The Gospel of Mary Magdalene
by Jean-Yves Leloup
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Book Reviews of The Gospel of Mary Magdalene
Book Review: A Good Way to Whet your Appetite
Summary: 3 Stars
This book contains a reasonable description of what the Gospel of Mary is, where and how it was found, and what it implies for early Christianity. It is not the last work on the subject, but it is written in a fairly accessible way, and avoids the conspiracy theories that are so common when discussing the early history of Christianity. Jean-Yves Leloup's translation of the Gospel does show a feminist bias. This is not nessesarily a bad thing considering that the Biblical gospels show a strong patriarchal bias, but it is distracting and I found myself translating the translation at times. My only other concern with this book is that it is not always made clear that the Gospel of Mary was not written until at least a generation after the death of Jesus, and was probably not written by anyone who had first-hand knowledge of the what the Apostles did in the days after the Crucifixion. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn about the Gospel of Mary, and about Gnostism, but this should not be the only book that you read on the subject.Book Review: A Insightful Translation
Summary: 5 Stars
I was transfixed by the Gospel of Mary Magdalene. Jean Yves-Leloup has provided the reader with a beautiful esoteric interpetation of the words of Mary Magdalene. In the remaining pages left from this gospel, she reveals to the apostles' the words of Jesus and their deeper meaning. The fact that his words are delivered by a female, causes Peter some misgivings, but is eventually accepted as truth by the apostles' as the words resonate with power. Jean Yves-Leloup has given a line by line commentary that enlightens as it describes and is wise in it's explanations. Apart from the recent hoopla from popular books such as the DaVinci Code, this is a refreshing look at an important aspect of Chrisianity, the feminine divine, that has been overlooked and misplaced for centuries. Being a Roman Catholic, I truley believe that this and other gospels not in the bible do not take away from what we have always believed, but deepen and enrich our faith enormously.Book Review: a little objectivity please....
Summary: 3 Stars
In all this debate about Mary Magdelene (and now Judas), one all-important fact seems to elude us "enlightened" moderns: the Church Fathers, who established the official canon at the Council on Nicaea, lived nearly 1600 years closer to the time of Christ than we do. That means that the apostolic Traditions, which they strove to follow, were much fresher in memory; in other words: there were only 400 years of transmission of those traditions. 1600 years later, along come the moderns, suddenly boasting that now we know what REALLY happened with Christ and His followers! This is the height of pride. The Church Fathers were not dreaming or pleasing their own ideological fancies, as most moderns are in these matters; they were striving to strictly adhere to the truths and sacred memories that were passed down to them, in an unbroken line of apostolic succession. Think of that before dismissing their decisions about rejecting certain texts.Book Review: Enlightening and Truth-filled
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this book to be simply amazing. I believe this book illuminates the mystical truths shared by Jesus with his close friend and confidant, Mary Magdalene. This books restores her to the positions from which the Insitutional Church has systematically removed her. (I would invite the Vatican to search their secret archives for the 7 missing pages of the original text!!!!) This book illustrates the esoteric (inner and mystical) path to the Divine and the stages we as humans must pass through on our own journey's of enlightenment and freedom. (Not coincidently, parallelling the Chakra's of Eastern thought) "The Truth shall set you free". Jean-Yves writes his commentary from this perspective and it is INSPIRED!!! A Must read for all seriously committed to the path of the Truth!!!!Book Review: A Hidden Rose on the Cross +++
Summary: 5 Stars
The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, as transilated, interpeted and expanded by Jean-Yves Leloup, seems to be a crossroads whereupon "Christian", "Gnostic", "Exoteric", "Esoteric", "Masciline", "Feminine" and "Personal" traditions meet. The Gospel of Mary Magdalene would seem to NOT be a formal part of any particular tradition having been found "in Cairo by C. Reinhardt and preserved since 1896 in the Egyptology section of the National Museum of Berlin". And in Coptic [not Greek or Aramaic] and apparently hard to date -- altho likely an "early text". Also, I greatly favor the skill and style of Jean-Yves Leloup -- especially the way the text was in digestable portions enhanced by expanded interpetations aided by wonderful charts and diagrams. A Hidden Rose on the Cross +++