What if early Christianity was far more mystical, diverse, and spiritually empowering than we’ve been taught?
In this profound conversation, Megan Farner sits down with historian, theologian, and mystic Maxine Hanks to explore the hidden streams of early Christianity, Gnosticism, Sophia wisdom traditions, Mary Magdalene, the divine feminine, and the teachings of the resurrected Christ. Together they discuss the Nag Hammadi texts, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, Valentinian Christianity, and the idea of gnosis as direct experiential knowledge of God.
00:00 – Community updates & retreat
02:20 – Introducing Maxine Hanks
05:52 – Maxine’s spiritual journey
10:09 – Mysticism vs. institutional religion
12:04 – What is Gnosticism?
14:09 – Early Christianity after Jesus
16:10 – The teachings of the resurrected Christ
19:27 – The Gospel of Thomas
23:02 – Jesus, women & the disciples
26:13 – Different early Christian movements
27:40 – The Council of Nicaea
29:44 – The Nag Hammadi discovery
33:00 – Mary Magdalene’s role
36:25 – Core Gnostic beliefs
40:29 – Megan’s rediscovery of Gnosticism
44:00 – Reading scripture mystically
48:51 – The Pleroma & divine fullness
50:15 – The inner church vs. outer church
53:00 – Recommended books & texts
55:21 – The Hymn of the Pearl
58:43 – Reconciling Christian traditions
01:00:18 – Why Gnostic teachings were suppressed
01:02:43 – Direct connection to God
01:05:37 – Ritual, sacraments & transformation
01:09:11 – Archons, archetypes & discernment
01:13:26 – Sophia & divine wisdom
01:18:24 – The Gnostic resurrection
01:20:39 – Symbols, rituals & spiritual maturity
Maxine Hanks is a historian and theologian specializing in gender in religion, Mormon studies, Christian liturgy, mysticism, and feminist theology. She is the editor of Women and Authority: Re-emerging Mormon Feminism and has spent decades studying early Christianity, Gnostic traditions, sacramental theology, and the divine feminine.
Books, texts, and Scholars Referenced:
- Women and Authority: Re-emerging Mormon Feminism — Maxine Hanks
- The Wisdom Jesus — Cynthia Bourgeault
- The Meaning of Mary Magdalene — Cynthia Bourgeault
- The Jesus Dynasty — James Tabor
- Gospels of Thomas, Philip, Mary, Judas, the Savior
- Pistis Sophia
- Apocryphons of James and John
- Acts of Thomas
- The Hymn of the Pearl
- Thunder Perfect Mind
- Karen King
- Elaine Pagels
- Carl Jung
- Philo of Alexandria
- Valentinus
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