Insightful look into early Christian Gnosticism

The audio book is the text of the Gospel of Mary Magdalene and a commentary by the author. The gospel text is the surviving fragment of an apparently longer document that was lost over the centuries. The value of the book is not so much in the gospel text itself, which is available for free on the internet but in the commentary by the author which places the text in the setting of the Gnostic worldview in which it was written.

The canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were only four of many gospels that were circulated in the early Christian community. The various gospels took stories, collections of saying and other Christian oral traditions and reduced them to writing. These gospels were not neutral documents but were written from the perspective of a particular community or understanding of the Christian message. The gospels that have come down to us generally represent the perspective of the proto-orthodox (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and the Gnostic Christians (Thomas, Philip and Mary Magdalene). The author’s commentary takes the cryptic text of Magdalene’s gospel and breaks it open for the listener, so that it can be understood as an expression of the Gnostic worldview in which it was written.

The contemporary Christian often looks at the early years of Christianity and views it as a golden era of faith and a glorious march through history with little disagreement on the basic Christian teachings that have come down to us. The reality is that there was a great deal of confusion and disagreement on exactly what Christians believed. Gnosticism was one of the earliest interpretative filters of Christianity apart from what emerged as proto-Orthodox. The energy with which Church Fathers attacked it suggests that it was attractive to many people and influential in the Christian community. Leloup’s commentary on Magdalene’s gospel provides helpful insight into why Gnosticism might have been attractive to people of the first century.

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Enlightening

I always wondered why the church excluded women when Jesus clearly did not. I now understand that it was through intimidation and jealousy that women were excluded seems to me that we had the ability to see the inner light that men are so often taught to block out.

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Missing Content

A voice announces each page number, I see no value there. There is no Forward.
The voice announces many MISSING pages.

This is an incomplete reading. It colours the whole book as unsatisfactory.

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VERY INTERESTING

What did you love best about The Gospel of Mary Magdalene?

The short Gospel and the background information that made it relevant.

What did you like best about this story?

The sureness that Mary undestood what Jesus preached that semed to escape the desciples.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Mary would answer questions in the blink of an eye.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No

Any additional comments?

Excellent commentary plus excellent Gospel.

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Magdalene's Gospel

What made the experience of listening to The Gospel of Mary Magdalene the most enjoyable?

This was one of the best books I have read on Mary Magdalene. Extremely well researched and beautifully written. I have gotten much out of this audio presentation. A must listen to.

Any additional comments?

If one is at all interested in the Gnostic gospels, early Christianity or the inner teachings of Jesus this is a very good book.

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Very satisfying

Regardless of what you're looking for there is a very good possibility you can find it in this book.

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Mary Magdalene Unveiled ...

loved it ...well researched, written and narrated. .. one of the most informative books I have listen to on Mary Magdalene. ...

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very insightful.

Would you listen to The Gospel of Mary Magdalene again? Why?

Yes. As always, when read more than once any title becomes more rewarding.

What did you like best about this story?

The logic and beauty of the wisdom within the knowledge.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A unique understanding of the text.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.

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The first of many paths to true understanding

Would you listen to The Gospel of Mary Magdalene again? Why?

Yes! It is a must read, only AFTER you have read the books written by Emanuel Swedenborg. It will ALL make complete sense. You will walk away with a different view of life and a clear understanding of this book as well as the Nag Hammadi.

What did you like best about this story?

Everything!

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Whiny beginning!

Would you try another book from Jean-Yves Leloup and/or the narrators?

Yes. Other woman narrator! Too whiny. Too melodramatic. Normal voice without the dramatics!!

What could Jean-Yves Leloup have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Straight reading! different female voices!

How could the performance have been better?

Less drama in the beginning!

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Gospel of Mary Magdalene?

Replace first narrater with "matter of fact voice"

Any additional comments?

Get more esoteric books! Little choice!

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