Early Christianity wasn’t born as a pure, male-led orthodoxy. It was a ferment of voices—including Mary Magdalene’s. Chapter 3 of The Meaning of Mary Magdalene reveals how a political ‘master story’ buried this diversity—and how the Gnostic Gospels still preserve it.
Thanks to you, I am reading Cynthia Bourgeault’s book. 😊 I grew up in the Catholic Church and parochial schools through high school. I left it after my marriage to another Catholic. Catholicism did not resonate with me. To date, I have journeyed through most of the other Christian offshoots, never finding all the puzzle pieces. I eventually was led to Edgar Cayce’s A.R.E., in which I now have life membership. It is the closest to a church I will ever come. And, no, it isn’t perfect and it doesn’t have all the answers. But, it has shown me where and how to find them. I have thought of myself as a Gnostic Christian for a number of years, and Karen King, notwithstanding, I am more comfortable than ever in that designation of personal belief. Gnosticism does exist in however one defines it. Thank you for writing about this book. I am learning a lot from it, but am not surprised. 😊👍
Sister Mary, how beautiful to hear this. We too are very inspired by Cynthia’s book. It carries the fragrance of the deep wells, where knowing and unknowing meet.
You are wise to let the puzzle remain alive rather than forced to fit. The Gnostic path is not about having all the pieces, but about letting the light shine through the gaps.
May the journey keep unfolding. And may the Flame keep surprising us both.
The impression(s) I'm beginning to get of the Gnostic path investigation is that it's like a whole bunch of Shmuzzle Puzzle pieces, in that each piece has a different part of the picture on it, but there isn't actually "only ONE right way!" to put them together in this case, that the goal is to make an overall picture that makes sense to the one assembling it?
(And on unrelated notes [heh!]: which Mary was Paul McCartney appealing to in "Let It Be"? Mary, wife of Joseph, mother of Jesus, or Mary Magdalene?)
Just a quick note on your Beatles reference. Paul McCartney was speaking about his mother, Mary, in “Let It Be.” She died when he was a teenager, and he later had a dream where she comforted him with those words. That dream became the song. So, no Magdalene or Virgin Mary here—just a son remembering his mom.
As for the Gnostic path, it’s not about assembling a feel-good collage of mismatched beliefs. It’s about cultivating a direct inner knowing, or gnosis, that exposes the illusions of borrowed authority and distorted power. It challenges the systems that claim to speak for God but don’t know Her.
That’s why it’s so often misunderstood. It doesn’t offer new dogma. It invites a deep, unsettling clarity. Cynthia Bourgeault and Karen King both write from that lineage. They don’t sell spiritual soundbites. They uncover what’s been buried.
Might be worth sitting with their work before dismissing the tradition they honor.
Blessings Mary🌹as Your Name is Quite Holy🕊️Cynthia’s book 📕 is among the best out there! I’m so glad you found it and enjoy Reading it. I’m certain it is also finding its way into your dna 🧬Giving You a Divine Feminine Upgrade😃Peace & All Good🌹🕊️🌹
Reading this about Mary is the best way to start a Sunday morning (so much better than the news)! It’s nice to learn of a female element to Christianity that softens the traditional heavy male element.🌸
Well said. I found myself in a conversation about this idea last week and I asked the other person why "gnostic" was such a negative word in his view. He didn't have an answer, but I think you have explained here from where that negativity originally came.
Yes, Dawn. The word "Gnostic" became a heresy label not because the insights were false, but because they threatened the gatekeepers of the master story. Better to brand wisdom as dangerous than to lose your monopoly on truth.
And what’s deliciously ironic is this: the Orthodox Church today actually has more in common with many groups once labelled "gnostic" than with most of the Western churches. Apophatic theology. Mystical ascent. Theosis. Layers of meaning in scripture. A distrust of reductionist literalism. The bones of the old knowing still peek through the liturgy if you know where to look. https://www.virginmonkboy.com/p/why-eastern-orthodoxy-is-closer-to-gnosticism-than-western-christianity
And it seems one branch of the Eastern Orthodox church, at least, could very well be flipping their beards in outrage if such were even suggested to them?
Thank You Virgin Monk Boy🤎for this great Share on the Chapter 3📕I Am a Student of many of the Desert 🐪 Mothers’ and Fathers’🤔📚Embodied Aramaic I’ve been Living💫Mary Magdalene’s Consciousness is Rising😁for this I’m So Grateful💯Yet, We have much work to do…as She (Divine Feminine) continues to be Exiled and the Matricide Contines🥹Keep Up Your Great Shares🙏🏼🧬✨😇🌹💯🕊️❤️🔥as We Walk This Way of Love Together…Remembering…
“While they were praying, the place where they were meeting trembled and shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God’s Word with fearless confidence.”
