Mary Magdalene, The First Apostle: The Struggle for Authority - Softcover

Brock, Ann Graham

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0674009665 ISBN 13: 9780674009660

Publisher: Harvard Divinity School, 2003

Synopsis

Why did some early Christians consider Mary Magdalene to be an apostle while others did not? Some Christian texts, underlining her role as one of the very first witnesses to the resurrection, portray Mary Magdalene as the "apostle to the apostles," while other sources exclude or replace her in their resurrection accounts.

This book examines how the conferral, or withholding, of apostolic status operated as a tool of persuasion in the politics of early Christian literature. Drawing on both canonical and noncanonical literature in her comprehensive study, the author reveals some intriguing correlations between the prominence of Peter in a text and a corresponding diminishment of women's leadership and apostolicity.

This historical study of early Christian tensions has serious implications for current denominational discourse because authority, apostolic status, and the ordination of women continue to be highly disputed topics within many Christian circles today.

About this title

About the Author:

Ann Graham Brock has taught at several universities and seminaries and published extensively on the topic of the New Testament and early Christian origins. She has also appeared in documentaries on the History Channel and the BBC.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harvard Divinity School
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0674009665
• ISBN 13: 9780674009660
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 270