Michael Arditti

Celebrating Jesus’s female followers: Names of the Women, by Jeet Thayil, reviewed

Thayil rescues Mary Magdalene’s reputation and creates bold, beguiling stories for many previously overlooked women in the gospels

‘Christ in the House of Martha and Mary’ by Alessandro Allori (1605) 
issue 20 March 2021

The gnostic Gospel of Mary has long been the subject of controversy, even as to which of the several Marys who feature in Jesus’s life was its author. It is generally assumed to have been Mary Magdalene, not least because it depicts her regular adversary, St Peter, refusing to credit a woman’s testimony.

GIF Image

Disagree with half of it, enjoy reading all of it

TRY A MONTH FREE
Our magazine articles are for subscribers only. Try a month of Britain’s best writing, absolutely free.

Comments

Join the debate, free for a month

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first month free.

Already a subscriber? Log in