The Erasure of the Feminine in Early Church History
option for the poor, since women were clearly on the margins of
society in Jesus’ culture and era.
Interpretation
Segments of these texts reveal a gendered struggle for authority in
the early Christian church. It is evident in the texts that Peter and
Mary rarely, if ever, enjoy equal status in the same text. Texts where
Mary is elevated often portray Peter as an antagonist who is humbled
by the Lord or other disciples. Most of the texts where Mary is given
a position of authority and Peter’s weaknesses are revealed are not
included in the canon, such as Pistis Sophia, the Gospel of Thomas, and
the Gospel of Mary.
Because these texts allude to a potential gender bias, both on the part
of the authors (because of the struggle for authority between Peter
and Mary) and on the part of the church fathers who determined
what texts were to be considered “accurate” and thus included in the
canon, it is essential for Catholics to acquire a “gendered curiosity”
when questioning whose stories are being told in the canon and
whose stories are neglected or undervalued. Many of the texts where
Mary is in a position of authority are not included in the canon.
The authority of Mary Magdalene and that of Peter were often in conflict with
each other.
The first text, The Gospel of Peter, may not have been included because
of the rivalry between Peter and Mary, but it could have also not been
included because of its failure to include some of the essential details
reported in the canonical Gospels, particularly the presence of women
at the cross. The other texts, including the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel
of Thomas, and Pistis Sophia could have been left out of the canon
for several reasons, particularly because these texts were written after
the four canonical Gospels.
However, when examining these texts in detail, Mary Magdalene’s
authority and special role with regard to Jesus is quite apparent,
especially when that of the prominent apostle, Peter, is either
reduced or diminished on Mary’s behalf. These texts may have not
been included partially because their portrayals of this woman in a
position of influence.
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