St. Mary Magdalene: The Gnostic Tradition of the Holy Bride

It should be sub-titled The Sophia Gospel. This is an interesting book but, to me, there's a major problem right off. It's almost impossible to tell where the information came from. Although there's a short list of other books this particular one lacks any footnotes and any reference to what parts, if any, came from other works. The book says it's based on oral tradition but again fails to say what oral traditions it is based on or where those oral traditions come from. This, to me, severely damages the quality of the book since, without the above, it could just be something someone made up or even worse something someone channeled.

I tend to research various topics and I like to know where the information I read comes from. I will rate this book only as 2 stars. Otherwise I would have probably rated in at least a 3 if not a 4.

As to the contents of the book:

Jesus was born human and became 'an enlightened individual.' The book says he became Christed as did Mary Magdalene.

There are 7 heavens. (?)

The book refers to demiurges and archons. Fortunately the book has its own glossary.

Mary was promised in marriage to someone in Babylon. On the way there the caravan she was in was attacked by bandits. She was captured and sold into sexual slavery. She was initially raped. Lilith joined herself with Mary. They became the Bright and Dark Sophia.

She was finally able to get out of being a whore and ended up quite wealthy, helping the poor in Babylon.

The book says the serpent (in Adam and Eve) was not an evil being.

It talks about Eve and Lilith.

Jesus and Mary got married. The book goes into detail about her staying with him and his journeys.

St. Peter rejected the marriage and became an enemy to Mary Magdalene.

They had a son who became St. Michael.

The book talks about the Holy Grail.

After Jesus' departure Mary might have gone to Britain for a short while. She also is said to have gone to Southern France where she lived for the rest of her life. She did do preaching but ended up living in a cave for over thirty years in prayer and meditation.

There are 250 sayings in The Secret Gospel of Mary Magdalene. (This is not the same as the Gospel of Mary.)

There's also a whole lot of other material in the book. The part about going to England and the part about living in Southern France I have read elsewhere. Other books discuss how she stayed with Jesus on his journey preaching and healing.