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In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins AUTH. Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza PUB. Crossroads/Herder & Herder ISBN 0824513576 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Ingram editorial review: This is the tenth-anniversary edition of theologian Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza's groundbreaking work in which she reexamines the origins of Christianity through the lens of contemporary feminist assumptions. Mary Magdalene : The Image of a Woman Through the Centuries AUTH. Ingrid Maisch PUB. Arcade Publications ISBN 0814624715 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: This fascinating text explores the many depictions of Mary Magdalene: saint, sinner, penitent, priestess, courtesan. The author theorizes that the view of Mary Magdalene in any given time period mirrors the role of women in society... Read more... Mary Magdalene: Myth and Metaphor AUTH. Susan Haskins PUB. Riverhead Books (Reprint ed.) ISBN 015157765X CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Review: Back in print! It's tempting to call Susan Haskins' book the most definitive work on the market. So much information is presented that it takes awhile for the casual reader to wade through all of the details. The density of the information provided could place it in a "reference" category, but there is definitely enough serious research and intriguing conclusions to make reading it from cover to cover a worthwhile endeavor. The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle AUTH. Karen L. King PUB. Polebridge Press ISBN 0944344585 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Lost for more than fifteen hundred years, the Gospel of Mary is the only existing early Christian gospel written in the name of a woman. Karen L. King tells the story of the recovery of this remarkable gospel and offers a new translation. This brief narrative presents a radical interpretation of Jesus' teachings as a path to inner spiritual knowledge. It rejects his suffering and death as a path to eternal life and exposes the view that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute for what it is - a piece of theological fiction. The Gospel of Mary of Magdala offers a fascinating glimpse into the conflicts and controversies that shaped earliest Christianity. (Full review coming soon!) The Magdalene Legacy : Exploring the Wounded Icon of Sexuality AUTH. Sandra M. Rushing PUB. Bergin & Garvey ISBN 0897893883 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Book description: Rushing's seminal work addresses the ways in which modern women struggle with holistic spirituality, sexuality, and anger. She employs the Mary Magdalene model as an archetype in which sexuality and spirituality are united. Using extra-canonical texts, Rushing explores the dynamics of the relationship between the Magdalene and Jesus, one that created tension within the collective and was excluded from the canon itself. The Magdalene, known as "the apostle to the apostles," has remained tainted through repressive scholarly action and deliberate distortion. Her historical treatment is paralleled for women today who wish to remain within the church but who experience a subtle, ongoing sexual bias. The author's blending of the sociological theory of Thorstein Veblen and the psychological constructs of Carl G. Jung is unique in its theological application. The Making of the Magdalen: Preaching and Popular Devotion in the Later Middle Ages. AUTH. Katherine Ludwig Jansen PUB. Princeton Univ Press ISBN 0691089876 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Jansen shows how perceptions of the Magdalen merged with errors and misunderstandings to shape the social, spiritual, and political agendas of the later Middle Ages. She brings to life the rich complexity of medieval culture, which condemned female sexuality and women's preaching and yet popularized the veneration of Mary Magdalen as a former prostitute chosen by Christ to be the "apostle of the apostles," the first to witness and preach the Good News of the Resurrection. (Full review coming soon!) Women and Goddess Traditions: In Antiquity and Today (Studies in Antiquity and Christianity) AUTH. Karen L. King (Editor), Karen Jo Torjesen (Introduction) PUB. Fortress Press ISBN 0800629191 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Ingram editorial review: Goddess religion was widespread in the world of the Bible and is reflected in many biblical texts. This provocative and reliable book, based on thorough analyses of primary sources, examines the role of the feminine deity in religious piety in three areas: Asia, the ancient Mediterranean, and in three contexts today.