The Expected One

       Author: Kathleen McGowan

Reviewed by Theresa Welsh

For everyone who follows the historical mysteries and theological controversies that swirl around the life of Jesus, there's a new book you might enjoy reading. Kathleen McGowan brings us yet another version of the "bloodline of Jesus" theory that first surfaced over twenty years ago with the publication of Holy Blood, Holy Grail. That book, by Henry Lincoln, Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, is a classic of alternate history and one of my very favorite books.

Holy Blood, Holy Grail (see my review) postulated that a secret society called the Priory of Sion had been keeping an explosive secret down through the years, and the Grand Masters of this society had been some of history's most prominent luminaries, including Leonardo DaVinci. And, yes, this is the same book that Dan Brown used as source material for his blockbuster hit, The DaVinci Code. But Brown, for all his literary success (much deserved - I have read and enjoyed ALL his books) is a lightweight in terms of the real debate.

A New Version of History?

Into that debate comes McGowan, with a tale she says is fiction, but with a story line she says is real, based on years of research and access to secret information, whose source she does not reveal. She is clearly aiming at heavyweight status among the purveyors of a new version of history.

So what does she say that is so intriguing and is it worth your time to read her book? McGowan weaves a tale of Maureen, a writer whose Irish father died when she was young under circumstances she never understood. Her mother took her to Ireland where she was raised mainly by an aunt. Her one confidante is her cousin, Father Peter Healy, with whom she grew up.

The Mysteries Begin

But Maureen is no ordinary person. She is in Jerusalem when she spots an unusual ring in a shop and it fits perfectly on her finger. The shopkeeper tells her the ring is not for sale, but it is a gift to her, as she is obviously the one for whom it was intended. The mysterious ring becomes the reason she later receives an invitation to visit a fabulous chateau in France, invited by eccentric Englishman Berenger Sinclair (to alternate history buffs, this man's first name and last name will have significance).

Sinclair invites her to a costume ball for the many fanatical followers of Mary Magdalene who populate the southwest corner of France and congregate near the infamous village of Rennes-le-Chateau (another hot button for alternate history buffs). Maureen has written a book about important, misunderstood women throughout history, including Magdalene who the Church has miscast as a prostitute (which she most certainly was not!). With urging from her friend Tammy, who is also invited, Maureen decides to accept Sinclair's offer.

And let's don't forget that Maureen has recurring visions of Mary Magdalene, which she has only shared with Father Peter Healy. The visions worry her; she trusts her cousin and hopes he can help her understand what is happening to her, since he is a Catholic priest. She goes to France looking for answers and Father Healy comes with her.

Magdalene's Own Story

So far, it's just a story, but in between chapters we get snippets of "The Arques Gospel of Mary Magdalene" and it's quite a tale she tells. She is the loving wife of "Easa" (Jesus) and the mother of three children. We also get narrative sections in which the author tells Magdalene's story and it's not the story you've heard before. In this story, Magdalene is first married (against her wishes, as she loves Easa) to John the Baptist, with whom she has a child. Alas, John (as we know from the Bible) was beheaded by Herod, leaving Magdalene a widow. But Salome, the Biblical siren who dances for Herod and demands John's head on a platter, is not really responsible for John's death, although we don't feel too badly about his passing as we continue reading because, in this version, John is not a nice person. He and Jesus have different teachings. And with John out of the way, Magdalene is finally married to Easa, who has begun his public preaching.

That infamous "bloodline"

Meanwhile, back at the chateau, Maureen is learning a lot about her ancestry, as she is "of the bloodline" as are Sinclair and most of the characters. It turns out there are two rival factions of modern seekers of the real Magdalene. The evildoers are the descendants of John, while the others who descend from Jesus are more kind-hearted.

But all are seeking the same thing: a manuscript, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, and they believe The Expected One is the only person who can find it. You guessed it: Maureen is The Expected One. And she DOES find it! Father Healy, who has come with her to the chateau, is able to translate it and Sinclair, his faithful servant Roland, Tammy and Maureen are the first to hear the story of Magdalene and her beloved Easa.

Is it Real or is it Fiction?

I found the book an interesting and exciting tale in itself, but it left me with questions about what part is real and what part is fiction. I have emailed the author, been to her web site, and joined her online discussion group, but I still don't have answers. She does say the Magdalene gospel is real, but if so, who has it? What is its history?

I also gather that the ring is real, so the story of finding it in Jerusalem may be real, but the author says she is not "The Expected One." So what are we to think?

There are many other books about Mary Magdalene and other theories of her having a close relationship with Jesus. There is some evidence for it - the same evidence that makes people take The DaVinci Code seriously, mainly the Gnostic Gospel of Mary and Gospel of Thomas. These are documents of fairly recent discovery that give a different picture of Jesus and his followers and show that Mary Magdalene was at least a close and beloved disciple. Magdalene as wife of Jesus has been suggested before, but could she have been married to John the Baptist as well?

What about the rivalry between John and Jesus depicted in The Expected One? There are modern-day followers of John the Baptist, sects that say John was the real messiah. There are theories that The Dead Sea Scrolls, which talk about characters referred to as The Teacher of Righteousness and The Liar are referring to John and Jesus. Then there are other scholars who say those designations do not refer to John and Jesus, and their timeline places the scrolls well before Jesus' ministry. But in McGowan's book, the secret group that reveres John calls their leader the Teacher of Righteousness. She refers to John and Jesus as being "Nazarene" not Essene, but the community of Qumran, which is believed to be the source of the scrolls, was Essene.

McGowan has much to say about the Cathars, a Christian sect that was once prominent in the area of France near Rennes-le-Chateau. I found her descriptions of Montsegur (a stone fortress on a sheer cliff where the remaining Cathars were exterminated by the forces of the pope, after a crusade that pitted Christian against Christian) and Rennes-le-Chateau very good reading. These sites and the stories behind them are very well known to students of alternate views of history, but we rarely get such a close-up look at the experience of visiting them.

No New Insights About Jesus

I was disappointed to find her Jesus a Hollywood stereotype who is loving to everyone and heals the sick and forgives his enemies. That would be ok if we learned anything new about his teachings, but we do not. There is no revelation about the meaning of the crucifixion or the resurrection. Perhaps McGowan had access to "a story" but not the meaning of the story, which is the important part. Or maybe we all have to find our own meaning in the story, but if you're looking for spiritual insight, you won't find it here.

On the other hand, the tender relationship between Magdalene and Easa is touching and believable. Why shouldn't Jesus have been married? It was the practice of Jewish people, and especially required for rabbis, and would have been even more important for someone of royal blood. And if Magdalene was the wife of Jesus, then her story is of great interest. Recent scholarly research has tended to make this picture of Jesus and Mary Magdalene as loving companions more likely to be true.

What are the Sources?

But how real is the picture we get in The Expected One? Where does the fiction end and the "secret source" of information begin? And how reliable is that secret source? If the author had the visions attributed to Maureen, what do they mean? Are other people having visions of Magdalene too (as we learn that there are Magdalene visionaries even in places like McLean, Virginia)? Is the spirit of Mary Magdalene working to bring the truth to the world through the mediumship of her descendants? McGowan is obviously familiar with much of the literature of alternate history, and she makes use of it in this story. Her character, Sinclair, resides at the "Chateau des Pommes Bleues" - "blue apples" - another esoteric reference, and she knows all the legends about Mary Magdalene and the south of France. So, she is equipped to write a good story, which she has done. But can we take what passes for "revelations" seriously? In my opinion, no. Not until we know her sources.

But stay tuned. Two more books are planned, so maybe we will get answers if we keep reading.