Mary Magdalene: Fact, Fiction, & Mystery

Join one of the world’s leading New Testament scholars in encountering the real Mary Magdalene.

Other than the Virgin Mary, no woman has so captivated our attention as Mary from Magdala. From her portrayal as a prostitute to speculation that she was Jesus’ wife in popular fiction like The Da Vinci Code, images of Mary have abounded for centuries. These portrayals, however, often have very little basis in truth.

In this fascinating audio course from Fr. Raymond F. Collins, you will explore Mary Magdalene in the Gospels, Gnosticism, and popular culture. As you do so, you will gain a powerful portrait of this Galilean follower of Jesus.

You will begin by looking at the popular myth of Mary Magdalene as a sinful woman who repented and became a disciple of Jesus. Then, you will look at Mary Magdalene's appearances in the synoptic Gospels—as a patron of Jesus as well as the witness to his death, burial, and resurrection. Moving on, you’ll examine the Gospel of John, which details the commission that Jesus entrusted to Mary.

Finally, you will look at the portrayals of Mary Magdalene in noncanonical manuscripts, the recent discoveries of which have given rise to revisionist portraits of Mary Magdalene. You’ll come away with a solid understanding of the real woman behind the Mary Magdalenes of fiction.

Get to know this essential biblical figure today.

This course is part of the Learn25 collection and includes a free PDF study guide.