The Mary We Forgot
What the Apostle to the Apostles Teaches the Church Today
About
Mary Magdalene's life was transformed when she was healed by Christ and joined his ministry from Galilee to Jerusalem. The Gospels teach that she was also a witness at the cross and the first one sent by Christ to preach his resurrection. Yet her story is often confused, scandalized, and undervalued by the church.
In The Mary We Forgot, award-winning church historian and theologian Jennifer Powell McNutt unpacks Scripture and history to reveal the real Mary Magdalene: the first apostle of the good news and a model of discipleship for both men and women today.
McNutt also invites readers along on her journey through southern France, tracing the path remembered by some church traditions as where Mary Magdalene spread the gospel. Christians will learn from the disciple known as the "apostle to the apostles" how to embrace Jesus's calling to "go and tell" with faith and courage. They'll also be encouraged by the reminder that God calls ordinary, imperfect, and unexpected people to share the good news of Jesus Christ. The hope of remembering Mary Magdalene is ultimately to better know the one to whom she pointed, the risen Christ.
Contents
Foreword by Esau McCaulley
Introduction: Mary Magdalene Superstar
1. The Women of Scripture and a Hermeneutic of Surprise
2. Will the Real Mary Magdalene Please Stand Up?
3. Mary Magdalene and Her Church Interpreters
4. France's Beloved Preacher and Evangelist
5. A Woman Possessed--and Healed
6. The "Certain Women" in Jesus's Inner Circle
7. Go and Tell like Mary Magdalene
8. The First Apostle Chosen by Christ
Epilogue: Mary Magdalene for the Church Today
Endorsements
"It would be hard for someone to prepare the reader for all the moments of surprise, inspiration, and challenge that await them in the pages of The Mary We Forgot. . . . I quickly found myself humbled as chapter after chapter taught me much about Mary that I did not know. . . . By helping us find the real Mary, this book does what Mary's own story does. It points us to Jesus, the King and Savior who healed her and changed her life."
Esau McCaulley (from the foreword)
"At a time when we have forgotten so many biblical women, this book calls us to remember one of the most crucial. With remarkable pastoral wisdom and academic expertise, McNutt challenges us not only to see the historic Mary Magdalene better but to understand how she changes the way we see women in the church today. Take up and read!"
Beth Allison Barr, James Vardaman Professor of History, Baylor University; bestselling author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood
"It is difficult to praise this book too highly. Jennifer Powell McNutt not only helps us distinguish between the various Marys of the New Testament, she also recovers the voice and example of Mary Magdalene for the church today--and, it must be noted, for men and women alike. Fascinating and accessible, this book is a must-read for anyone who preaches and teaches regularly, but it would also aid anyone who is interested in more deeply understanding the Scriptures. I commend this book to all who want to follow Jesus, especially those interested in the attention, dignity, and tasks of ministry that he gave (and gives) to women in the church. Highly recommended!"
Tish Harrison Warren, Anglican priest, former New York Times columnist, and author of Liturgy of the Ordinary and Prayer in the Night
"Harlot. Sinner. Mystic. Wife. Mary Magdalene has been called many things throughout history. The fanciful story of prostitute-turned-saint makes for good drama, but what does Scripture really say about this Mary? McNutt rightly dwells on what the Gospels teach: her faith and deep devotion to Jesus. This book not only clarifies the woman we forgot but also helps us see more clearly the Messiah who sent her as first witness of the resurrection. McNutt is a gifted spiritual biographer. This was a delight to read."
Nijay K. Gupta, professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary; author of Tell Her Story
"With a historian's attention to detail and a theologian's love for both the biblical text and its context, Jennifer Powell McNutt brings to life the 'forgotten' Mary and, in so doing, reminds us that such figures in the Bible were living, breathing people of flesh and blood who have things to teach us today. This is a rich and provocative book that brings the larger biblical narrative to life again."
Karen Swallow Prior, author of The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis
"McNutt leaves no stone unturned in her quest for the real Mary Magdalene. As a church historian with biblical and theological training, she disentangles Mary Magdalene's story from the other Marys and unnamed women of the New Testament, work she is uniquely qualified to do. As someone with pastoral experience, McNutt helps us see why Mary's story is critically important for the church today. This book was a joy to read!"
Carmen Joy Imes, associate professor of Old Testament, Talbot School of Theology; author of Being God's Image and Bearing God's Name
The Author
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Greg Schreck Jennifer Powell McNutt
Jennifer Powell McNutt (PhD, The University of St. Andrews) is the Franklin S. Dyrness Chair of Biblical and Theological Studies and professor of theology and history of Christianity at Wheaton College. She is an award-winning author, a fellow in the...
Continue reading about Jennifer Powell McNutt
Reviews
"A popular-level book exploring the myths, legends, and history of Mary Magdalene. While we don't read much about Mary Magdalene in the New Testament, what we do have has been confused and conflated with other Marys, not only tarnishing her reputation but depriving us of an inspiring example of a Christ follower. . . . Throughout the book, McNutt reflects on what we've lost without Mary Magdalene's example for the Church today. She argues that a clear view of Mary Magdalene the message-bearer points us more clearly to Jesus. . . . The gospel writers show us that both men and women have been disciples of Jesus from the very start. An accurate understanding of these disciples draws us toward the Jesus they followed."
Pete Ford,
Englewood Review of Books