Mary Magdalene: Beyond the Myth
"A fine book of scholarship which is quite readable." —The Living Church (The Living Church)"The Mary Magdalene of Esther de Boer is credible—and fascinating. Her research is well-documented in end-notes, bibliography and index of ancient texts, and challenges readers to re-examine their own views of this important woman of the Bible." —The Message-for Catholics of Southwestern Indiana, February 6, 1998 (The Message)"De Boer helps the reader explore the assumptions behind the portrayals and offers her own statement of Mary's portrait as rooted in the Bible—one that presents her as disciple, apostle, and faithful woman." —The Bible Today, March 1998 (The Bible Today)"De Boer offers significant new insights into the real Mary Magdalene in a very readable, well-documented work which focuses on the first 400 years of pertinent Christian texts and traditions. I highly recommend this book, for it exemplifies an excellent methodology for dealing with ancient texts." —Sonya A. Quistlund (Emeritus, George Washington University) writing in Theological Studies (Theological Studies)"A meticulously reasoned and researched explication of Mary Magdalene's place in the lives of Jesus and the early Christians….Using the Gospels, the writings of the early Church Fathers and their contemporaries, as well as recent archeological discoveries, de Boer portrays Mary Magdalene as an intelligent, cosmopolitan women, comfortable with a variety of cultures...This book is a refreshing change from the usual speculations about this most intriguing and elusive woman." — Dixie Tracy-Kinney, reviewing for Gnosis Magazine, Fall 1998 (Dixie-Tracy-KinneyGnosis)"Valuable in a look behind the clarity of myth and into the vagaries and ambiguities of historical reality." — Kim Paffenroth, Villanova University, reviewing for Religious Studies Review, October 1998 (Kim Paffenroth, Villanova  UniversityReligious Studies Review)"...interesting, insightful, and intriguing historical study."—Aida Besancon Spencer, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, reviewing for Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, March 2000 (Journal Of The Evangelical Theological Society)"A meticulously reasoned and researched explication of Mary Magdalene's place in the lives of Jesus and the early Christians….Using the Gospels, the writings of the early Church Fathers and their contemporaries, as well as recent archeological discoveries, de Boer portrays Mary Magdalene as an intelligent, cosmopolitan women, comfortable with a variety of cultures...This book is a refreshing change from the usual speculations about this most intriguing and elusive woman." — Dixie Tracy-Kinney, reviewing for Gnosis Magazine, Fall 1998 (Sanford LakoffGnosis)"Valuable in a look behind the clarity of myth and into the vagaries and ambiguities of historical reality." — Kim Paffenroth, Villanova University, reviewing for Religious Studies Review, October 1998 (Sanford LakoffReligious Studies Review)"...interesting, insightful, and intriguing historical study."—Aida Besancon Spencer, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, reviewing for Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, March 2000 (Sanford LakoffJournal Of The Evangelical Theological Society)