Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Secrets of Mary Magdalene


Secrets of Mary Magdalene
by Travis Simpkins

      For twenty centuries, Mary Magdalene has quite often been cast in an unfavorable light. Misinterpreted and falsely portrayed as a prostitute, the pivotal role she played in the New Testament events has been relegated to that of a mere supporting actress. With the media blitz surrounding Dan Brown's controversial 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code, Mary Magdalene was prominently thrust into the spotlight… leaving scholars cause for further debate and a rethinking of how important she really was in the story of Jesus Christ, as a Christian symbol and as a threat to the Catholic Church. Produced in 2006, based on the writings of Dan Burstein, Secrets of Mary Magdalene takes a fresh look at this misunderstood woman, who has alternately been perceived as a whore, a disciple, a priestess, an intellectual, a wife, a mother and a healer. Some, but not all, of the confusion has to do with the abundance of "Marys" in the Gospels, with it being one of the more common names of the period. The discovery of the Gnostic Gospels added further confusion, with wholly different portrayals, including that in which Mary Magdalene was not only a female disciple of Jesus, but had an authority unmatched by the others. Much attention is given to the theory laid out in Holy Blood, Holy Grail in which Mary Magdalene was, in fact, the wife of Jesus. After the crucifixion, pregnant Mary traveled to France and gave birth to a daughter, Sara. It was from Sara's bloodline, that of Christ, which the first royalty of France descended. The Cathars and the Knights Templar were tasked with protecting this secret of procreation, the Holy Grail, Christ's ancestry passed through Mary's womb. Dan Brown later used this story as the basis for his fictional bestseller, The Da Vinci Code. Mary Magdalene blurred the line of human vs. divine that gave the Church such authority. All in all, this documentary is very worthwhile, providing a gentle glimpse into the history of this important female presence in the Christian faith.

Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Christ and Mary Magdalene: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

The Da Vinci Code, Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Dan Burstein: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Leodardo Da Vinci's Last Supper: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Dr. Deirdre Good: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Holy Blood, Holy Grail: Secrets of Mary Magdalene

"Secrets of Mary Magdalene"