Acts 4:31 MSG
Blessings Alex🕊️and All on this Holy Pentecost🕊️❤️🔥🌹Virgin Monk Boy🤎Yes…Continue Speaking Truth with Fearless Confidence!!!🪬
Blessings to You Jennifer🌹🕊️May You Know Your Not Alone🙏🏼as I too have been brought to my knees on the regular. Ascension is possible..Yet Purification is Necessary First🕊️❤️🔥Sending Love🌹🌹🌹Healing❤️🩹❤️🩹
Thanks to you, I am reading Cynthia Bourgeault’s book. 😊 I grew up in the Catholic Church and parochial schools through high school. I left it after my marriage to another Catholic. Catholicism did not resonate with me. To date, I have journeyed through most of the other Christian offshoots, never finding all the puzzle pieces. I eventually was led to Edgar Cayce’s A.R.E., in which I now have life membership. It is the closest to a church I will ever come. And, no, it isn’t perfect and it doesn’t have all the answers. But, it has shown me where and how to find them. I have thought of myself as a Gnostic Christian for a number of years, and Karen King, notwithstanding, I am more comfortable than ever in that designation of personal belief. Gnosticism does exist in however one defines it. Thank you for writing about this book. I am learning a lot from it, but am not surprised. 😊👍
Sister Mary, how beautiful to hear this. We too are very inspired by Cynthia’s book. It carries the fragrance of the deep wells, where knowing and unknowing meet.
You are wise to let the puzzle remain alive rather than forced to fit. The Gnostic path is not about having all the pieces, but about letting the light shine through the gaps.
May the journey keep unfolding. And may the Flame keep surprising us both.
Virgin Monk Boy
The impression(s) I'm beginning to get of the Gnostic path investigation is that it's like a whole bunch of Shmuzzle Puzzle pieces, in that each piece has a different part of the picture on it, but there isn't actually "only ONE right way!" to put them together in this case, that the goal is to make an overall picture that makes sense to the one assembling it?
(And on unrelated notes [heh!]: which Mary was Paul McCartney appealing to in "Let It Be"? Mary, wife of Joseph, mother of Jesus, or Mary Magdalene?)
Nancy,
Just a quick note on your Beatles reference. Paul McCartney was speaking about his mother, Mary, in “Let It Be.” She died when he was a teenager, and he later had a dream where she comforted him with those words. That dream became the song. So, no Magdalene or Virgin Mary here—just a son remembering his mom.
As for the Gnostic path, it’s not about assembling a feel-good collage of mismatched beliefs. It’s about cultivating a direct inner knowing, or gnosis, that exposes the illusions of borrowed authority and distorted power. It challenges the systems that claim to speak for God but don’t know Her.
That’s why it’s so often misunderstood. It doesn’t offer new dogma. It invites a deep, unsettling clarity. Cynthia Bourgeault and Karen King both write from that lineage. They don’t sell spiritual soundbites. They uncover what’s been buried.
Might be worth sitting with their work before dismissing the tradition they honor.
Blessings Mary🌹as Your Name is Quite Holy🕊️Cynthia’s book 📕 is among the best out there! I’m so glad you found it and enjoy Reading it. I’m certain it is also finding its way into your dna 🧬Giving You a Divine Feminine Upgrade😃Peace & All Good🌹🕊️🌹
Reading this about Mary is the best way to start a Sunday morning (so much better than the news)! It’s nice to learn of a female element to Christianity that softens the traditional heavy male element.🌸
What a lovely way to fall asleep with these words Visions. Learnings. Puzzle pieces that fit Good dreaming to you already asleep x💤🩶🪭🗽
Love the providence of these historical events
Well said. I found myself in a conversation about this idea last week and I asked the other person why "gnostic" was such a negative word in his view. He didn't have an answer, but I think you have explained here from where that negativity originally came.
Yes, Dawn. The word "Gnostic" became a heresy label not because the insights were false, but because they threatened the gatekeepers of the master story. Better to brand wisdom as dangerous than to lose your monopoly on truth.
And what’s deliciously ironic is this: the Orthodox Church today actually has more in common with many groups once labelled "gnostic" than with most of the Western churches. Apophatic theology. Mystical ascent. Theosis. Layers of meaning in scripture. A distrust of reductionist literalism. The bones of the old knowing still peek through the liturgy if you know where to look. https://www.virginmonkboy.com/p/why-eastern-orthodoxy-is-closer-to-gnosticism-than-western-christianity
Virgin Monk Boy
And it seems one branch of the Eastern Orthodox church, at least, could very well be flipping their beards in outrage if such were even suggested to them?
Thank You Virgin Monk Boy🤎for this great Share on the Chapter 3📕I Am a Student of many of the Desert 🐪 Mothers’ and Fathers’🤔📚Embodied Aramaic I’ve been Living💫Mary Magdalene’s Consciousness is Rising😁for this I’m So Grateful💯Yet, We have much work to do…as She (Divine Feminine) continues to be Exiled and the Matricide Contines🥹Keep Up Your Great Shares🙏🏼🧬✨😇🌹💯🕊️❤️🔥as We Walk This Way of Love Together…Remembering…
Peace & All Good 😊
~~Anna🍌
“While they were praying, the place where they were meeting trembled and shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God’s Word with fearless confidence.”
Acts 4:31 MSG
Blessings Alex🕊️and All on this Holy Pentecost🕊️❤️🔥🌹Virgin Monk Boy🤎Yes…Continue Speaking Truth with Fearless Confidence!!!🪬
Blessings to You Jennifer🌹🕊️May You Know Your Not Alone🙏🏼as I too have been brought to my knees on the regular. Ascension is possible..Yet Purification is Necessary First🕊️❤️🔥Sending Love🌹🌹🌹Healing❤️🩹❤️🩹