THE GOSPEL OF MARY OF MAGDALA
by Karen King
reviewed by John Tintera

Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code rejuvenated public interest in several shadowy characters of history, especially Mary Magdalene. This, to be sure, has been a boon for the scholars who have been writing about and discussing Mary Magdalene for the last generation. One such scholar is Karen King of Harvard. King’s latest book, The Gospel of Mary of Magdala, offers wonderful insights into the nature and culture of early Christianity. (She does, however, stop short of offering theories about the sex life of the Messiah.) King’s work, with all the attention it’s deservedly getting, could have a transformative effect on the adventure we call church.
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GALILEO'S DAUGHTER
by Dava Sobel
reviewed by Margaret Gunness

…it’s important to look at the role played by Galileo’s daughter. She lived as a nun in the Catholic Convent of San Matteo in Arcetri, where her life was one of seclusion and extreme poverty. She carried on a faithful correspondence with her father, however, and each of them was clearly a source of great solace and support to the other. It’s interesting to observe that she refers to “this wretched world,” while it was Galileo, the scientist, who saw it is a rich and wondrous place.