The Quest for Mary Magdalene
The Quest for Mary Magdalene by Michael Haag, published by HarperCollins on May 24, 2016, is an illustrated exploration of one of the most enigmatic figures in religious history. This 336-page book delves into Mary Magdalene’s significant role in the gospels, where she is depicted as a supporter of Jesus’ mission and a witness to pivotal events such as his crucifixion and resurrection. Haag examines the transformation of her image over the centuries, particularly how she was redefined by the Church in the sixth century, shifting from an independent visionary to a figure associated with sin.
In this account, readers will find a thorough investigation into the complexities surrounding Mary Magdalene’s legacy and her impact on the understanding of gender and spirituality. Haag discusses the implications of her portrayal and the broader historical context that has shaped perceptions of both Mary Magdalene and the divine. The book engages with themes of religion and history, offering insights into how Mary Magdalene’s story reflects societal attitudes towards women and spirituality throughout the ages.
Official synopsis Publisher
From Michael Haag, the international bestselling author of The Templars: The History & the Myth and The Tragedy of the Templars, comes a fascinating account of one of the most mysterious and controversial figures in religious history.
Mary Magdalene is a potent and enigmatic figure. In the gospels she finances Jesus’ mission in Galilee and is the only person with Jesus at his crucifixion, burial and resurrection—the critical moments that define his purpose and give rise to a new religion.
Yet in the sixth century Mary Magdalene fell foul of a profound argument in which the established, ritualized and hierarchical Church required that God be worshipped through itself, whereas everything about Mary Magdalene suggests a more immediate and personal experience of the divine. Pope Gregory reduced Mary Magdalene from an independent visionary to a sinner and a prostitute while making Jesus’ mother Mary, who is a nonentity in the gospels, into a creature of the Church, hailing her as the epitome of all things feminine and holy.
In The Quest for Mary Magdalene, historian Michael Haag presents Mary Magdalene as the woman at the center of Jesus’s life, a visionary and a radically independent woman. He explores how she has been used and abused and reinterpreted in every age, and he examines what she reveals about men and women, Jesus and God.
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