MacArthur Fellow and NYT bestselling author Dr. Elaine Pagels joins us to talk about manic pixie dream girls, lost Gnostic texts, and why being a heretic might not be so bad.

Stereotypes about women aren't solely a modern phenomenon. Two pervasive archetypes in early Christian writings were the devil's gateway and bride of Christ . Where did these labels come from? And what were some alternative perspectives found in gnostic texts like the Gospel of Mary and Thunder, Perfect Mind? We also ask, where did Eve go wrong? Who were the leaders Eustochium, Junia, and Marcellina? And how do the Pauline and deuteropauline letters differ in their takes on women?

Women Who Went Before is written, produced, and edited by Emily Chesley and Rebekah Haigh. This episode was fact-checked by Jillian Marcantonio. The music is composed and produced by Moses Sun.

Episode show notes: womenwhowentbefore.com/fall-girl

Sponsored by the Center for Culture, Society, and Religion, the Program in Judaic Studies, and the Stanley J. Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies at Princeton University

Views expressed on the podcast are solely those of the individuals, and do not represent Princeton University.