The Lost Gospel of Mary: The Mother of Jesus in Three Ancient Texts
The Virgin Mary means different things to different cultures--the flower of femininity or the champion of feminism; the paragon of obedience or the advocate of liberation. Which view of her you take depends on what cultural side you're on. In this slim volume, Mathewes-Green tries to uncover the Mary that early Christians knew through a reading of three ancient texts: a narrative of Mary's life that Mathewes-Green calls the Gospel of Mary, which was written in 150 and was extremely popular in its day; a brief prayer to Mary, found in Egypt on papyrus dated to 250, though Mathewes-Green thinks it is probably older; and a long hymn written by the Syrian deacon St. Romanos that is considered one of the finest examples of Eastern Christian poetry. By examining these texts, Mathewes-Green offers a new perspective on Mary's life, legacy, and meaning for generations of Christians. Advocates of Marian literature will surely appreciate Mathewes-Green's thoughtful comments.June SawyersCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved