Mary
Lesley Hazleton’s Mary: A Flesh-and-Blood Biography of the Virgin Mother is the perfect blend of biography, history, and faith. She explores the world Mary, mother of Jesus, would have lived in; what was going on socially, politically, and economically that would have shaped her life and how she would have raised Jesus. Hazleton takes the most famous women in Christianity and breathes life into her neglected story.
It’s no surprise that over the years, Mary has been overlooked, simplified, and neglected. She’s the mother of Christ, but her story is barely given a glance in the bible. In reality, Mary would have been a dark-skinned girl barely out of adolescence when she gave birth to Jesus. Her world was full of strife, political upheaval, and revolution. Although there are certain things we’ll never know about Mary, Hazleton makes educated guesses that fit within the timeline of her life. Jesus likely learned his healing practices from Mary, making her hold an even more important role in Jesus’ life, and his ministry.
Hazleton’s discussion about Mary’s virgin birth was interesting to read. The belief that Mary wasn’t married at the time of Jesus’ conception holds up, as does the idea that it’s possible Mary was raped. A person’s lifespan was incredibly short during Mary’s time, so every birth was precious, even if the mother was unmarried. Virginity had a different meaning back then, so one could still claim it was a virgin birth, even though Jesus may not have had a heavenly father.
I know some people may read this book and think it’s criticizing Christianity and the bible, but I didn’t view it that way. Hazleton is respectful of people’s beliefs while sharing a viewpoint that hadn’t been explored before. No religion is perfect, and I believe we must be willing to criticize it and hold it accountable.
Mary: A Flesh-and-Blood Biography of the Virgin Mother is a compelling story that gives a fresh perspective to a controversial topic.
Mary Rating: ★★★★
It’s no surprise that over the years, Mary has been overlooked, simplified, and neglected. She’s the mother of Christ, but her story is barely given a glance in the bible. In reality, Mary would have been a dark-skinned girl barely out of adolescence when she gave birth to Jesus. Her world was full of strife, political upheaval, and revolution. Although there are certain things we’ll never know about Mary, Hazleton makes educated guesses that fit within the timeline of her life. Jesus likely learned his healing practices from Mary, making her hold an even more important role in Jesus’ life, and his ministry.
Hazleton’s discussion about Mary’s virgin birth was interesting to read. The belief that Mary wasn’t married at the time of Jesus’ conception holds up, as does the idea that it’s possible Mary was raped. A person’s lifespan was incredibly short during Mary’s time, so every birth was precious, even if the mother was unmarried. Virginity had a different meaning back then, so one could still claim it was a virgin birth, even though Jesus may not have had a heavenly father.
I know some people may read this book and think it’s criticizing Christianity and the bible, but I didn’t view it that way. Hazleton is respectful of people’s beliefs while sharing a viewpoint that hadn’t been explored before. No religion is perfect, and I believe we must be willing to criticize it and hold it accountable.
Mary: A Flesh-and-Blood Biography of the Virgin Mother is a compelling story that gives a fresh perspective to a controversial topic.
Mary Rating: ★★★★