The Spirituality of Mary Magdalene: Embracing the Sacred Union of the Feminine and Masculine as One

By James S. Galluzzo

"The feminine spirit is rising deep in the heart of creation, to heal our battered world and bring new life." Mary Southard, CSJ

Much has been written about Mary Magdalene. Her name appears over a dozen times in the four canonical gospels. Her own gospel has been discovered and translated. The Gnostic Gospels mentioned her several times. Many sculptures, paintings, plays, movies, music and poetry are based on her. The institutional church has dealt with her in many ways including sainting her, prolonging misinformation about her, discrediting her and failing to honor her rich gifts to the whole of humanity. To get a better understanding of Mary Magdalene we will review: the scripture writings ? both Canonical and Gnostic Gospels; her own gospel; the concept Sacred Feminine; the myths and legends about her; art work; music, movies and plays; the misinformation about her. After this review we will examine Mary Magdalene's core beliefs. What stirred her? What moved her? What was her inner knowledge which caused her metanoia (change of heart)? What made her so important for a millennia? What was her story? What is her spirituality and what can it mean for us today?

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Sep 30, 2008
• ISBN: 9780595611607

James S. Galluzzo

James Galluzzois an artist, theologian, Diversity Trainer, Artist, Teacher, Priest and Spiritual Director. He founded Allies: People to People, Diversity as Gift and the Urban Spirituality Center. He has written two books: Jesus as Liberator and the Gospel Values; Stop Whining, Choose Life.

Book preview

The Spirituality

of

Mary Magdalene

Embracing the Sacred Union of the Feminine and Masculine as One

James Galluzzo

iUniverse, Inc.

New York Bloomington

The Spirituality of Mary Magdalene

By James Galluzzo

Dedication

To my sisters: Marianne Manning and Shanna Galluzzo

Special Thanks

Vickie Rooks, Marty Matcovich, Ann Doyle, Ann Faricy,

Pat Kirk, Mari Becker, Kathy Fanning, Peg Edera, James Whitty

My Teachers

Charlie Kreiner, Mary Koehler

Joe Uveges, Elizabeth Johnson

The Weeping’s Done, I’m Angry Now

I healed you once

And you healed me

No matter what they say

It wasn’t seven demons

It was seven days

And on the seventh day I knew

I’d know you best and longest

I saw what you could really do

And promised you my deep, deep well,

My meeting mind, my knowing heart

Without my promise, the completing gift,

You knew your work would falter

I’m angry now and angry then

I was your true companion

How could they think you did it all

Without my heart inside you

Peg Edera April 2007

About the Author

James Galluzzo is a teacher, spiritual director, artist, diversity trainer, and priest. He teaches and trains people to be Spiritual Directors. He has founded Allies: People to People, Diversity as Gift, the Urban Spirituality Center, and Tree of Learning High School. His books: Jesus as Liberator & the Gospel Values and Stop Whining, Choose Life, Four Models of Spirituality. He conducts workshops throughout the country:

The Call to Be Human

Healing from Disconnection

Dismantling the Victim and Oppressor Roles

Ending Racism

Ending Classism

Ending Sexism

Ending Homophobia

Resurrecting Mary Magdalene

Creation Spirituality

Dismantling the Fall and Redemption Role

Spirituality

Telling People’s Spiritual Story

His Education:

Jesuit High School

Gonzaga University

Portland State University

Reed College

Lewis and Clark College

Catholic University of America

Mt Angel Seminary

Cover: Painting of Mary Magdalene

By Jackie Manning. She has a Masters degree from the Academy of Art in San Francisco. She has shown her work in galleries in San Francisco, Denver, New Orleans, Sayulita, Mexico, and Juneau, Alaska. This beautiful painting captures Mary Magdalene’s journey from the tomb into the light.

The Spirituality of Mary Magdalene

Embracing the Sacred Union of the Feminine and Masculine as One

Copyright © 2008 by James S. Galluzzo

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-0595-49581-8 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-0-595-61160-7 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: Why Now?

Chapter Two: Who Was Mary Magdalene?

