Mary Magdalene, The First Apostle: The Struggle for Authority
Why did some early Christians consider Mary Magdalene to be an apostle while others did not? Some Christian texts, underlining her role as one of the very first witnesses to the resurrection, portray Mary Magdalene as the "apostle to the apostles," while other sources exclude or replace her in their resurrection accounts.\ This book examines how the conferral, or withholding, of apostolic status operated as a tool of persuasion in the politics of early Christian literature. Drawing on both...
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Why did some early Christians consider Mary Magdalene to be an apostle while others did not? Some Christian texts, underlining her role as one of the very first witnesses to the resurrection, portray Mary Magdalene as the "apostle to the apostles," while other sources exclude or replace her in their resurrection accounts. This book examines how the conferral, or withholding, of apostolic status operated as a tool of persuasion in the politics of early Christian literature. Drawing on both canonical and noncanonical literature in her comprehensive study, the author reveals some intriguing correlations between the prominence of Peter in a text and a corresponding diminishment of women's leadership and apostolicity. This historical study of early Christian tensions has serious implications for current denominational discourse because authority, apostolic status, and the ordination of women continue to be highly disputed topics within many Christian circles today.
AcknowledgmentsAbbreviationsCh. 1The Issue of Apostolic Authority1Ch. 2Apostolic Authority in the Gospel of Luke19Ch. 3Apostolic Authority in the Gospel of John41Ch. 4Portrayals of Apostolic Witness: The Gospels of Mark and Matthew versus the Gospel of Peter61Ch. 5Competition between Peter and Mary Magdalene in Other Texts73Ch. 6Advocacy of Authority and Women's Leadership: The Acts of Paul versus the Acts of Peter105Ch. 7The Replacement of Mary Magdalene: A Strategy for Eliminating the Competition123Ch. 8Apostolic Contradictions and the Crisis of Authority143Ch. 9Conclusion: Recovering Lost Apostolic Traditions161Bibliography177Index of Modern Authors211Index of Ancient Sources217Index of Subjects225
