Wise Women: Over Two Thousand Years of Spiritual Writing by Women

by Susan Cahill (Editor)

Spiritual experience has always been, and is especially today, a liberating source of women's identity and their resistance to oppression. These selections feature centuries of this tradition's most intuitive writing: women ancient, medieval, and modern articulate the spiritual dimension of life. From Ishtar of Babylonia and Isis of Egypt to the medieval mystic Hildegard of Bingen, the contemporary African American poet Lucille Clifton, and the Buddhist shaman Joan Halifax, these visionaries see justice and love, loss, aging, and freedom; and it inspires artistic expression and political action. This deeply moving collection of poetry, essays, prayers, letters, memoirs, stories, and theologies by wise women is a source of empowering and uplifting thought for women in any time, at any age.

Genres: History, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Womens, Religion, Feminism, Philosophy

395 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1996

About the author

SUSAN CAHILL has published several travel books on France, Italy, and Ireland, including Sacred Paris, Hidden Gardens of Paris and The Streets of Paris. She is the editor of the bestselling Women and Fiction series and author of the novel Earth Angels. She spends a few months in Paris every year. MARION RANOUX, a native Parisienne, is an experienced freelance photographer and translator into French of Czech literature.

Reviews

[Isabel Echeverría · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Religion is essentially the emptying of man and nature of all content, the transferring of this content to the phantom of a distant God who then in his turn graciously allows something from his abundance to come to human beings and to nature’

I enjoyed the excerpts of the book that focused on nature, womanhood or similar topics, but the vast majority of the excerpts were focused on praising god and religion, which don’t resonate with me

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good primer for those starting off learning about women's history and writings. I feel it was weighted a little too much toward the twentieth century writers, but it's a starting point. The author provides a quick blurb on a historical text or woman, then includes an excerpt from that woman. The writing can be a little dry, but if you're not too meticulous it can be a great sampler of women's voices.

I consider myself to be reasonably well educated on women's history, but there were a few women here I didn't know about, like Anne Bradstreet. I knew of the Grimke sisters, but reading bits of their writing has definitely made me interested in seeking out more about them. To that end, this is a useful title.

[Kylie Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It gives a varied view of women's thoughts and roles in religion. Like all anthologies, it's nice that if you aren't interested in one piece, you can skip it and move onto something more to your liking. The downside is that there were a lot of women in here I would like to have read more of, instead of the brief excerpt provided here. But it gives me a good jumping off point.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good collection of spiritually-focused writing by women across different eras and cultures.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skimming this book for history from Magna Gracia and Anatolian Peninsula.

[Mirabella. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wise women two thousand years of spiritual writings by women was pretty boring, maybe it’s just me but it was all scholarly women, deacons, theologians, etc I found it so immensely boring. I wish more indigenous and hippie women would write spiritual books genuinely. Their type of spirituality is much more alive and not so scholarly and dry. Women who write in the feminine. There was a great poem in here however by Catherine de Vinck called the womanly song of god that I cherish. Also you’ll find the Indian mystical poet in here Mirabai, and Native American woman Linda Hogan. You’ll also find a poem by Kassiane. This book will be donated though, I’m sure it’s a work of love however. It might be up your street though, if you’re after very religious scholarly writing. ✍️

[Mel]

Selections: Phyllis Trible - "Eve and Adam: Genesis 2-3 Reread" (359-367)

[Irene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most entries were familiar to me.

[Jennifer Pickens]

A really good collection no matter what your spiritual leanings are.