The Magdalene Thread

Life After Death

When we enter the realm of Mary Magdalene—we are met with a choice. We can side-step the Bible, the history of early Christianity, and all that it requires of us, from learning about the Church fathers to peeling back the layers of patriarchy.  The concept of resurrection is art of wrapped in tradition and doctrine—but early Christianity was a riot of pluralism and there were many competing views about the story of Jesus, from literal to mystical. If you are willing to join us with an open heart and mind, the question we ask is: What do you choose to believe?  Death is the ultimate shift in perspective, as we consider views on resurrection and a life well-lived from mystery school traditions to positive psychology to better understand what “divinity” actually means and how it is connected to “the Good within our midst” in the words of the Gospel of Mary.  In this episode we cover:  * The courage it takes to challenge our conditioned belief systems, in Christianity or otherwise * Ancient perspectives on death and resurrection, and the symbols associated with them  * Mysticism and visions, how these play into “rising” and “the kingdom of God”  * Connections between mystery school traditions and the science of positive psychology, including post-traumatic growth theory  * How transformation, life-death-rebirth, is possible for all of us  * Miracles as a matter of mindset—what we can derive from ancient practices and apply to our modern world Learn more about The Magdalene Thread: A selection of sources:  * Animism is Normative Consciousness [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/animism-is-normative-consciousness/id1465445746?i=1000501041858], The Emerald Podcast * Authentic Happiness, [https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Happiness-audiobook/dp/B000NA78KW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2A2HRE4H5CMG3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.i9f5w1qk_wi7g-PzFk3CdGKfDFDihNbViPmGM6ojYlankICPwAidcN87e0Hnc-yDuTCYoMa67pG_SYLZyAGtUC8bPXW0Q6Hvg3FsLZSu8YNodJ4y6UJ22VcP9vmuJT1PypiaiulEoZEaqlD-wIZDRojCuBPM8J-eQHEWYClvtoHPRtdnkw9tBJ_1-3h52K2nGhlpJso7CuLLBIsHD6fMXV_m_83ZRfsgxYkYmPNQLQ0.8_fg7MUqa0ML90sWBEAOZQToBxYXV3I0eGUfA0dzsbc&dib_tag=se&keywords=authentic+happiness&qid=1727744739&sprefix=authentic+happiness%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-1] by Martin E. P. Seligman * Flourish [https://www.amazon.com/Flourish-Visionary-Understanding-Happiness-Well-being-ebook/dp/B0043RSK9O/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xNXkfnFxngdBUNTFGWaprLXviCwKWyJrgFyiyp0XKisBPHxDS6aT2-q7rCEzX3oVH9eNnAIYYWUXiEXJ1ps1_QclGFZMy-JEVFrhEJEH0gLvvLZrDtu16mqJ4bQlNRXJhxJK-d9chZE_1-uBZf3tILIyAOj7l0-kn4PwvO6GLcZEOlCebuwLbqfMdBc1UM8-5yUvgIArM-MJdO1zcgvVIIFr6-OfATzxda6EeRO4pG4.SyUtOpC2QBHQecFkkrrkkQJH_UPluNBhI1a7tuLW_lc&qid=1727744771&sr=1-1]: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being By Martin E. P. Seligman * Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer [https://amzn.to/45UKDQ9] by Diane Wolkstein Samuel Noah Kramer * Jesus Found in Translation: The Story Within the Story of the Bible's Earliest Gospel [https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Found-Translation-Within-Earliest/dp/B0CP4JRMF6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2CXSLKOW7BGFK&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.iGS0zZbIKO5AvwFXr2P5JdakeEHY8oATsw5ZoK6jA45bmE8oUZvQ97Z5nEMfAdVSv0LDH3rGfbPFuCSUOc2jQd4l_He4nMbl7SxGh7JWAtGkl1UeN71vrn6A4uTrcPc5sqe8P4zo47tP0-WVdH_CGlAtXqFmG6ISvnyn_A_lJu0-gOP53NqTw0PQciQ5yI4GLjLG022LOr75vzxGH20J8coeceFX2OgGXfp6vpqKmRs.ktwDeduAfdJM9aprof91g_0ZTxCYKjw9qA28ZayHht0&dib_tag=se&keywords=jesus+found+in+translation&qid=1727744616&sprefix=jesus+found+in+tran%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1] by Lizzie Berne DeGear * The Jesus Papers: Exposing the Greatest Cover-up in History [https://amzn.to/4f7IFA6]by Michael Baigent * The Lost Art of Resurrection: Initiation, Secret Chambers, and the Quest for the Otherworld [https://amzn.to/3zJI7jq] by Freddy Silva * The Masks of God, Anthology on Ancient Mythology [https://amzn.to/3W5xxLs]including Primitive Mythology, Occidental Mythology, Oriental Mythology, and Creative Mythology by Joseph Campbell  * The Origin of Satan: