The Essay - Visions of Mary - Helen Bond

The Virgin Mary cuts a familiar figure to us in her iconic blue cloak, but what would life be like for the original peasant girl from Nazareth? Senior lecturer in New Testament history at New College, Dr Helen Bond takes us into the turbulent times of the 1st century, and the Roman repression of Jewish revolts. We look at the traumas and life events that the real Mary might have faced. What kind of social stigma could she have faced for her unusual pregnancy? What manner of religious duties would she be expected to carry out as a Jewish mother? Is it possible to glean anything from texts and archaeology to bring us closer to her? Can we think more about how her life experiences might have shaped her mothering of Jesus?