lasiepedimore's review against another edition
4.0
Chi mi conosce sa che sono atea e che la teologia mi fa venire il latte alle ginocchia, ma sa anche che mi secca enormemente vedere spacciati l’estremismo cristiano-cattolico e la sua versione soft facente capo all’attuale papa come le uniche possibili interpretazioni delle scritture: quindi mi fa piacere ogni tanto leggere qualche libro di teologia femminista, il cui scopo principale mi sembra smascherare millenni di uomini che hanno cercato in tutti modi di convincersi che il loro dio e suo figlio li autorizzavano a discriminare le donne (e un’infinità di categorie umane, ma non è questa la sede opportuna per questo argomento).
Valerio, infatti, si premura di spiegarci, in maniera molto semplice, che guardando alle fonti Gesù non aveva alcuna intenzione di discriminare le donne e che non c’è alcun reale motivo per escluderle dal sacerdozio e dai ruoli di potere nella Chiesa se non facendo appello alla tradizione più antica del cristianesimo, quella patriarcale. Perché va bene una religione che mischi un po’ le carte in tavola, ma non che faccia saltare il banco: sia mai che questi grandi uomini pii si ritrovino a dover basare la loro identità su qualcos’altro che non sia tenersi stretto il loro presunto diritto di dominare le donne.
La figura di Maria Maddalena è un esempio perfetto di cosa accade quando l’interpretazione maschile è l’unica disponibile: le sono stati cuciti addosso una serie di ruoli non suoi, è stata confusa con altre donne ed è diventata una summa di tutte le possibili categorie entro le quali confinare qualunque donna. Dalla penitente alla prostituta, dalla donna amorevole che accudisce a quella appagata dalla contemplazione: nessuna traccia del fatto che “il discepolo prediletto” del Vangelo di Giovanni potrebbe essere proprio lei, Maria Maddalena, visto che la parola discepolo in greco antico non è declinabile al femminile ed essendoci molte donne che seguivano Gesù lo si può intendere come un maschile sovraesteso. Ma non era evidente che il maschile in realtà è neutro e include tutti i generi?
L’unico difetto che ho riscontrato in Maria Maddalena è che è troppo breve, un difetto mitigato dal fatto che c’è un lungo elenco di fonti grazie alle quali è possibile approfondire l’argomento. Non l’ho trovato neanche un testo noioso, nonostante l’argomento teologico, visto che purtroppo la costruzione dei ruoli di Maria Maddalena all’interno della Chiesa sono quelli in cui poi ci siamo ritrovate incastrate noi donne che viviamo in Paesi di tradizione cristiano-cattolica insieme a tutte coloro che quella tradizione se la sono vista imporre.
olga_naden's review against another edition
3.0
Adriana Valerio is a historian and a theologian. It is very clear that she has an incredible knowledge about Mary Magdalene, but this book reads like a scholarly essay. It's a great resource of vast information and facts given without much interpretation, more of a dry historical source than a spiritual book I expected. If you're looking at scholarly analysis of Magdalene through the ages, in scripture, history & art, this book is for you.
awrathall's review against another edition
4.0
The treatment of the Magdalene in historical, religious and artistic spheres is a topic which I have great personal interest in, and Valerio managed - in a strikingly short text - to offer a compelling and well-founded summary of the various ways her legacies and attributes have been preserved, transformed, or actively twisted for misogynistic means throughout history. She explores the primary literature (including the apocryphal and Gnostic gospels) in great detail to sus out exactly what details about the Magdalene were initially present, and which were added by later actors. For instance, there is no reference to her being ‘sinful’ in any way in any gospel - this was merely extrapolated from a reference to ‘demons’ that had been expelled from her, (which in contemporary use was more likely to mean an issue of mental health or stability than a vice in the later Medieval style).
The only issue I have with the book is that often Valerio would introduce a new piece of evidence i.e. a book, treatise, painting etc., but then leave it there without linking it substantially to other pieces or using to further a longer argument. This was especially prevalent in chapters 4 and 5 which at times felt like a list of every possible reference to the Magdalene that the author could find within a given time frame, rather than a consistent thematic exploration.
The final chapter was exceptional, however, expanding the scope of the study to the relevance of how the Magdalene’s altering to fit existing archetypes affects the modern day position of women in Christian societies, most notably how the efforts of Churches (particularly Catholic) to revoke the Magdalene of her status as an apostle has served the political means of excluding women from positions of Church leadership.
A great and concise book, I would recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in the figure of Mary Magdalene or women within Christianity in general.
The only issue I have with the book is that often Valerio would introduce a new piece of evidence i.e. a book, treatise, painting etc., but then leave it there without linking it substantially to other pieces or using to further a longer argument. This was especially prevalent in chapters 4 and 5 which at times felt like a list of every possible reference to the Magdalene that the author could find within a given time frame, rather than a consistent thematic exploration.
The final chapter was exceptional, however, expanding the scope of the study to the relevance of how the Magdalene’s altering to fit existing archetypes affects the modern day position of women in Christian societies, most notably how the efforts of Churches (particularly Catholic) to revoke the Magdalene of her status as an apostle has served the political means of excluding women from positions of Church leadership.
A great and concise book, I would recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in the figure of Mary Magdalene or women within Christianity in general.
iseultofireland's review against another edition
3.0
Maybe it's because I've just read two books on Mary Magdalene, but there isn’t much new ground covered here. Still, it’s a solid exploration of the role of women in the church, Mary’s importance and how she was sidelined over the centuries due to not fitting the church’s doctrine. This book has a huge bibliography with some Italian sources I haven’t seen mentioned in other works.
The only major downsides are the lack of context, which will make this a difficult read for those not familiar with the topic, and the author’s clear bias (trying to reclaim Mary as a feminist figure).
The only major downsides are the lack of context, which will make this a difficult read for those not familiar with the topic, and the author’s clear bias (trying to reclaim Mary as a feminist figure).
whitelotusreads's review
informative
fast-paced
3.0
An insightful analysis of Mary Magdalene’s role in the early foundations of Christianity and how her unique position as a female disciple and apostle was both revered and challenged by the male-dominated Church in the centuries following Jesus’ death.
caitcosentino's review
informative
slow-paced
1.75
This was pretty boring. I wish there had been more storytelling involved. Also, it probably isn't a good fit to be an audiobook because of all of the parenthetical citations.