How Christians Demonized Jews, Pagans, and Heretics [https://amzn.to/3Wo9MOR] by Elaine Pagels * Sacred Nature: Restoring Our Ancient Bond with the Natural World [https://amzn.to/3Woz92K] by Karen Armstrong * Thou Art That: Transforming Religious Metaphor [https://amzn.to/3SqSMWR] by Joseph Campbell * Written That You May Believe: Encountering Jesus in the Fourth Gospel  [https://amzn.to/4cPp4m0]by Sandra M. Schneiders  You can see our full source list at:  https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/p/living-resources-on-mary-magdalene [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/p/living-resources-on-mary-magdalene] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themagdalenethread.substack.com [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Christ Maker

“Christ” is a title meaning “anointed one,” translated from the Hebrew word for Messiah and deriving from an ancient practice of marking divinity. Yet another remarkable element of Jesus’ story often overlooked is that this sacred ritual is performed across all four canonical gospels, not by a high priest, but by a woman whom tradition believed to be Mary Magdalene. Yet—none of the four anointing scenes bears Magdalene’s name. As usual, parsing the details and examining each separately reveals clues otherwise hidden. Questions arise about who the anointing woman was, what this act indicates, and what it means in terms of Mary’s legacy.  While many scholars would rather cleave Mary Magdalene from the anointing scenes entirely, such a pathway diminishes her potential significance. A notion supported by the ground-breaking research done by Dr. Elizabeth Schrader Polzcer, who has clearly demonstrated changes to the story of Mary of Bethany, who is the anointing woman in John long held to be the same as Magdalene.  In this episode, we cover: * Untangling the details of the anointing woman to present this key scene in the scripture in a way that’s clear and digestible  * Shining light on clues around the anointing scene and all they may reveal to us  * Possible historical truth that links the anointing woman with rituals of high priestesses  * Highlight research by Dr. Polzcer that shows Mary of Bethany was edited out of key scenes in the Gospel of John in the 2nd century  * Sharing our perspective on whether or not Mary Magdalene was the anointing woman  Learn more about The Magdalene Thread here. [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/p/perspective-and-possibilities-on] Subscribe on Substack [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/] for the latest episodes & essays. A selection of sources mentioned in this episode include: Mary Magdalene: Myth and Metaphor  [https://amzn.to/3S0Ezje]by Susan Haskins A New New Testament: A Bible for the Twenty-first Century Combining Traditional and Newly Discovered Texts [https://amzn.to/3xGK7Zn], compiled and edited by Hal Taussig Was Martha of Bethany Added to the Fourth Gospel in the Second Century? [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/harvard-theological-review/article/abs/was-martha-of-bethany-added-to-the-fourth-gospel-in-the-second-century/6CBD2C9576A583DD02987FE836C427B7] by Elizabeth Schrader Polczer, Harvard Theological Review 110:3 (2017) Woman with the Alabaster Box [https://www.wandering-stars.net/the-woman-with-the-alabaster-box] by Shane Clayton, Wandering Stars The Woman with the Alabaster Jar: Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail  [https://amzn.to/3W19ixI]by Margaret Starbird Read our full source list here [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/147036216?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts]. Subscribe at The Magdalene Thread.Substack.Com [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/] for new episodes and to read our full length articles that accompany each podcast episode—read Immaculate Deception here [https://open.substack.com/pub/themagdalenethread/p/immaculate-deception?r=17yle9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web], with The Matter of Martha publishing next week. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themagdalenethread.substack.com [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Power of a Name

