Miryam of Nazareth: Woman of Strength & Wisdom

by Ann Johnson

Woman of prayer, woman of faith, woman of confidence - this is the Miryam (Mary) of Nazareth we met in Ann Johnson's vivid, contemporary portrait of the mother of Jesus that was first published over twenty years ago. In a new edition of this spiritual classic, we discover that these strengths were a part of Miryam - long before the angel asked her cooperation in God's plan of salvation. Now available for a whole new generation of readers, Miraym of Nazareth unfolds in three parts. Imagining her first in the desert, Johnson situates Miryam's prayer in the spirit of her predecessors in faith - Esther, Judith, Deborah and Ruth. Miryam, the mother of Jesus, is then given a new voice through a collection of Magnificats that allow us to glimpse the key moments of his life through her eyes. Finally, Miryam's life among the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem after the resurrection is portrayed through her prayers of hope and trust. Johnson's imaginative and stirring use of the Magnificat prayer form presents a fresh and appealing view of Mary, the God-bearer and woman for all times.

Genres: Spirituality, Feminism

124 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1984

Reviews

[Victoria Gaile · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I ever read that presented Mary as a whole person, not just a bundle of idealized stereotypes. What a paradigm shift.

It was decades before I connected with feminist theology, but this little book put me on the path.

[Idelette McVicker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely read.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teaches about women in the bible and their strength, what you never hear on the pulpit,ropy ethic,owner women!

[Rosalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My greatest commendation of this book is that it presents Miryam (Mary) as a Jewish woman, There is an authenticity that drew me in to her life in a new way. It is refreshing to see Miryam portrayed without the plinths, crowns, and all the other trappings in which the European mind has envisaged her. Here is a flesh and blood daughter of Abraham and Sarah who faces the wonder, the mystery and the sorrow of being the vessel through whom God visited this world in Jesus Christ.