May/June 2007 Issue

Women and Religion

Women have a unique place within the realm of religion, often receiving pressures and restrictions not experienced by their male counterparts. Next issue, Sacred History Magazine investigates women within their own special religious context. Naturally, women in the Bible will receive a certain amount of attention, including its selections of mothers—Eve of humanity, Sarah of Israel and Mary of Jesus; its leaders, Esther and Deborah; and its villains, Jezebel and Delilah. Next, women in Early Christianity will receive special treatment, encountering the ascetic and mystic Thecla and the powerful mother of Constantine the Great, Helene, who made both Jerusalem and Bethlehem famous pilgrimage sites. We will also discuss early influential women within Islam, including Khadija, the wife of Muhammad, and Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad and the wife of Ali.

Entering into the Medieval period, we will learn all about the Beguines; the female mystics of northern Europe, especially Marguerite Porete; Clare of Assisi, and the incredible Hildegard von Bingen, known as the "Sybil of the Rhine," creating great works of theology and commanding great authority—even giving the Pope advice! No discussion of women in the medieval world is complete without mentioning Joan of Arc, believing she was specially selected by God to help kick the English out of France. On the other side of the channel, we will discuss Elizabeth I and how her religious beliefs changed a nation. Finally, within the modern realm, we will learn about Mary Baker Eddy, Aimee Semple McPherson, Fanny Crosby, Mother Teresa and Corrie Ten Boom.