“Mary Magdalene” is a name that when spoken can electrify any situation—and for good reason, because her name holds meaning that goes well beyond the surface. Names, as cloaks of identity, greatly influence how we think of others, especially when it comes to figures in history. “Magdalene” has been shrouded in mystery since the very beginning, sometimes dismissed as a simple footnote, and at others elevated as a point of reverence. Here, we peel back the layers, examining each theory of what “Magdalene”—and “Mary”—might mean, syllable by syllable. This is a process that inspires curiosity and leads to a larger question, arguably the most essential one in all of religion: what is allegorical and what is literal?  In this episode, we cover: * All the competing theories on what “Magdalene” means, from the city on the Sea of Galilee to an honorific title * How Mary Magdalene may be linked to ancient prophecy and what her name has to do with that * What her name has to do with Mary’s connection to Egypt and priestesses * How Mary’s name ties her to a famous Biblical poem that is very ancient, and connected to the goddess Learn more about The Magdalene Thread here. [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/p/perspective-and-possibilities-on] Subscribe on Substack [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/] for the latest episodes & essays. A selection of sources mentioned in this episode include: Mary Magdalene, Bride in Exile [https://amzn.to/3zxyAw2] by Margaret Starbird  Mary Magdalene: Myth and Metaphor  [https://amzn.to/3S0Ezje]by Susan Haskins Mary Magdalene's Turn: Text Criticism and Reception History of John 20:16 [https://www.academia.edu/44470835/Mary_Magdalenes_Turn_Text_Criticism_and_Reception_History_of_John_20_16?email_work_card=title] by Michael Peppard, Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses (2020) Mary the Tower [https://dianabutlerbass.substack.com/p/mary-the-tower] by Diana Butler Bass The Meaning of 'Magdalene': A Review of Literary Evidence [https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/sblpress/jbl/article/140/4/751/293542/The-Meaning-of-Magdalene-A-Review-of-Literary] by Elizabeth Schrader Polczer & Joan Taylor, Journal of Biblical Literature140:4 (2021) Was Martha of Bethany Added to the Fourth Gospel in the Second Century? [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/harvard-theological-review/article/abs/was-martha-of-bethany-added-to-the-fourth-gospel-in-the-second-century/6CBD2C9576A583DD02987FE836C427B7] by Elizabeth Schrader Polczer, Harvard Theological Review 110:3 (2017) The Woman with the Alabaster Jar: Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail  [https://amzn.to/3W19ixI]by Margaret Starbird Read our full source list here [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/147036216?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts]. We want to take a moment to express our excitement and gratitude at the flow of new subscribers coming to The Magdalene Thread recently. Alongside exhilaration and joy we feel in creating and sharing this work, we have held a quiet hope that it resonates, and that our readers and listeners feel the magic we do. So thank you, we are so glad you’re here, and if there is anyone else you believe would enjoy this treasure trove on Mary Magdalene, we would love for you to share it with them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themagdalenethread.substack.com [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Greatest Lie Ever Told

The greatest lie ever told was a narrative crafted with intention over hundreds of years to deal with an inconvenient truth: as the witness to the resurrection, Mary Magdalene could not be erased. For the church fathers, it would have been convenient to cut Mary out entirely, like they did to so many important figures, texts, and belief systems of the early Jesus movement. Mary’s prominence in the four canonical gospels—and the gnostic texts that put her on par with Peter—put pressure on the emerging church institution to confirm her personage while diminishing her power and authority. This is the story of what was done, how it happened, and the roots of why it all went down the way that it did, because restoring Mary’s name is about reclaiming power for all of us. In this episode, we cover: * How Mary