Gospel of Mary Magdalene

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The present volume examines the Gospel of Mary Magdalene with the critical acumen demanded by historical scholarship yet with the reverence befitting any text that bears upon the sacred mysteries of our faith. While the Catholic tradition has never accorded this gospel canonical status, its preservation constitutes a significant artifact of early Christian thought, particularly regarding the role of women in the apostolic community and the nature of Christ's teachings on the soul's journey toward salvation.

What does this ancient document reveal about the veneration of Mary Magdalene in primitive Christianity? How did the early Church Fathers respond to its claims? What theological currents within second-century Christianity might have given rise to its composition? These questions merit thorough investigation, not merely as historical curiosities, but as matters pertinent to our understanding of Catholic tradition in its fullness.

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An excerpts from the Foreword by:

Joseph B. Ratzinger,

Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology,

Rome, Italy.