Thomas Sunday School Class

MARY MAGDALENE SERIES SUNDAYS 9:30 AM

Thomas Class, Virginia-Highland Church downstairs library.

Who was Mary Magdalene really?  Who was the woman behind all the myths?  Was she a prostitute who converted to the gospel message of Jesus? A faithful disciple who followed Jesus even to the cross when all the male disciples fled in fear? Or a powerful church leader in early Christianity? Over the course of the next several months, we will attempt to arrive at some answers to these and other questions about Mary Magdalene. 

Schedule of class topics (subject to change) :

Feb 7 - DVD “Secrets of Mary Magdalene” (part I), followed by discussion and intro to the series’ topics

Feb 14 - Eastern Orthodox Legends:  Mary Magdalene and the first Easter Egg  (reading: “Menaion”)

Feb 21 - Early Conflations:  Mary the Repentant Prostitute (reading: Gregory the Great sermon, 591 A.D.)

Feb 28 - French Legends, part I:  Mary’s Apostolic Life  (reading: “The Golden Legend”)

Mar 7 - French Legends, part II:  Mary’s Hermitic Life  (reading: “Mary of Egypt”)

Mar 14 - The War of the Relics:  Vezelay Abbey and St. Maximin de Ste. Baume (11th - 13th c.)

Mar 21 - French Cathar Legends:  Mary as Jesus’ Concubine (reading:  Raynaldus’ “Annales”)

Mar 28 - Later French Legends about St. Sara – patron saint of the Gypsies, and Mary’s daughter (??)

Apr 4 - DVD “Secrets of Mary Magdalene” (part II):  Mary and the Gnostic Gospels

Apr 11 - The Gnostic Gospel of Philip:  Mary as Jesus’ “Companion” and Most Beloved Disciple

Apr 18 - The Gospel of Mary:  Mary the Visionary and Early Christian Rivalry between the “Peter Group” and the “Mary Group”

Apr 25 - Mary in the Canonical New Testament:  Demon-Possessed, Benefactor, and “Apostle to the Apostles”

Mar 2 - Resurrection Appearance Traditions and Empty Tomb Traditions:  What Happened to Mary?

May 9 - John 20 (“Noli me tangere” or “Do not cling to me”) as Separate Tradition  (reading:  John 20)

May 16 - Mary as Jesus’ Rightful Successor and/or “Apostle to the Apostles”

May 23 - TRIP TO SOUTHERN FRANCE
May 30 - TRIP TO SOUTHERN FRANCE