‘Who are you to reject her?’ Looking for the Historical Mary Magdalene

Abstract

Mary Magdalene has been the interest of many an article, book and, more recently, film. In the homilies of Gregory the Great, the apostola apostolorum (apostle of the apostles), inherits a brother and sister, a past as a sex-worker and is the inspiration for the contemplative life. This version of Mary Magdalene has persisted from Gregory the Great’s homilies until 1969 where the Catholic church severed Mary Magdalene from Luke’s unknown sinner and Mary of Bethany. But what does scripture and early Christian literature have to say about Mary Magdalene?

The biblical and early church texts themselves present Mary Magdalene as a diligent, pious, brave woman, who, perhaps, was in a position to lead the Church beside or even instead of Peter.