Chapter Three: The Canonical gospels Story

Chapter Four: The Gnostic gospels

Chapter Five: The Gospel of Philip

Chapter Six: The Gospel of Thomas and Other Gnostic Texts

Chapter Seven: The Gospel According to Mary Magdalene

Chapter Eight: Mary Magdalene’s Spirituality

Chapter Nine: Mary Magdalene and the Human Liberation Model

Chapter Ten: Sacred Feminine

Chapter Eleven: Legends

Chapter Twelve: Summary followed by a Creed and Poem

Addendum One: The Canonical gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

Addendum Two: Human Liberation Model

Addendum Three: Art

Addendum Four: Music

Addendum Five: Movies, Plays, Videos about Mary Magdalene

Addendum Six: My Favorite Books on the Topic

Bibliography

Endnotes

The feminine spirit is rising deep in the hearts of creation,

to heal our battered world and bring new life.

Mary Southard, CSJ

Introduction

For fifteen years I have studied Mary Magdalene’s life and teachings. I have traveled to eight countries, pondered over 1000 paintings and sculptures, read every book I could find about her and finally was able to read her own gospel. I have taught classes about Mary Magdalene and her message in several states and have given over a dozen workshops on the spirituality of Mary. I am ready to take you on a journey and share my discoveries about her spirituality. Exploring being fully human will be the principal theme. The trip will focus on the signs of connection between human beings, especially the connection of the sacred feminine and the sacred masculine as one. The journey will cover the historical facts and myths about Mary Magdalene. This will prepare the reader for the key chapters on the spirituality of Mary Magdalene and her relationship to the Human Liberation model.

Over the past two thousand years, much was written about Mary Magdalene. Her name appears over a dozen times in the four Canonical gospels. Her own gospel were discovered and translated. The Gnostic gospels mentioned her several times. Many sculptures, paintings, plays, movies, music, poetry are based on her. The institutional church has dealt with her in many ways including making her a saint, prolonging misinformation about her, discrediting her, failing to honor her rich gifts to the whole of humanity.

But all of the above misses the deep meaning, the human longing for the truth contained in her message and the spiritual foundation of Mary Magdalene’s spirituality. This book will uncover and break open her spiritual ideas. This is so important during this age when the whole concept of spirituality is undergoing examination at by so many people. This is a time when more people see the deep connection of all life, of all existence. Mary Magdalene’s spirituality upholds this deep connection and the universal message that touches all humanity.

This book will review what was taught both in facts and myths, what her spirituality inspires, how her message connects to human liberation and the excitement that Mary Magdalene brings to the sacred feminine.

In the addendum there are the Canonical gospel verses about Mary Magdalene and a commentary on those verses, a list of human liberation principles, a list of art, music, plays, movies, and a book list that are offered to take you further on the journey of appreciating who Mary Magdalene was and the effect she has had on the world for so many years.

The real miracle is not to walk on water or in thin air,

but to walk on earth

Thich Nhat Hanh

Chapter One:  Why Now?

The world is in trouble now because it does not have a good story. It is in between stories. The old story, the account of how the world came to be and how people fit into it, is no longer effective. Yet there still is not a new story ¹

This journey will offer a new story, a story that was in the making for two thousand years. With all that will be covered in the book, my hope is that whatever you believe about Mary Magdalene will be enriched as you uncover her spirituality.

This is a compelling time to learn a new story of Mary Magdalene. Here are a few of the reasons:

1. Her message long hidden and her life misrepresented, Mary Magdalene should be resurrected, her authentic self revealed, her realized humanness (Anthropos) rediscovered, her story before it was Christianized, told.

2. There is so much new research underway about whom she was, what her role was in the time of Jesus, her place in the early church and her effect on Western Civilization. With her gospel discovered, many biblical scholars are offering scholarly insights into her words and messages.

3. Her gospel was translated first in 1955 and later other pages were found. Many scholars have thoroughly studied her gospel and it is now reaching the people. It is filled with her story, her relationship with Jesus and the male disciples, and a rich spirituality.

4. With all this new information and scholarship it is time for the church to apologize for colluding with the spreading of misinformation and myths about the role of Mary Magdalene in the life of Jesus and the early church.

5. This new story should now compel the church to clean up its sexism, power over attitude, male clergy only policy, hierarchal and patriarchal roles, the warped attitude toward sex, the issue of celibacy, the dysfuntionalism of the institution, and hiding behind its secrets. The church used Mary Magdalene’s person as a role model for penitence; who better than a person who could be recast as a repentant whore. Now she can regain her earlier role as teacher of a new spiritual model.

6. The church now has the gift and opportunity to affirm the role of Mary Magdalene, to preach equality and liberation, to honor the role of women in leadership and ministry. Also it is time to repent