The documentary Jesus’ Female Disciples: The New Evidence takes a bold and daring look at the role women played in the founding of Christianity. Traveling from Rome to Israel, theologians Helen Bond and Joan Taylor uncover evidence that could potentially reshape the history of Christianity.
The accepted version of events paints a picture where women play bit roles in the story of Jesus, often portrayed as prostitutes or unassertive onlookers in religious iconography. But with deeper investigation, Bond and Taylor discover a more complete story—one full of devoted female followers who were as important as their male counterparts in spreading Jesus’ teachings.
In a warehouse outside Jerusalem, they piece together physical evidence pointing to Mary Magdalene—the first witness to Jesus’ resurrection—and seek to understand her greater importance to this epic tale. In northern Israel, they search for traces of Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward who has been mentioned vaguely in Luke’s Gospel but was actually one of Jesus’ most devoted followers. And in ancient catacombs around Rome, recent renovations have uncovered wall paintings which may add further details to this oft-told story.
Throughout the documentary, Bond and Taylor remain respectful to the teachings of Jesus yet display an infectious enthusiasm for exploring what lies beneath various Gospel passages. Every stop is filled with questions that may challenge our current understanding of Christianity but also uncover truths about its founding that we never knew before.
This is an exciting detective story unfolding across some incredible locations and offering up a wealth of knowledge about Jesus and his female disciples. So follow Bond and Taylor on their quest for new evidence about one of history’s most beloved figures — it might just change the way you think about religion forever!
