The multi-dimensional figure of Mary Magdalene has developed throughout the two millennia of Christianity, transitioning from a sinner to a model for women and an idealized expression of female sexuality. The transformations of the Magdalene's image are important not only for assessing the interpretations of this particular woman, or of women in Christianity, but also for our understanding of the cultural milieu created by the Christian tradition. The Oxford Handbook of Mary Magdalene explores the development of the Magdalene's legacy in a forward-looking volume, fostering dialogue and research on feminism, sexuality, theological debates, global interpretations of Christianity, and the changing religious landscape of the 21st century. Rather than treading the well-worn path of traditional chronology, the Handbook opens with a section that examines how Mary Magdalene is received and interpreted in the modern world, encouraging readers to be open to the historical process of how Mary Magdalene came to such a significant place in the Christian tradition and beyond. Highlights of the volume include discussions of the Magdalene's influence on the evolving roles of women in Christianity, as well as her journey from a cisgender identity, through the gender-bending categories of androgyny and homosexuality, to the queering of her image within Byzantine spirituality and contemporary pop culture. The Handbook also includes a thematic visual essay, which explores the vast visual history of Mary Magdalene. This multidisciplinary approach anticipates the future of Magdalene studies as an increasingly global and dynamic area of study, fusing traditional theology with modern reception and religious practice.