Magdalene actually appears in the Bible and the influence of her position as the resurrection story’s key witness  * What gnosticism is & how this early version of Christianity—and how Mary was portrayed in it—played a role in the way she was diminished  * What exactly Gregory the Great said about Mary Magdalene when he laid out his case for Mary as the “penitent prostitute” in 591 CE  * Why the anointing women and their role, particularly the gospel of Luke, are essential to understanding this complicated story  Learn more about The Magdalene Thread here. [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/p/perspective-and-possibilities-on] Subscribe on Substack [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/] for the latest episodes & essays. A selection of sources mentioned in this episode include: Choosing the Better Part? Women in they Gospel of Luke [https://amzn.to/3WOtPYd] by Barbara E. Reid The Gnostic Gospels [https://amzn.to/4bF1pUD]by Elaine Pagels A homily of Gregory the Great and Mary Magdalene (Text of Homily 33) [https://www.roger-pearse.com/weblog/2020/10/12/a-homily-of-gregory-the-great-and-mary-magdalene/] by Roger Pearse (2020) Mary Magdalene: Myth and Metaphor [https://amzn.to/3S0Ezje]by Susan Haskins The Nag Hammadi Scriptures: The Revised and Updated Translation of Sacred Gnostic Texts Complete in One Volume  [https://amzn.to/4dOkJjt] Read our full source list, updated weekly, here [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/147036216?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themagdalenethread.substack.com [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Women, Sex & Sin

Women, sexuality, and sin have been connected from the beginning of Christianity, forming a foundation of beliefs that has been highly influential on human history, shaping our modern reality. The truth is that it wasn’t always this way. Women played an integral role in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ—and for thousands of years before him, women, priestesses, and the divine feminine, were essential to the earliest forms of religion and human spirituality. It was not in spite of, but due to the power of women that the early Church fathers coalesced their arguments around the ties between women, sexuality, and sinfulness, drawing a thread from Eve to Mary Magdalene to the modern woman. In this episode, we cover: * How the messiness of humanity played a central role in the creation of the Bible and the canon as we know it today * Why the concept of original sin emanating from Eve, being tied to sexuality, and the heritage of all women is unique to early Christianity * Evidence of the leadership of women during Jesus’ ministry, from the Bible to non-canonical literature, to ancient art and artifacts * Why Mary Magdalene is integral to this conversation around the role of women in power in early Christianity Learn more about The Magdalene Thread here. [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/p/perspective-and-possibilities-on] Subscribe on Substack [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/] for the latest episodes & essays. A selection of sources mentioned in this episode include: * A History of Religious Ideas, Anthology [https://amzn.to/3W1gudl] by Mircea Eliade * Goddesses: Mysteries of the Feminine Divine [https://amzn.to/3WF09fG] by Joseph Campbell  * How St. Augustine Invented Sex [https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/06/19/how-st-augustine-invented-sex], by Stephen Greenblatt, The New Yorker * The Invention of God [https://amzn.to/3xUrDVh] by Thomas Römer * (m)adam: Adam’s Rib Reframed by Lizzie Berne DeGear [https://www.lizziebernedegear.com/blog/2020/4/4/madam-adams-rib-reframed] * Mary and Early Christian Women: Hidden Leadershi [https://amzn.to/4cwYWg1]p by Ally Kateusz * Mary Magdalene: Myth and Metaphor [https://amzn.to/3S0Ezje]by Susan Haskins * The Meaning of Mary Magdalene: Discovering the Woman at the Heart of Christianity [https://amzn.to/3VZzJUp] by Cynthia Bourgealt  Read our full source list here [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/147036216?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themagdalenethread.substack.com [https://themagdalenethread.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]