repentant prostitute’ who became one of Christ’s disciples, has been, and remains a very much debated and enigmatic persona in Christianity from its advent in the New Testament period. She is discussed in current films and contemporary academic and popular media and ha...

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Main Author: Professor Angelo Nicolaides
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Africajournals 2018-01-01
Series:Pharos Journal of Theology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.pharosjot.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_13_vol_99_2018_nicolaides_unisa.pdf
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author Professor Angelo Nicolaides
author_facet Professor Angelo Nicolaides
author_sort Professor Angelo Nicolaides
collection DOAJ
description Mary Magdalene the so-called ‘repentant prostitute’ who became one of Christ’s disciples, has been, and remains a very much debated and enigmatic persona in Christianity from its advent in the New Testament period. She is discussed in current films and contemporary academic and popular media and has been much deliberated upon in feminist scholarship and has even been considered to be the wife of Jesus, thus for some, attaining an almost divine status. There is a preponderance of literature from scholars who view her as a resilient, and liberated woman who buttressed Jesus financially and even spiritually. Her life was part of a social construct, and her story is told and fluctuates to serve dissimilar purposes of recollection, according to diverse social or religious developments. Mary Magdalene has also been the victim of fallacious identification with the adulteress in the Gospel of John 7. The historical Mary Magdalene is thus topical in continuing academic and theological deliberation. In the Gnostic gospel of Mary and the modern feminist movement, she has distinctive roles and is viewed in terms of these. The Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Anglican churches venerate her as a Saint. This article uses a method of interpretation and exegesis based on traditional and contextual approaches to suggest who Mary Magdalene was and why she is important in the Christian faith.
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spelling doaj.art-178d4498d40b474c9f770a613e8353682022-12-21T23:25:47ZengAfricajournalsPharos Journal of Theology2414-33242018-01-0199Mary Magdalene and Orthodoxy: Apostle, Heroine or Feminist?Professor Angelo Nicolaides0University of South AfricaMary Magdalene the so-called ‘repentant prostitute’ who became one of Christ’s disciples, has been, and remains a very much debated and enigmatic persona in Christianity from its advent in the New Testament period. She is discussed in current films and contemporary academic and popular media and has been much deliberated upon in feminist scholarship and has even been considered to be the wife of Jesus, thus for some, attaining an almost divine status. There is a preponderance of literature from scholars who view her as a resilient, and liberated woman who buttressed Jesus financially and even spiritually. Her life was part of a social construct, and her story is told and fluctuates to serve dissimilar purposes of recollection, according to diverse social or religious developments. Mary Magdalene has also been the victim of fallacious identification with the adulteress in the Gospel of John 7. The historical Mary Magdalene is thus topical in continuing academic and theological deliberation. In the Gnostic gospel of Mary and the modern feminist movement, she has distinctive roles and is viewed in terms of these. The Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Anglican churches venerate her as a Saint. This article uses a method of interpretation and exegesis based on traditional and contextual approaches to suggest who Mary Magdalene was and why she is important in the Christian faith.https://www.pharosjot.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_13_vol_99_2018_nicolaides_unisa.pdfMary MagdaleneEastern Orthodox Churchfeminismbiblical scholarspatriarchy
spellingShingle Professor Angelo Nicolaides
Mary Magdalene and Orthodoxy: Apostle, Heroine or Feminist?
Pharos Journal of Theology
Mary Magdalene
Eastern Orthodox Church
feminism
biblical scholars
patriarchy
title Mary Magdalene and Orthodoxy: Apostle, Heroine or Feminist?
title_full Mary Magdalene and Orthodoxy: Apostle, Heroine or Feminist?
title_fullStr Mary Magdalene and Orthodoxy: Apostle, Heroine or Feminist?
title_full_unstemmed Mary Magdalene and Orthodoxy: Apostle, Heroine or Feminist?
title_short Mary Magdalene and Orthodoxy: Apostle, Heroine or Feminist?
title_sort mary magdalene and orthodoxy apostle heroine or feminist
topic Mary Magdalene
Eastern Orthodox Church
feminism
biblical scholars
patriarchy
url https://www.pharosjot.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_13_vol_99_2018_nicolaides_unisa.pdf
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