A new take on the life of Jesus from Nelson retired vicar

A new take on the life of Jesus from Nelson retired vicar

What was Jesus really like, and who would be best placed to know?

Mary Magdalene was perceptive, intuitive and very close to Jesus, which is why retired Nelson vicar, Nigel Whinney, has used her view of Christ’s story in his newly published book - Those Soft Brown Eyes.

In a format akin to a historical novel, the book retells the familiar story from the birth to the crucifixion, in a format the Rev Whinney is quick to admit leans a lot on his own imagination.

“The writings of the New Testament give some interesting insights to the historical Jesus but there are no accounts of what it might have been like to have been one of His followers, especially a woman. We actually don’t know a lot about Mary Magdalene…she has been portrayed as a penitent, a demoniac, a prostitute, and as someone whose heart rules her mind, someone who is entirely intuitive but generous in her actions.”

Rev Whinney says there is no doubt Jesus loved her, trusted her, forgave her trespasses and enjoyed her robust personality: “I think we can be certain that she would have been one of His 12 disciples - if she had been a man.”

Steering well clear of recent theories that Mary Magdalene was sexually involved with Jesus, Rev Whinney says his main object in writing the book was to learn more about Jesus, so he could in turn learn from Him.

Readers of the book will find they too will learn more about the man who so impressed Mary Magdalene with the ‘soft brown eyes’ that gave the book its title.

Turning his hand to historical ‘fiction’ is not the first career change for Rev Whinney. He was born and educated in England before joining the Royal Navy straight from school in 1962. Over three decades in the navy his roles included flying naval helicopters and leading a squadron of them, teaching air navigation onshore, helping to mop up after the Falklands War and being Britain's senior naval officer in Northern Ireland.

At the age of 55, Rev Whinney was ordained into the Anglican Church, and has served as a rural dean and as a hospice chaplain. He moved to Nelson in 2011 to be closer to his family who had emigrated there. He now runs the local Mission to Seafarers and takes some services at the Nelson Cathedral.

To find out more about purchasing a copy of Those Soft Brown Eyes contact n.whinney@xtra.co.nz. The book costs $25 plus postage.

ENDS

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