In order to understand what makes a text forbidden and why, we should take a look into one of the earliest examples of the phenomenon: The Gospel of Mary Magdalene. Little known about the text apart from what can be inferred from both the contents and condition of text, as a sizeable chunk of the text is still missing, perhaps lost forever to time.
The Gospel of Mary Magdalene contains a great deal of unorthodox elements when compared to other Christian writings. From questions on the nature of sin itself to the role of women in the faith, it is hard to associate this text with the rest of the bible, especially noting the contradictions it seemingly has. While it isn’t known whether or not the text was actively banned after its release, Mary Magdalene herself has often been misunderstood by many Christian figures. This could possibly be the reason behind the text’s eventual disappearance from history. Part of the text I was most impressed by was Chapter 9, depicting a defiant Mary Magdalene in the face of Peter. In this, she appears as a leader like the rest of the disciples among Christ. It then begs the question if there are other texts like the Gospel of Mary which show how active she was with Jesus.
I do not know if this text is explicitly “forbidden”, though it is certainly “taboo” when compared to other Christian writings. I think that it is entirely possible this text was the victim of an early censorship campaign due to its contents. Perhaps clergy may have seen the writing as harmful without considering its interpretation. Either way, this text stands out from the rest and it’s a great start to the class as we look to understand the nature of controversy and taboos.